Classic Lasagna
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Comforting, familiar flavors but refined—my all-time favorite lasagna layers oven-ready noodles, a rich meat sauce, veggies, and plenty of cheese.
I love this lasagna recipe because it beautifully combines the familiar flavors of the lasagna I grew up on with the refined taste of a restaurant-style dish. It’s also relatively easy to make, thanks to the use of oven-ready or no-boil lasagna noodles, which save time and effort while delivering a taste remarkably similar to fresh homemade pasta—a definite win! 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!
Table of Contents
“Best Lasagna recipe – ever! And that includes those prepared in notable Italian restaurants…Conversation at the dinner table was reduced to sighs of delight and the utterance of an occasional OMG or YUM.”
What You’ll Need To Make Lasagna
- Onion, Garlic, Carrots, and Celery: These vegetables are the base of the sauce, contributing to the depth of flavor.
- Italian Sausage: The key flavor component of the sauce, it adds richness and depth of flavor with its spices and fat content.
- Red Wine: Ådds acidity and complexity to the sauce.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes: Provides body, acidity, and tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Added to the tomato sauce to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and wine.
- Thyme and Bay Leaves: These herbs contribute aromatic flavors to the sauce.
- Ricotta Cheese: Mixed with egg, cream cheese, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, used as a creamy layer in the lasagna, adding moisture and richness.
- Cream Cheese: Adds extra creaminess and tang to the ricotta mixture, and prevents the ricotta from becoming grainy when baked.
- Egg: Acts as a binder in the ricotta mixture, helping it to set and maintain structure when the lasagna is baked.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: A hard, aged cheese that’s rich in flavor, added to the ricotta mixture and also sprinkled on top of the lasagna.
- Oven-Ready (No Boil) Lasagna Noodles: These noodles do not require pre-boiling, 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. They absorb moisture from the sauce and cheese during baking, cooking to perfect tenderness. I like the Barilla brand.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Adds stretchy, melty texture to the layers of the lasagna.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
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.
Pulse until minced but not puréed, so that they melt into the sauce.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and add the sausage.
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.
Add the remaining tablespoon of 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.
Add 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.
Add the tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper, sugar, thyme and bay leaves.
Stir and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.
Add the sausage back to the pot.
Continue 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.
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.
Process until evenly combined, then add the basil.
Pulse until the basil is finely chopped.
3. Assemble the Lasagna
Spread about 1-1/2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce, and dollop a third of the ricotta filling over the noodles.
Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.
Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
Repeat 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.
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.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The lasagna can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time before baking. Allow a few extra minutes in the oven if baking from cold.
Yes, lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze it before baking, ensure it is thoroughly defrosted in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you follow the recipe’s baking instructions. For already baked lasagna, place any leftovers in a freezer-safe container, or cut it into individual servings. Each serving should be tightly wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in foil. To reheat, cover the lasagna with foil and warm it in an oven preheated to 325°F (165°C) until it is heated through.
Italian sausage is the best choice for this recipe because it is loaded with spices and herbs, such as salt, oregano, basil, fennel, garlic, and red pepper flakes. In contrast, ground beef is completely unseasoned, which means it lacks these built-in flavors. If you decide to use ground beef, I recommend amping up the seasoning by adding a mix of herbs and spices mentioned above.
Video Tutorial
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Classic Lasagna
Comforting, familiar flavors but refined—my all-time favorite lasagna layers oven-ready noodles, a rich meat sauce, veggies, and plenty of cheese.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Meanwhile, transfer the sausage to a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces (big chunks don't work well in lasagna).
- 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
- 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
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Spread about 1½ cups of sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce (there will be a bit of space between the noodles; they expand as they cook). 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.
- 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.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The lasagna can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time before baking. Allow a few extra minutes in the oven if baking from cold.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze it before baking, ensure it is thoroughly defrosted in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you follow the recipe's baking instructions. For already baked lasagna, place any leftovers in a freezer-safe container, or cut it into individual servings. Each serving should be tightly wrapped first in plastic wrap and then in foil. To reheat, cover the lasagna with foil and warm it in an oven preheated to 325°F until it is heated
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- 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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I’m a big fan of your recipes. A couple questions. If I used dried basil in a pinch, how much would you recommend? And do you have a rich balsamic vinegar you recommend as I usually serve this with bread and olive oil and balsamic vinegar? Thanks!
