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Square overhead shot of a dish of homemade lasagna.
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5 from 11 votes

Homemade Lasagna

The best homemade lasagna recipe includes thick layers of noodles, Italian sausage, ground beef, and cheese in a made-from-scratch sauce!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword best lasagna recipe, classic lasagna, easy lasagna recipe, homemade lasagna recipe, how to make lasagna
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 12 people
Calories 500kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

  • 4-quart baking dish (deep 9 x 13-inch pan)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (we love San Marzano tomatoes if available)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (reduce to 1 tablespoon for a less sweet sauce)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 9 oven-ready "no-boil" lasagna noodles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook and crumble the sausage, ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain off the fat. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, parsley, basil, salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg, ricotta, 1 ¼ cups of Parmesan cheese, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.
    Process shot showing how to make homemade lasagna.
  • Spread 2 cups of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and ⅓ of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
    Process shot showing how to layer the ingredients for a homemade lasagna recipe.
  • Cover with greased foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch drips if it bubbles over); bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until browned on top and bubbly.
    Square overhead shot of a dish of homemade lasagna.
  • Let stand at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
    Side shot of a square of lasagna on a plate with fresh parsley garnish.

Video

Notes

  • Use a deep 9x13-inch dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.
  • No-boil noodles work perfectly in this recipe. If using regular noodles, boil and drain them first.
  • Drain cooked meat well to prevent watery lasagna.
  • Brown sugar balances tomato acidity. Use 1-2 tablespoons based on your taste preference.
  • The egg helps the cheese layer set properly for clean slicing.
  • For a quicker option, substitute 5-6 cups jarred marinara for homemade sauce.
  • Cottage cheese can replace ricotta. Strain if watery.
  • Cover tightly with greased foil to prevent cheese from sticking.
  • Rest lasagna for at least 15 minutes after baking before slicing.
  • Make-ahead: Refrigerate unbaked lasagna up to 48 hours or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/12 of the casserole | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1406mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1269IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 464mg | Iron: 4mg