This is, without a doubt, The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe ever! Simple, cheesy, meaty, and oh so delicious! It’s the go-to dish to bring to a potluck, and a great way to feed a crowd.
Layer the hearty meaty sauce, different cheeses, some veggies, and lasagna noodles in a baking dish and bake until hot and bubbly.
It freeze well and reheats well, and leftovers will keep you pleased for several days.
This Is Handsdown the World’s Best Lasagna Ever!
I’m so excited to share this epic Homemade Lasagna Recipe with you today! Lasagna is one of the world’s most popular foods. It’s a classic Italian dish that can be served at any time of day or night to family and friends.
Within layers of pasta, tomato sauce, white sauce, and melted cheese, you’ll find a big warm comforting hug!
This recipe is simple, cheesy, can be made ahead of time, or baked immediately. It comes out perfectly every time! It is not dry nor soupy, cuts well, holds together well, and tastes fantastic!
As I previously stated, this is the homemade lasagna recipe that you must have in your recipe collection. Once you’ve made this, you’ll never need another lasagna recipe. It’s meaty, cheesy, decadent, and the ideal Italian meal.
If you’ve tried my skillet lasagna recipe, then you’ll definitely know what I mean!
Why You’ll Love this Homemade Lasagna?
- Everything you want in one recipe: Meaty, cheesy, and saucy. It’s rich and mouthwatering delicious!
- Perfect for Meal Prep: It’s the perfect dish to make on a weeknight, but you can also make it on the weekend and enjoy it all week. Even better? Double the recipe and freeze one lasagna for later.
- A crowd pleaser: This is a family-friendly meal that everyone enjoys.
Homemade Lasagna Ingredients
Ground beef: You can use use lean or extra lean beef so you don’t have to drain any fat. For a juicier lasagna, use 80/20 beef (20% fat content).
Lasagna noodles: The lasagna noodles should be cooked al dente; they will soften as the lasagna bakes.
Pasta sauce: You will need canned pasta sauce.
Onion: Both white or yellow onion work well for this recipe.
Olive oil: You will need some olive oil to sauté the onions.
Garlic cloves: Use as much or as little garlic as you want!
Seasonings: You can use dried thyme, Italian seasoning, fresh basil, oregano, garlic powder, and seven spices. Feel free to use any fresh herbs you like.
Cheese: An Italian cheese blend works, but I prefer mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
Peppers: Feel free to use any color of peppers you like.
Mushrooms: Rimini mushrooms work perfectly with this recipe.
Baby Spinach: I recommend using fresh spinach for this lasagna recipe. However, you can use frozen spinach. Just be sure to thaw and drain all excess water from the spinach before using.
Egg: The egg helps binds the cheese mixture together.
Check the recipe card for quantities.
A Truly Cheesy Bliss
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Lasagna is hearty and filling on its own, but a salad or vegetable side dish can help balance out the meal. A fresh garden salad, for example, will complement this dish. Vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower, make excellent side dishes for lasagna.
Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Cover with foil, bake in an oven safe dish in the oven or pop it in the microwave until hot and bubbly.
Easy Substitutions
While I enjoy this homemade lasagna as written, you may have other preferences! Here are some simple substitutions you could try.
Ground beef vs ground sausage: You can absolutely substitute hot or sweet Italian sausage for the ground beef.
Ricotta vs cottage cheese: Ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese are commonly used in traditional Italian lasagnas.
If you dislike the taste or texture of ricotta cheese, you can easily substitute cottage cheese in its place. Everything else in the recipe will remain the same.
Delicious Variations
Customizing lasagna is enjoyable and adds more flavors and richness to this traditional lasagna recipe. There are numerous ways to modify or improve this lasagna recipe. These lasagna variations will be delicious no matter how you prepare them!
Meat: You can add more meat or substitute meat with diced chicken, turkey, or any type of sausage.
Spicy: For extra heat, add some red pepper flakes.
Noodles: Regular lasagna noodles are the best and are required for layering. However, there are various types of noodles available that work well for this recipe.
Vegetarian: To make a vegetarian lasagna, omit the meat and replace it with spinach, kale, or escarole.
Top Tips for the Best Lasagna Recipe
Pro tip: You can add some sugar to cut through some of the acidity from all the tomatoes.
Another important tip is to simmer the sauce. A wet, thin pasta sauce is not ideal for any pasta. The sauce must be able to coat the wide lasagna noodles you will be using.
