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Classic Lasagna

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My go-to lasagna recipe features oven-ready noodles, a rich meat sauce, and four types of cheese.

Classic Lasagna

I love this lasagna recipe because it combines the familiar taste of the lasagna I grew up on with the sophistication of a restaurant-style dish. It’s also easy to make, thanks to the use of oven-ready or no-boil lasagna noodles, which not only save time and effort but also taste remarkably similar to fresh homemade pasta. The noodles are layered with a flavorful meat sauce made with Italian sausage, vegetables, crushed tomatoes, and cream, as well as creamy ricotta, gooey mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Baked until bubbly and golden, it’s the perfect cozy dish for a crowd, and it reheats and freezes well, too. This is definitely my go-to lasagna recipe!

What you’ll need to make lasagna

lasagna ingredientsNo-boil lasagna noodles are a wonderful product available in the pasta section of most supermarkets. I like the Barilla brand. They do not need to be boiled before using, which means you don’t have to worry about them slopping around and sticking together, which is always an issue when using regular lasagna noodles to prepare lasagna.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Sauce

Begin by placing the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in a food processor. You need to give them a rough chop first, otherwise, they won’t chop evenly.

vegetables in bowl of food processor

Pulse until minced but not puréed, so that they melt into the sauce.

minced vegetables

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and add the sausage.

raw sausage in pot Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the sausage into small pieces, until slightly browned but not cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the partially cooked sausage to a plate. Set aside.

browned sausage

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and add the minced vegetables.

minced vegetables in potCook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.

Cooked vegetablesAdd the wine and continue cooking, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine is mostly absorbed by the vegetables, a few minutes.

wine in the pot

Add the tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme and bay leaves.

adding crushed tomatoes, cream, and seasoning to pot Stir and bring to a boil.

stirring lasagna sauce

Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.

sauce after simmering

Add the sausage back to the pot.

adding sausage to the potContinue simmering until the sausage is fully cooked and the flavors all meld together, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Fish out the bay leaves and discard.

lasagna sauce

2. Make the Ricotta Filling

Combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

ingredients for ricotta mixture in food processorProcess until evenly combined, then add the basil.

adding basil to ricotta mixture

Pulse until the basil is finely chopped.

finished ricotta mixture

3. Assemble the Lasagna

Spread about 1-1/2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

lasagna sauce in baking dishArrange 3 noodles over the sauce, and dollop a third of the ricotta filling over the noodles.

noodles and ricotta over lasagna sauceSpread the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.

spreading ricotta mixture onto lasagna noodlesSprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

adding mozzarella cheese to lasagna layersRepeat layering of sauce, noodles, ricotta filling and mozzarella 2 more times. Top with the remaining 3 noodles. Spoon the remaining sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.

lasagna ready to bake

Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna tightly with the foil, sprayed side down. Bake for 40 minutes in a 375°F oven. Carefully uncover and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake, uncovered, until the noodles are tender, the sauce is bubbling, and the edges are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.

baked lasagna

Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

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Video Tutorial

Classic Lasagna

My go-to lasagna recipe features oven-ready noodles, a rich meat sauce, and four types of cheese.

Servings: 8
Total Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1½ pounds Italian sausage (bulk or removed from casing)
  • ¾ cup dry red wine
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

For the Ricotta Mixture

  • 1 (15 oz.) container whole milk ricotta (about 1¾ cups)
  • 3 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil

For Assembling

  • 12 oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles (such as Barilla)
  • 16 ounces shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

For the Sauce

  1. Place the onions, garlic, carrot and celery in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until finely minced but not puréed.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the sausage into small pieces, until slightly browned but not cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the partially cooked sausage to a plate. Set aside.
  3. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and add the minced vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
  4. Add the wine; continue cooking, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine is mostly absorbed by the vegetables, a few minutes.
  5. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, transfer the sausage to a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces (big chunks don't work well in lasagna).
  7. Add the sausage back to the pan and continue simmering, covered, until the sausage is fully cooked and the flavors meld together, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Fish out the bay leaves and discard.

For the Ricotta Mixture

  1. Combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until evenly combined. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped.

