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The Best Easy Lasagna Recipe

easy lasagna recipe, fork bite of lasagna served on a plate.

The perfect Easy Lasagna Recipe. A mouthwatering combination of pasta, ricotta cheese, and tomato sauce, baked to perfection, topped with golden, bubbly cheese. Simply delicious!

easy lasagna recipe on a white plate

Why You'll Love Easy Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. It's warm, filling, and packed with layers of flavor. But let's be real... traditional lasagna recipes can be incredibly time consuming and labor intensive. Who has the time or energy to spend hours in the kitchen after a long day?

That's where this easy lasagna recipe comes in. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can have a mouthwatering lasagna ready to go in no time. Trust me, once you try this recipe, it will become a regular in your dinner rotation. And you'll absolutely want to check out my easy Ravioli Casserole, too.

What You'll Need

Cheese sauce

  • Ricotta cheese
  • Italian seasoning
  • Egg
  • Mozzarella

Beef mixture

  • Onions
  • Ground beef (you can do a split half and half of sausage and ground beef)
  • Italian seasonings
  • Garlic powder
  • Minced garlic
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Beef broth
  • Marinara sauce
  • Granulated sugar *OPTIONAL*
  • Oven ready lasagna noodles

How to Make a Lasagna Recipe

Make the Cheese Sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, and egg together. Add 1 cup of mozzarella and mix. Set the cheese mixture aside.  

Make the Beef Mixture: In a large skillet, add the ground beef and chopped onions. Add the seasoning and mix well as the meat browns evenly. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the beef broth and marinara sauce. Mix well. Simmer, add sugar if needed and sit aside.

Build the lasagna: Pour about ½ cup of the beef mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place 3 of the oven-ready lasagna noodles over the mixture. Add approximately ⅓ of the meat mixture on top. Spread it out evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella Next, add half of the Ricotta cheese mixture. Use a knife to spread as evenly as possible. Repeat steps 2-3-4, 5.

Place 3 oven-ready lasagna noodles on top of the Ricotta cheese. To finish off the lasagna, add the remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese to cover the top. Finally, cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Take the foil off and then cook for an additional 15 minutes. This will make the lasagna golden brown. Let it cool off before serving. Serve and Enjoy!

lasagna on a spatula

Tips and Tricks

This lasagna has the perfect balance of cheese and meat sauce, creating a delicious and satisfying dish. If you prefer a meatier lasagna, you can adjust the recipe by using 2 pounds of ground beef or a combination of ground beef and sausage.

Flavor: The lasagna is cheesy with just the right amount of seasoning, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that complement each other beautifully.

Time: One of the great things about this recipe is its flexibility. You can prepare this lasagna the day before; it makes a delicious dinner and a great leftover lunch.

Side dish: This dish pairs wonderfully with a fresh salad and some garlic bread on the side.

Storage: If you have leftovers, don't worry. You can keep the lasagna for up to a week in an airtight container stored in the fridge.

Re-warm: When you're ready to enjoy the lasagna again, place your portions in a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high for approximately 1 minute, or until it's warmed to your liking. Enjoy!

Freezing? This lasagna can be frozen before or after baking. If freezing before baking, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil. When ready to bake, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before placing in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. If freezing after baking, let the lasagna cool completely before wrapping and freezing. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then place in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

easy lasagna recipe on a white plate

FAQS for the Best Lasagna Recipe

What if I don't have ricotta? You can substitute ricotta with cottage cheese or even cream cheese for a different texture and flavor.

Do I have to cook the noodles first? No, the oven-ready lasagna noodles used in this recipe do not require pre-cooking. Simply layer them into the dish and they will cook perfectly in the oven.

Can I add vegetables to this recipe? Of course! Feel free to add your favorite vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini to the layers of this lasagna for added nutrition and flavor.

easy lasagna recipe on a white plate

Can I use homemade sauce instead of jarred? Absolutely! If you have your own homemade tomato sauce, feel free to use that instead of store-bought jarred sauce for a more personalized touch.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Yes, you can use gluten-free noodles and ensure that all of the ingredients, including the sauce and cheese, are gluten-free. Just be sure to read labels carefully and double check with any guests who may have dietary restrictions.

Is this recipe suitable for vegetarians? While this particular recipe includes ground beef, you can easily make a vegetarian version by omitting the meat and using a combination of vegetables and/or tofu as a substitute.

right from the oven lasagna
lasagna on a spatula

Easy Lasagna Recipe

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

The perfect Easy Lasagna Recipe. A mouthwatering combination of pasta, ricotta cheese, and tomato sauce, baked to perfection, topped with golden, bubbly cheese. Simply delicious!

Ingredients

Cheese sauce

  • 2 cups Ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 egg
  • 5 cups shredded Mozzarella, divided

Beef mixture

  • ½ cup chopped onions (I used red onions, but you can use yellow or sweet onions)
  • 1 pound ground beef (you can do a split half and half of sausage and ground beef)
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup beef broth
  • 1 jar (24 ounces) Marinara sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar *OPTIONAL*
  • 9 Oven ready lasagna noodles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Oil a 9 x 13 baking dish (or you can use cooking spray)

Cheese sauce

  • In a medium size mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, Italian seasoning, and egg until well blended.
  • Add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella to the ricotta mixture. Mix well.
  • Set it aside.
  • Beef mixture

    • In a large skillet, over medium heat warm up the chopped onions.
    • Add the ground beef and break it into pieces using a heat-proof spoon.
    • Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, minced garlic, salt, and ground pepper.
    • Mix well so the seasonings are evenly throughout the meat.
    • Cook the ground beef completely, until there is no more pink.
    • Once the meat is cooked, add the beef broth and the Marinara sauce. Mix well
    • Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the granulated sugar and mix well.
    • Set aside.

    Build the lasagna

    • Pour about ½ cup of the beef mixture into the 9 x 13.
    • Place 3 oven-ready lasagna over.
    • Add approximately ⅓ of the meat mixture on top. Spread evenly.
    • Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella
    • Add half of the Ricotta cheese mixture. Use a knife to spread as evenly as possible.
    • Repeat steps 2-3-4, 5.
    • Now you should have 2 layers of lasagna and we will build your last layer.
    • Place 3 oven-ready lasagna noodles on top of the Ricotta cheese.
    • Add the remaining of the meat mixture.
    • Sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese to cover the whole baking dish.
    • Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
    • Take the foil off and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the lasagna is nice and golden.
    • Let it cool off before serving.
    • Serve and Enjoy!



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