Hi Liza, The general rule of thumb when using dried herbs instead of fresh is the use a third of what is called for. So, in this case, you’d need just shy of 3 Tbsp. of dried basil. And my two favorite brands of balsamic vinegar are Colavita and Lucini. Hope that helps!
Absolutely wonderful recipe and perfect for entertaining! I assembled the lasagna the day before and then took it out of the refrigerator about an hour before baking. It looked exactly like the picture and was delicious and not runny at all. Definitely the best lasagna I ever made!
Really good. Made this tonight and it was a big hit with the family.
Hi! And happy holidays :). 3 questions. Can I make this on a Wed and serve on a Thursday? Would cooking directions change if I made two? And lastly, what would you serve for dessert? Thanks!
Yes, Mary, you can make this a day ahead and reheat before serving. The cooking directions wouldn’t change with two, but I’d suggest baking them in 2 separate dishes so they cook evenly. In terms of dessert, if you want to stick with the Italian theme, you could prepare biscotti like this one, a pavlova, or cheesecake. Hope that helps!
Hi-
Planning on making three pans of the lasagna ahead of time for a family trip. I will freeze and defrost according to your direction. Will I be able to cook all three in the oven at the same time? Thanks!
Hi Kara, It may be kind of tight. If you can fit them all in, I’d rotate them during cooking so they can cook evenly. They may also take a bit longer in the oven. Hope that helps!
I had massive success with Jenn’s ‘nice lasagna’ and her ziti with sausage (both amazing, five star plus recipes for me), but I liked this one the least of all three. I made it exactly as suggested but subbed cottage cheese for ricotta. For me, it is just too dense and rich. It is far “meatier” than “tomato-y” and I have realized I far prefer lasagne with more noodles and tomatoes than meat. Jenn’s other lasagna in this site is an absolute knockout and just so easy. I will go back to that one as it never disappoints. Really wanted to love this one, especially because it took a lot more time and work, but it was not to my liking. My kids however, liked it the most of all three.
Hi Jenn, I will chime in with the masses and say that I love your recipes. I made the meat sauce for the lasagna last night and it seemed quite thick. Will there be enough liquid for the no-boil noodles to soften sufficiently?
Hi Lila, so glad you like the recipes! 🙂 As long as you followed the recipe for the sauce, there should be sufficient liquid to soften the noodles. Hope you enjoy!
I love this recipe. It is flavorful and tasty. I served this for a dinner party and everyone loved it. I didn’t change a thing. The only thing I did was to make the sauce the night before and assembled the day it was going to served. Thanks Jen!
Fabulous Jenn!
I made this lasagna for company and it was a hit! Not just with our company, but with my husband and my young children as well. Our company complimented it more than once and asked to take leftovers home (we’re not shy around here – lol). I followed the recipe except substituted sausage for the Italian sausage because my husband doesn’t like it. I would love to try it with Italian sausage. However, I’m sure it’s the red sauce and ricotta mixture that truly make this dish. Thank you Jenn for another amazingly delicious recipe!!
So regular breakfast sausage? I don’t like Italian sausage either, but I’d like to try it
I’m sorry, I just now saw your question. I use brats and remove the skins.
Do you recommend freezing any cooked leftovers ?
Hi Cynthia – definitely, this freezes well!
I live in Europe: i can’t find italian sausage. Whats the difference between regular ground meat en italian sausage? So i can find something similar… italian herbs?
Hi Laura, Italian sausage is essentially ground meat (with fat in it to keep it moist), salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. You can use any sausage here if you can’t find Italian; just make sure it’s raw sausage. You could also use 1/2 ground meat and 1/2 ground pork, but the sauce won’t be as flavorful that way. Hope that helps!
I made this recipe tonight and it was amazing! Everyone said that this was their new favorite lasagna recipe. I did use 1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage instead of using all sweet sausage. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Good morning Jenn, forgot to ask, looking for a good olive oil noticed you use Lucini If I can’t find that could you recommend another brand Will making your Lasagna when you reply about the tomatoes thanks again
Hi Sharron, Colavita is a good one and pretty easy to find. I also like the Whole Foods brand. Hope that helps!
This lasagna its easy to make and YUMMY! Whole family love it! Thank you
Fantastic as is, I have also taken the sausage, added some whole milk mozzarella and piped it into manicotti and stuffed shells
Absolutely delicious! Husband said it was the best lasagna he’s ever had, and I agree. A bit step intensive for me, but so worth it. Will definitely make again. I love your site and I get excited when I receive your recipe emails – thank you!