Let every thing settle before you start digging in. It’s better to let your lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes. It will stay hot, but at the same time it will soak up that moisture.
Freezing Tips
This easy lasagna recipe can be frozen baked or unbaked. In either case, line the lasagna pan with foil so that you can easily remove the lasagna once it has frozen through. You won’t have to keep the pan in the freezer as well.
Unbaked lasagna: Assemble the lasagna as directed in the foil-lined pan, but do not bake it. Allow to cool before covering with foil. When it’s completely frozen, remove it from the pan, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for up to a month.
When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the foil and return it to the original pan. Cover the top with foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to defrost. You might need extra time when baking it (10 to 20 minutes).
Baked lasagna: Assemble the lasagna in the foil-lined pan and bake as directed in the steps below. Allow it to cool completely before wrapping in foil and freezing until solid. Then lift it out of the pan, wrap it in foil again, and freeze for up to 1 month.
Unwrap it and return it to its original pan when ready to reheat. Cover the top with foil (you can reuse the foil from the wrapping) and place in the refrigerator overnight to defrost. Reheat at 350°F, covered, until bubbly again.
Homemade Lasagna Recipe Ingredients
- Lasagna pasta
- pasta sauce
- onions, diced
- ground meat
- 7 spices, or all spice
- Italian seasoning
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- oregano
- peppers (any colors of choice)
- mushrooms/ sliced
- mozzarella shredded cheese
Lasagna Filling Ingredients
- baby spinach/ chopped
- ricotta cheese
- egg
Steps to Prep the Perfect Lasagna
First, bring pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, and boil lasagna noodles for 7 minutes.
Next, drain then add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking.
Then, in a pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil, sauté onions until translucent, add meat and 7 spices until cooked.
After that, add peppers, mushrooms, the spaghetti sauce, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder. Once the sauce boils turn heat off.
Steps to Prepare the Filling- Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
First, in a small bowl add ricotta cheese, the egg, chopped spinach and mix.
Now, layer in a deep rectangular baking dish starting sauce on bottom and then repeat these layers of lasagna noodles (horizontally – 4 noodles per layer).
Repeat the process! The top layer should be the hearty meat sauce then a thick layer of mozzarella!
Then, bake at 350 covered with aluminum foil (spray with oil to prevent cheese from sticking) for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes.
Finally, broil for a few minutes until cheese is slightly golden. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Creamy, Dreamy, & Comforting
More Delicious Pasta Recipes You Must Try:
- Easy Stovetop Lasagna Skillet
- Béchamel Pasta Bake (Macarona Béchamel)
- Effortless Greek Pasta Salad!
- Gigi Hadid’s Viral Pasta Recipe (without the vodka)
- Effortless Greek Pasta Salad!
- Healthy Pasta Salad and Dressing
- Pasta and Beef in Yogurt Sauce
- Italian Seasoned Tuna Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta
- Best Mac & Cheese Recipe
The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Lasagna Ingredients
- 1 box Lasagna pasta
- 2 24 ounces can pasta sauce
- 2 medium onions diced
- 1½ pounds ground meat
- 1 teaspoon seven spices or all spice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 cup peppers any color of choice
- 1 8 ounce can mushroom
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Ricotta Cheese Filling
- 1 cup baby spinach chopped
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
Instructions
Prepare the Lasagna
- First, bring pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, and boil lasagna noodles for 7 minutes.
- Next, drain then add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Then, in a pan add 3 tablespoons olive oil, sauté onions until translucent, add meat and 7 spices until cooked.
- After that, add peppers, mushrooms, the spaghetti sauce, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder. Once the sauce boils turn heat off.
Prepare the Filling: Ricotta Cheese Mixture
- First, in a small bowl add ricotta cheese, the egg, chopped spinach and mix.
- Now, layer in a deep rectangular baking dish starting sauce on bottom and then repeat these layers of lasagna noodles (horizontally – 4 noodles per layer).
- Repeat the process! The top layer should be the hearty meat sauce then a thick layer of mozzarella!
- Then, bake at 350 covered with aluminum foil (spray with oil to prevent cheese from sticking) for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Finally, broil for a few minutes until cheese is slightly golden. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can add some sugar to cut through some of the acidity from all the tomatoes.
- Another important tip is to simmer the sauce. A wet, thin pasta sauce is not ideal for any pasta. The sauce must be able to coat the wide lasagna noodles you will be using.
- Let every thing settle before you start digging in. It’s better to let your lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes. It will stay hot, but at the same time it will soak up that moisture.
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