For Assembly

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Spread about 1½ cups of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce. Dollop a third of the ricotta filling over the noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, ricotta filling and mozzarella 2 more times. Top with the remaining 3 noodles. Spoon the remaining sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  3. Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna tightly with the foil, sprayed side down. Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully uncover and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake, uncovered, until the noodles are tender, the sauce is bubbling, and the edges are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 15 minutes before serving.
  4. Make-Ahead Instructions: The lasagna can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time.
  5. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing it prior to baking, before cooking defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the baking instructions in the recipe. If the lasagna is already cooked, you can put the leftover piece in a freezer-safe container, or you can cut into individual servings and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Reheat the lasagna, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 776
  • Fat: 45g
  • Saturated fat: 23g
  • Carbohydrates: 47g
  • Sugar: 9g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 46g
  • Sodium: 1812mg
  • Cholesterol: 158mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I made this for a dinner party this weekend and everyone loved it! Great flavor really perfect!

    • — Juliet on September 18, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hello I am going to cook this tonight. I would like to use pesto in this recipe. Do you have a recommendation for how best to incorporate it? As a topping or within the ricotta?

    • — CHANTELLE L MENES on September 16, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Chantelle, I’d use it as a topping. Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on September 16, 2023
      • Reply
  • So yummy. My granddaughter who never eats pasta loved it. A miracle. Served at a small gathering and everyone raved about it. Never disappointed with your recipes.

    • — Lydia on August 14, 2023
    • Reply
  • Truly delicious!! I have had great success with all of your recipes! I am hosting a large dinner party and a number of vegetarians are attending. Do you have a vegetarian lasagna recipe you can recommend? Thank you, Liz

    • — Liz Landa on July 23, 2023
    • Reply
    • Glad you like the recipes! Yes, I’d go with this lasagna for a vegetarian version. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • — Jenn on July 24, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hello! I’ve made this before and it’s delicious!! I’m making it for a breastfeeding friend and want to omit the dry red wine. What can I sub this with?

    Thank you!

    • — Alesha on July 23, 2023
    • Reply
    • Glad you like it! You can just omit the wine. It will still be delish — hope your friend enjoys!

      • — Jenn on July 24, 2023
      • Reply
  • I don’t make lasagna often, so when I do I really want it to be worth it. This recipe was definitely worth it! . I used Delallo brand no bake lasagna noodles as they are thinner. I used approximately one and 1/14 boxes. I doubled the sauce knowing that I was planning on using more noodles. It worked out perfectly. The sauce was the best part. It was very rich and flavorful. Since I had the food processor out already for the other parts of the recipe I put the browned sausage in the processor for a quick pulse to create a more even consistency. I’m saving the extra sauce for another meal. Overall big hit.

    • — Kathleen Roevens on July 2, 2023
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  • Fam loves it!! As always thx u!!!

    • — Jen Moore on June 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn!

    I’d love to try this recipe but it seems I brought home boil lasagna. What is the difference in the no-boil that you recommend vs boiled ones? Can I use mine?

    TIA! Angela

    • — Angela on June 2, 2023
    • Reply
    • Yes, Angela, you can use the regular noodles with no modifications. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on June 5, 2023
      • Reply
  • QUESTION

    Hi Jenn! Happy Memorial Day Weekend

    I’ve got a question & I hope you get this sooner than later…
    I’ve made this lasagna countless x,and it’s INCREDIBLE!
    Today I’m cheating though & using Rao’s Italian sausage & mushroom,and I’m adding 1 1/2 of Contella’s Italian sausage that’s already in bulk form.

    My question:

    How many cups (or jars) of RAO’s would I need?

    Thank you for your cookbooks (I have both), this website,your time

    Lisa

    • — Lisa on May 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sorry I’m just seeing this, Lisa! I’m guessing about 4 cups.

      • — Jenn on May 29, 2023
      • Reply
  • Words cannot express how delicious this is!!! I followed the recipe exactly with the only addition being some shakes of Tabasco.
    Thank you so much Jenn Segal.

    • — Kathy on May 8, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn can this be made without the sausage or is there something I can sub?

    • — Chaya Kurz on April 19, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Chaya, the sausage provides so much flavor here that I wouldn’t recommend omitting it; I’d recommend this lasagna instead. Hope you enjoy if you make it!

      • — Jenn on April 19, 2023
      • Reply
    • I made this with ground chicken (half thigh and half breast), cooked with a lot of powdered fennel (to mimic traditional sausage flavoring) and it was beyond amazing!

      • — Liz M on June 25, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,

    Delicious recipe! I’m making this for Easter and want to use homemade lasagna sheets. Do you know what the bake time would be? Would it be different with fresh pasta?

    Thanks!

    • — Alyssa on April 4, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Alyssa, Glad you like it! As long as you don’t cook the homemade noodles first, the bake time should be the same.