I made this lasagne for an Italian buffet party for my daughter’s wedding open house – it received rave reviews from everyone and not a drop was left. I made it according to the recipe as I am not a confidant cook on my own. Have made other recipes on your site and every one so far is a winner!
Im not seeing anything about how long it’ll last in the refrigerator. Will it be okay to make/assemble on Friday, the cook on Sunday?
Yep that’s fine, Kathleen. Enjoy!
I forgot to get back to you! But I remembered because I was craving your lasagna this morning! SO DELICIOUS. SO GOOD. Five amazing huge gigantic stars!
My favorite lasagna! This is an easy recipe, although it is slightly more time consuming than a regular lasagna. The best part is the ricotta mixture – heavenly!
I’ve been making the standard grocery store boxed lasagna for years. Yes, it’s good and easy to make, but the little bit of extra work here makes such a huge difference. I’ve made twice now, once with sausage and once with ground beef. Both were delicious! Thank you for creating a new family favorite.
I made this using spicy cajun sausage but otherwise followed the recipe. It was absolutely perfect! The basil came from my garden and added the perfect flavor.
Another great recipe, Jen! It required a bit more work than I anticipated, but the result was well worth the effort. I’m also a fan of Barilla’s no-cook lasagne noodles; I’ve used them for several years and find them to be superior to other no-cook brands in every way. More flavorful and definitely more tender.
Hi Jen,
Can I make the tomato sauce one day prior and keep it in the fridge?
Sure!
I have NEVER left a review before, but I couldn’t not leave one. This lasagna is AMAZING. THE best lasagna I have ever tasted. I do not have a food processor, so I used my hand blender to somewhat purée the veggies- and it turned out fabulous. Thank your for providing your consistently wonderful recipes!
This lasagne is wonderful and replaces my regular recipe. It cuts perfectly and the non-cook noodles are so tender. Thank you.
I don’t own a food processor so I will have to do everything by hand. Do you think if I did the cheese mixture in a blender it would be successful? If not, whisk by hand and finely mince basil?
Hi P, It’s okay if you don’t have a food processor- it will just be a bit more time-consuming/labor-intensive You could certainly do the cheese mixture in a blender. And, you’ll just want to ensure that the veggies are in small enough pieces that they kind of melt into the sauce. Hope you enjoy it!
Oddly enough the hardest part of chopping was the carrot! I halved the recipe and put it into a 8×8. The noodles fit perfectly. I will let you know how it turns out!
This was AMAZING. I’m still thinking about this lasagna. We loved it. Adding it to my monthly rotation. Yes that’s right! I will be eating this every month!
So glad you enjoyed it, even with the extra chopping! Thanks for the follow up :).
Best Lasagna I’ve ever tasted! Even my picky 11 year old daughter said it was the best home cooked meal she’s eaten.
Hi. I want to make this for a party but i hv few guests who eat only chicken. Can i use some kind of chicken sausage for this, if yes could you suggest something tht ll go well for this recipe. Thanks
Hi Sneha, I’d use Italian chicken sausage – it should work beautifully. Please come back and let me know how it turns out :).
For sure. Thanks for responding
Hi Jenn – I made this for my party today with italian chucken sausage as suggested by you and it turned out delicious. My guests absolutely enjoyed it. Thank you 🙂
Question – does your lasagna come out runny even when you let it sit for 15 minutes? When I’ve made Lasagna in the past (not with your recipe), it always came out runny when I served it. Also, if I bake it and let it sit for 15 minutes, can I keep it warm in the oven (ie at 170F) for an hour or so until I serve it?
Hi Sandy, That is a common problem with lasagna but I can assure you that this lasagna is not soupy. And yes you can keep it in a warm oven. Hope you enjoy it and please come back and lmk how it turns out :).
I’ll let you know how it turns out, thanks. Once quick question – what soup or starter would you pair with this. I’m going to serve your recommended salad and dessert but would like to add a starter.
Hi Sandy, Since you already have a salad and lasagna is so substantial, I would probably keep it simple and light – you could do my Cheddar & Herb Cheese Straws, an antipasto platter or tomato bruschetta.
I made the lasagna last night for my friends and it turned out fantastic! It wasn’t runny, it was firm! I’m a pescetarian so I couldn’t taste the final product but the sauce pre sausage was excellent as well as the cheese mixture. I paired this w yr big Italian salad (and a soup)and ended w yr cheesecake. All delicious.
