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This easy lasagna recipe bakes up cheesy and beautiful. It’s quick and simple to throw together and is a total crowd-pleaser.
This recipe was my family’s go-to lasagna recipe growing up, and it’s just about the easiest lasagna you’ll ever make.
If you’re craving a plate of meaty, cheesy pasta comfort food, this lasagna absolutely delivers.
Why You Should Make This Lasagna
- It’s totally foolproof and easy. There’s no cutting needed, and you can get almost all the ingredients pre-made, pre-shredded, and ready to go.
- It’s a crowd-pleaser. Everyone loves a perfect cheesy slice of lasagna.
- It makes a ton. This dish is perfect for potlucks and parties (when those are safe to have again) and fantastic for freezing. Lasagna is one of the few pasta dishes that freeze really well, so if you’re a small household, you can stock your freezer with a ton of food fast.
Ingredient Notes
- Store-bought red pasta sauce: Using a store-bought sauce cuts a ton of prep work and time out of this recipe. I typically use Prego, but use whatever brand you prefer/is on sale.
- Lasagna noodles: This recipe is designed to be made with regular lasagna noodles, not oven-ready noodles.
- Ground beef: I typically use 85% lean hamburger here, but any hamburger will work. If you like sausage in your lasagna, you can also swap in ground sausage (sweet, hot, or mild) instead. For a meatier lasagna, you can also double the beef.
- An egg: Stirring an egg into the ricotta cheese makes it extra creamy and easier to spread when assembling your lasagna. But if you’re out of eggs or don’t like the idea, you can skip it.
Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese: Feel free to use bagged, pre-shredded cheese here.
How to Make Lasagna (Easy)
1. Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente. Don’t overcook or they’ll become mushy in the oven.
2. Brown the ground beef, add the pasta sauce and cook until sauce is hot and beef is cooked through.
3. Mix ricotta with egg, salt, and pepper and set aside.
4. Assemble the lasagna. You’ll be doing three layers of noodles with sauce and cheese in between, alternating between laying the noodles horizontally and vertically. (This helps hold the layers together after baking.)
5. Bake and allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before serving otherwise it will be so gooey the slices won’t hold together. Serve and enjoy!
FAQ
What to serve with lasagna?
A loaf of crusty bread with butter and classic green salad are perfect to serve alongside a plate of lasagna. You might also enjoy:
How to Freeze Lasagna
To freeze individual slices: Cut and wrap the slices individually in cling wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost the slice in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
You can reheat frozen slices in the microwave as well (extend the microwave time 1-2 minutes) but I find it makes the noodles a little soggy.
To freeze an entire lasagna: Freeze unbaked lasagna, tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. To bake, unwrap, cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot all the way through (the temperature at the center of the lasagna should read 165°F), usually about 15 minutes.
If baking a frozen lasagna, extend the initial covered baking time by 15-20 minutes.
Can I make a half batch of lasagna?
Yes! If you’d like to halve this recipe, it’s easy to do so. Just cut the ingredients in half (hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider) and bake in an 8×8-inch baking dish.
Baking time will be just slightly shorter. Pull the lasagna when the top is golden and the sauce is beginning to bubble around the edges.
Can I make lasagna ahead of time?
Absolutely! Lasagna is one of the best make-ahead dishes.
To make lasagna ahead of time: Just fully assemble the lasagna and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to bake it, cover the top tightly with foil, stick it in a 375°F oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for about 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot all the way through.
More Easy Recipes
Easy Lasagna Recipe
This easy lasagna recipe bakes up cheesy and beautiful. It’s quick and simple to throw together and is a total crowd-pleaser.
from
votes
Pin
Prep Time:
10
minutes
Cook Time:
1
hour
5
minutes
Resting Time:
10
minutes
Total Time:
1
hour
25
minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield):
8
to 12 servings
Calories:
372
kcal
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
-
Foil
Ingredients
-
▢
10
lasagna noodles
-
▢
1
tablespoon
olive oil
-
▢
1
pound
ground beef or Italian sausage
*
-
▢
2
24-ounce jars tomato pasta sauce
-
▢
Salt and pepper
-
▢
1
15-ounce container ricotta cheese
skim or whole milk is fine
-
▢
1
large egg
optional*
-
▢
2
cups
(
8oz
) shredded mozzarella cheese
-
▢
1
cup
(
4oz
) shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
-
In a large pot of generously salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
-
While your noodles cook, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned. If your meat released a lot of fat while it cooked, drain or spoon off the fat.
-
Add pasta sauce and simmer until beef is cooked through. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.
-
Use a ladle to spoon 1/4 of the sauce into your baking dish. Lay 3 noodles lengthwise and top with 1/4 of the sauce. Drop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the top in dollops and then gently spread it out into a smooth layer. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella and parmesan.
-
Lay another layer of noodles, this time using 4 and placing across the dish instead of lengthwise, trimming the edges as needed. Add the sauce, remaining ricotta, and cheese just as you did with the last layer.
-
Add final layer of noodles, going horizontally this time and top with remaining sauce and cheese.
-
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot all the way through, about 15 minutes.
-
Let the lasagna sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Use whatever percentage ground beef you have on hand, but if using higher-fat hamburger, be sure to drain off some of the fat before adding the pasta sauce.
*Using an egg in the ricotta is optional but gives it a creamier texture and also makes it easier to spread when assembling the lasagna.
To make lasagna ahead of time: Fully assemble the lasagna and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake it, cover the top tightly with foil, and bake according to recipe instructions.
To freeze individual slices: Cut and wrap the slices individually in cling wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost the slice in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
You can reheat frozen slices in the microwave as well (extend the microwave time 1-2 minutes) but I find it makes the noodles a little soggy.
To freeze an entire lasagna: Freeze unbaked lasagna, tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. To bake, unwrap, cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot all the way through (the temperature at the center of the lasagna should read 165°F), usually about 15 minutes.
If baking a frozen lasagna, extend the initial covered baking time by 15-20 minutes.
Approximate nutritional information is for 12 servings made with 80% lean ground beef.
Did you make this recipe?
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