Name: Homemade Lasagna Recipe with Ricotta
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12 people
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound Italian sausage; 28 ounces tomato sauce; 28 ounces crushed tomatoes; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 3 Tablespoons Italian dressing; 12 lasagna noodles; 3 cups ricotta cheese; 1 cup parmesan cheese; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon fresh basil; 1 teaspoon fresh parsley; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; Parsley

Homemade Lasagna Recipe with Ricotta

Homemade Lasagna is a well-loved comfort food that has layers of homemade meat sauce, soft noodles, and a ricotta cheese mixture! Bakes right in the oven in just 40 minutes!

Prep30 min

Cook1 hr

Total1 hr 30 min

Yield12 people

Calories616

The Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe

Treat your family to this savory, hearty Homemade Lasagna for a heaping portion of comfort and flavor! Layers of wide, tender noodles, seasoned meat sauce, and a cheese mixture all combine in a baking dish for a meal that really brings the family together!

If making Homemade Lasagna intimidates you as it even did me at one time then this recipe is for you! It has an easy-to-follow recipe, simple ingredients, and bakes up flawlessly every time!

Making it the best lasagna recipe for both flavor and ease!

Awesome! Family loves it and made it for culinary community college class. My classmates loved it. 😍 Bravo! Thank you for the recipe!

– Des

Ingredients For The Best Lasagna Recipe With Ricotta

To bake up this Lasagna Recipe you’ll start by making the meat sauce! This layer is made up of ingredients such as:

Ground beef
Italian sausage
Tomato sauce
Crushed tomatoes
Garlic
Sugar
Italian seasoning
Italian dressing
Salt
Pepper

The next layer to prepare is the lasagna noodles. I grab a box of noodles that require boiling before using. However, feel free to also try no-boil noodles if you’d like, but I think this recipe is better with traditional noodles!

Finishing up the layers is the classic cheesy one! This is made with:

Ricotta Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Egg
Basil
Parsley
Salt
Pepper

I also make sure to have extra mozzarella cheese on hand when making this Lasagna. We just love a few extra sprinkles of cheese between layers!

Why This Is The Best Lasagna

Choose The Meat! Feel free to make this Lasagna Recipe with your meat of choice! Ground beef, Italian Sausage, a milder breakfast sausage, and even ground chicken or turkey are all options!
Make It Ahead! If you have a super busy weeknight in the cards you can assemble this one night before baking it! Then just pop it in the oven for dinner!
Leftovers! This recipe makes a big pan of Lasagna which means there’s a high chance of leftovers! I even find that the Lasagna is often better the next day!
Homemade! Nothing says comfort food like a good, homemade dish packed with flavor!

How To Make Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese

Cook the Italian sausage and ground beef in a large skillet then drain the excess grease.
Stir in the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Boil this mixture and then reduce the heat to simmer. Stir in the Italian dressing and turn off the heat.
Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente. Then drain and cool them so that they’re easier to handle.
Prepare the cheese mixture by stirring together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Spray your baking dish with non-stick spray. Next, spread a bit of the sauce on the bottom of the pan to lightly coat it.
Assemble the lasagna by layering the noodles lengthwise over the sauce base. Then spread some of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta.
Top the cheese mixture with the meat sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat this process two more times.
Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake the lasagna covered with aluminum foil in the oven and then remove the foil towards the end of baking.
Cut and serve after the lasagna has had time to sit.

How To Store Leftover Lasagna With Ricotta

You can either cover the cooled pan with aluminum foil and place the whole thing in the refrigerator or you can place individual slices right into Tupperware containers.

The leftovers will then keep for 3 to 5 days. To reheat, just place the foil-covered pan right in the oven for 30 minutes. Or microwave the slices until completely heated through.

Can I Freeze The Lasagna Or The Leftovers?

Yes, you can do both! I recommend freezing after prepping and prior to baking for the best results. Wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil.

When frozen the Lasagna will last for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it just pop it in the fridge overnight to thaw.

Then slide it into the oven covered with tin foil. Bake it at 375 degrees F for about 1 hour.

More Dinner Recipes To Use Up That Ground Beef:

American Chop Suey – Pure comfort food that’s made right on the stovetop in only 30 minutes!
Burger Bowls – Dive into this keto-friendly dish that tastes like a hearty burger minus some carbs!
Easy Garbage Bread – Prep this fun and tasty pizza bread in just 30 minutes!
Best Ever Meatloaf – A gluten-free recipe that doesn’t sacrifice delicious flavor!
Homemade Hamburger Helper – Skip the store-bought stuff and treat your family to this easy homemade version!

How To Store: Lasagna keeps really well in the fridge for 3-5 days. In fact, it is often better the next day. To reheat, cover the pan with tin foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until heated through. It is also good reheated in the microwave.
How To Freeze: It's best to freeze it after preparing but before baking. Make sure the lasagne is completely cool before placing it in the freezer, otherwise ice crystals could form. I find it's best to use a disposable pan when freezing. Wrap the pan completely with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you want to serve it, either thaw it in the fridge the night before or defrost it in the microwave before baking it at 375 degrees F (covered with tin foil) for approximately 1 hour or until heated through to 165 degrees F.
Can this be made ahead? Yes! You may assemble the lasagna and keep it in the fridge for 1 night before baking it. Bake it just as directed above.
I don’t have Italian seasoning - what could I substitute? In this recipe, I would suggest using 1 teaspoon of oregano.
I don’t care for Italian sausage - could I make it all beef? Yes, you can make this recipe with all beef or you can substitute the Italian beef for milder breakfast sausage.
I can’t seem to find ricotta - what could I use instead? You could use cottage cheese instead. Just make sure to go for the full-fat kind. And if you think you won’t like the texture, you could just use a hand blender to smooth it out.
Can I use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese? I find that pre-shredded cheese is not a good option for this recipe. It has a different texture that just does not melt as nicely. It's definitely worth buying a block of cheese and shredding yourself.