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The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe

The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe

When you get a taste of your delicious, hot, gooey, and extremely comforting homemade lasagna, you will feel like a pro!
4.34 from 3 votes
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 599kcal

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ lb ground pork
  • 1-28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp dry basil
  • ½ tsp dry oregano
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the ricotta cheese filling:

  • 16 oz full fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ tsp dried basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the lasagna:

  • 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (use block cheese — pre-shredded won’t melt smoothly or taste as rich)

Instructions

  • Make the meat sauce: in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
  • Add the ground beef and ground pork and cook until no pink is left on the meat. Drain the excess fat and season with salt and pepper.
  • Mix in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. For extra flavor depth, stir in 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Frank’s). These won’t make it spicy but will enhance the overall richness. Bring to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Make the ricotta filling: in a medium-sized bowl mix the ricotta cheese, egg, dried basil, salt and pepper until smooth.
  • Boil lasagna noodles in generously salted water until al dente (follow box time), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Stir occasionally, then drain and lay them flat on parchment or foil to prevent sticking. Or, use no-boil or fresh lasagna sheets to save time — no pre-cooking needed. Drain and set aside.
  • Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish and spoon enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.
  • Place three lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce, followed by ⅓ of the remaining meat sauce. Dollop ⅓ of the ricotta filling in 6–8 small spoonfuls across the sauce. Gently spread, or leave the dollops as-is — the cheese will melt evenly while baking. Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella.
  • Repeat the layers twice more, ending with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan over the last layer of mozzarella and cover with foil (spray the underside with cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking). Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until the top is golden, bubbling, and fully melted. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This helps the cheese set and ensures clean, sturdy layers when serving.

Notes

  1. Drain the excess fat from the cooked meats if you don’t want an extra greasy lasagna.
  2. Have your meat sauce ready before cooking the noodles, and while they are cooking, make the ricotta filling.
  3. Keep an eye on the lasagna after removing the foil, as oven temperatures vary. The cheese should be fully melted and bubbling before removing.
Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble lasagna and refrigerate (unbaked) for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking and add 10 extra minutes to covered bake time.
Reheating Tip: To reheat leftovers, cover and bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes until hot throughout. Add a few spoonfuls of broth or sauce if the lasagna looks dry.

Nutrition

Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 26g