      • — Jenn on April 4, 2023
      • Reply
  • Jenn,
    I’m longing to make this recipe for guests coming this week. The thing is some are vegetarian. I’ve read your responses about not leaving out the sausage and switching to a different recipe. Do you think I could stick with this recipe and use plant-based Italian sausage?
    Thanks so much for fabulous recipes and for your quick responses to folks like me who are trying to put a delizia square peg into a round hole.

    • — Barb on March 19, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Barb, Happy to help! I’ve never used plant-based sausage, but because it’s likely to have plenty of seasoning, similar to sausage, I think it should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on March 20, 2023
      • Reply
      • Jenn, it turned out great. Even the meat lovers took seconds. So glad vegetarians get to enjoy this fabulous recipe.

        • — Barb on March 23, 2023
        • Reply
        • Yay – thanks for reporting back!

          • — Jenn on March 24, 2023
          • Reply
  • I have been searching for the perfect lasagna recipe and this is it. Absolutely delicious.

    • — Frances on March 17, 2023
    • Reply
  • This version shows how amazing Lasagna can be.We were intrigued by use of sausage,sofrito and cream cheese since we have never used them in Lasagna, until now.What a great combination of flavors,the use of cream in the sauce is also an ingredient that was a welcome addition.We used fresh thyme and parsley from the garden, the basil was purchased.Also added half of a left over fennel bulb to the sofrito.This one goes into the do again file.

    • — lowandslow on February 20, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hey Jenn,

    Found your wonderful website just the other day, while I was looking up recipes for a homemade lasagna. Made this recipe yesterday for family dinner. It was very delicious of course, however found the sauce to be not as thick as I would’ve liked. When adding the diced tomatoes, is it required to strain them first? I didn’t think so since not mentioned in recipe.
    I will definitely be making again. Just curious about if diced tomatoes need to be strained first?

    Thanks for the great recipe! Cannot wait to try others from you.

    • — Maggie on February 11, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Maggie, The sauce is made with enough liquid to ensure the no-boil lasagna noodles cook through (by absorbing some of the sauce) in the oven. However, it sounds like you may have used the wrong type of tomatoes. The recipe calls for crushed tomatoes, which are much thicker than diced.

      • — Jenn on February 13, 2023
      • Reply
  • i’ve tried several different lasagna recipes and i’ve researched (watched vids/read comments/compare ingredients) *several* recipes. i questioned the cream cheese in this and also was not familiar w the no bake noodles…but followed the recipe to a t, and holy mother of lasagnas. this is the BEST.lasagna.ever. exceptionally delicious. if you’re comparing recipes, you’ve found *the one* right here.

    • — charlotte on February 10, 2023
    • Reply
  • Overall a very good recipe but we were not a fan of the thyme – it felt overpowering to the flavor. Ours was also a little salty so next time I will omit thyme (maybe substitute an Italian seasoning blend?) and reduce salt. Thanks for another great recipe, Jen!

    • — Miranda on February 10, 2023
    • Reply
  • Made this for guests – amazing! I had been trying different lasagna recipes and this one is the winner. Followed the directions with the addition of some red pepper (I like a bit of spice). Had the Lemon Poppyseed Cake for desert.

    • — Stacy on February 8, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’m making this recipe for guests and need to prep in advance by two days. I made the sauce yesterday. Can the filling be made two days ahead to assemble lasagna the day of serving? Thanks for your advice.

    • — Jan on February 2, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sure, Jan – that’s fine. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on February 2, 2023
      • Reply
      • Thank you for your prompt reply. Filling is made!

        Funny as I’m having guests gifts for four days. I’ve chosen several of your recipes. Classic tomato soup, classic lasagna, crustless broccoli quiche and smoked salmon dip, which is phenomenal by the way. Can’t wait to try the lasagna. I would never serve guests a dish without trying it first, but I know any of your recipes (and I’ve made many!) are always five stars. We will raise a glass in your honour! 🥂🇨🇦

        • — Jan on February 2, 2023
        • Reply
        • 💗

          • — Jenn on February 2, 2023
          • Reply
  • Really great flavour! For those who lived at higher altitudes, I would check the lasagna every 5 minutes when it’s cooking uncovered. Mine lost quite a bit of sauce during that time!

    • — Karen on January 29, 2023
    • Reply
  • Outstanding!!!! Many, many compliments on this recipe. Thank you for bringing smiling faces to our table after our guests first bite.

    • — Marilyn Estes on January 22, 2023
    • Reply
    • Delicious and very worth the effort in termS of time! I do prefer this recipe over the other lasagna recipe on this site.

      • — Christie on February 18, 2023
      • Reply
  • This was the closest to my mom’s famous lasagna- the ratio of cheese, meat and ricotta was perfect- I was never able to replicate before! However for us the sausage flavor was too overpowering- I will follow everything else exactly with well seasoned ground beef instead.

