In this classic lasagna recipe, sheets of pasta are layered with a cheesy filling, a rich meaty tomato sauce, and more cheese and then baked until bubbly and browned. While there are a few steps, this lasagna recipe is relatively easy to make and has so much flavor.
Lasagna Ingredients
Cheese Filling: For this classic lasagna recipe, the cheese filling has ricotta and parmesan with seasonings. You can make homemade ricotta cheese or replace it with cottage cheese. Meat: I use both Italian sausage and ground beef for great flavor. If using all beef, add ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds and some Italian seasoning to the meat mixture for flavor, or make my homemade Italian sausage. Sauce: To keep this sauce quick, I use pasta sauce or marinara sauce (it’s easy to make from scratch with crushed tomatoes and canned tomatoes if you’d prefer). If using store-bought sauce, I love Rao’s for flavor.
Spinach (variation): Spinach is optional but delicious in lasagna. For spinach lasagna, thaw 10oz of frozen spinach, squeeze out the moisture, and add it along with the cheese layer.
How to Layer Lasagna
Once you have prepared the meat sauce and the cheese mixture, you’re ready to layer. This is the order of layers: Once removed from the oven, let the lasagna sit/rest for at least 15 minutes (up to 45 minutes is fine, it will retain the heat well). This will allow it to thicken up a bit and help it keep its shape when cut. Resting is not required when reheating.
sauce – noodles – cheese sauce – noodles – cheese sauce – noodles – cheese noodles – sauce (bake) – cheese
Serve with a big slice of homemade Garlic Bread and garnish with fresh basil or a couple of tablespoons of parsley. Finish the meal with a Caesar salad or Italian salad.
Make Ahead
Lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. It can also be frozen before or after baking.
Choose a quality pasta sauce. Bake this lasagna recipe for one hour. Cover it with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out. Add the cheese during the last 15 minutes of cooking so it becomes browned and bubbly. Let it rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.
To Freeze Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the best meals to make ahead and freeze. Double or triple the recipe and store it tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. If the lasagna is cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 20 minutes or so of cooking time.
How To Reheat Lasagna
If you’ve frozen leftovers, pop them in the oven at 350°F covered until reheated. This should take about 30 minutes! Of course, leftovers are perfectly heated in the microwave too! Did you enjoy this Homemade Lasagna? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! © SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