    • — Annalisa on January 17, 2023
    • Reply
  • ima cheese queen… do you think it would still come out okay if I skipped the sausage?? should I add something to the sauce instead to keep its flavor? (I’m not vegetarian or anything – just craving a cheese lasagna). I was gonna make a meatball to go on the side, so didn’t want meat overload.

    also literally love every one of your recipes I’ve ever tried, you are a never fail staple in my book. <3

    • — Bridget on January 16, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Bridget, I wouldn’t recommend making this without the sausage as it adds a ton of flavor. If you’d like the skip the sausage, I’d recommend this recipe instead — it’s delicious!

      • — Jenn on January 16, 2023
      • Reply
    • Hi Bridget, I would make this lasagna instead. So glad you like the recipes!

      • — Jenn on January 30, 2023
      • Reply
  • You were right, Jenn, the sausage size was just fine.This was the BEST lasagne we’ve ever made/tasted. Delicious!

    • — Mary on January 16, 2023
    • Reply
  • Oh No . . . I didn’t chop my sausage into smaller pieces on a cutting board. I think they’re fairly small. I hope I didn’t ruin this beautful meal; I’ll find out in a few hours.

    • — Mary on January 15, 2023
    • Reply
    • No worries, Mary – it’ll be perfectly fine!

      • — Jenn on January 15, 2023
      • Reply
  • If I’m allergic to Thyme what is another better alternative to use?

    • — Erryl on January 5, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Erryl, Oregano would work nicely in place of the thyme. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on January 6, 2023
      • Reply
    • Basil

      • — lowandslow on February 19, 2023
      • Reply
  • What brand of Italian sausage did you use for this recipe? (sorry for annoying question)

    • — Trevor on January 5, 2023
    • Reply
    • Not an annoying question! If I’m at Harris Teeter, I buy their store brand or if not, at get Premio at other stores. Hope you enjoy the lasagna!

      • — Jenn on January 6, 2023
      • Reply
  • I baked this for New Year’s Eve but with my own spaghetti sauce recipe as my son-in-law does not eat pork. Everyone said it was absolutely delicious. I don’t usually make lasagna because of the pain and time involved in preparing the noodles, keeping them separated, etc. This was so easy! I will definitely be making it again. Just love the ricotta mixture with the fresh basil and garlic. Served it with a salad and a baguette of buttered cuban bread. Hot milk cake with a blueberry sauce/whipped cream for dessert. Yum!! I rate this 5 stars (it won’t let me click on the stars!)

    • — Nancy L Norris on January 4, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’ve made many lasagnas in my life, this one is my new favorite!

    • — Sabina on January 1, 2023
    • Reply
  • Turned out really good – everyone loved it!

    • — Joseph Walker on January 1, 2023
    • Reply
  • Followed the instructions exactly for hosting friends. This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had and everyone raves about it! Thanks again for another wonderful recipe!

    • — Ellie on December 31, 2022
    • Reply
  • Served this at a dinner party last night. AMAZING. Everyone raved over it. Best lasagna they ever had eaten, even in a restaurant. it does take some time to put this together, but it was worth it.

    • — ZOEBK on December 30, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, I plan to make this for the first time tonight, but I do not have a food processor. I do have a bullet for smoothies – will that work to combine everything? Thanks!

    • — chris on December 28, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Chris, I don’t have a bullet but from the little I know about them, I don’t think it would be appropriate for chopping veggies. Sorry! You can chop the veggies by hand — it will just be a bit more time-consuming/labor-intensive. Hope you enjoy if you make it!

      • — Jenn on December 28, 2022
      • Reply
      • Thanks so much for the quick reply Jenn! I just chopped everything super fine and the end result was delicious!

        • — Chris on December 29, 2022
        • Reply
        • 👍

          • — Jenn on December 29, 2022
          • Reply
          • Your instructions say the lasagne can be fully assembled a day ahead. Do I need to bring it to room temperature before baking at 375? Can’t wait to try this!

            • — Nancy C on September 16, 2023
          • Hi Nancy, it’s not necessary to bring it to room temperature before baking. It may take just a touch longer to bake though. Hope you enjoy!

            • — Jenn on September 18, 2023
  • Best Lasagna recipe – ever !
    And that includes those prepared in notable Italian restaurants.
    I kid you not …
    Conversation at the dinner table was reduced to sighs of delight and the utterance of an occasional OMG or YUM.
    Thank you Jenn.

    • — Angela Carroll on December 28, 2022
    • Reply

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