And everyone raved about the flavours. I’m making this again next week for another dinner party and will try yr cheddar straws. Thx again. Yr a great help w yr dinner ideas and no fail recipes.
I just discovered your website and I’m looking forward to trying your recipes!
Can this lasagna be assembled the day before and baked off the next day? I am hosting a party and I want to get as much done ahead of time as possible.
Thank you!
Yes, definitely. Hope you enjoy (and happy to have you as part of the Once Upon a Chef community)!
Made this recipe earlier this week. Was very tasty, however a little too salty for my liking and I like salty. Followed the directions and ingredients exactly, except used unsalted crushed tomatoes, which I had purchased by mistake. Will make again, cutting back on the salt. Looked exactly like the pic. By the way, I made this the evening before, covered and set in fridge overnight. Baked for a lunch I was hosting for noon the next day. Baked perfectly!
Jenn, cooked and tasted the leftover sausage meat the next day, it was really salty, that was my salty problem. Will try another brand next time. Thank you for another fabulous recipe!!
Hi Jen,
Thanks for your great recipes, they always turn out amazing. I am going to make this lasagna for my husbands birthday this week. (Along with your raspberry cheesecake recipe! ) Could you recommend a good budget-friendly wine to use ? We are not wine drinkers and I haven’t used it in cooking before either so I have no idea which one to use. Also will you be able to taste the wine in the lasagna ?
Thanks again!!
Glad you like the recipes, Marie! You can use any red wine — like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir or Merlot — that is inexpensive but good enough to drink. I often buy the mini bottles sold in packs of four to use for cooking. And, no, you won’t be able to taste the wine when you eat the lasagna– it just adds depth to the flavors. Hope your husband has a great birthday!
Simply the best. I’ve made it 4 times over the winter season and it is now my go to lasagna recipe. Each time I make it, it gets easier. Just fabulous, thank you for posting!
Fabulous dish! This was a huge hit, everyone going back for seconds, some even went for thirds! 🙂
I love lasagna but due to some medical issues I am unable to tolerate ricotta. My only change to this delicious recipe was to make a bechamel sauce. The sausage Bolognese was also delicious and more preferable then the usual 3 meat mixture. The rosemary focaccia bread went perfectly with this dish.
The search for the best lasagna recipe has ended! Loved the sauce for it’s flavor and consistency. The addition of cream and a veggie mince offers the perfect foil to ameliorate the harshness of many all-tomato based sauces. The recipe comes together with ease and the no-bake pasta turned out well.
This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had. I made it with half sweet, half hot Italian sausage and it was delicious. I made the sauce the night before and assembled it all the day of. Easy, delicious, and a real crowd pleaser.
This lasagna is different than the recipe I’ve used for years, but I like this one better and so does my husband. I recently made this lasagna and doubled the recipe so I could put one in the freezer. I didn’t change anything about the recipe and don’t feel like I need to. It was great as is! Thanks Jenn for another great recipe!
I was convinced I would not like this lasagna due to the use of sausage. I made it for my husband and forced myself to try a bite. Two servings later I had to admit it definitely is the best meat lasagna I have ever eaten.
Hello,
I have to say that I love your website- I have made several recipes and have enjoyed every one- I can’t wait to get your cookbook when it’s finished!
I made this lasagne for Christmas Eve for my whole family- a huge hit! I’ll use this recipe every year. I am making this again & wondering if you think I could use 2 8×8 pans & freeze one to cook at a later date- there are only 3 of us & I don’t want it to got to waste- apologies if you’ve already answered this question- I started to look but ran out of time 🙂
Hi Anne, Yes, you can freeze it unbaked; when you’re ready to cook the lasagne, defrost in the fridge for 24 hours, then proceed with the baking instructions in the recipe.
Hi! I have made this recipe many times and it is by far my family’s favorite lasagna recipe! Was wondering if the sauce can be doubled?? Want to make two lasagnas, one for my family and one for a friend who just had a baby. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes by the way! I love your site! ??
Jen
Definitely! Glad you like it :).
Hi Jenn….I plan to make your Sausage Lasagna recipe in the next few weeks to take with us for a ski weekend. I would like to bake the lasagna in an aluminum foil throw away 9 x 13″ pan. Any suggestions to prevent the bottom of the lasagna from drying out while cooking in the aluminium pan?
Hi Nancy, no adjustments should be necessary for a disposable aluminum pan. Just make sure to support the bottom of the pan when putting it into and removing it from the oven. Enjoy your ski trip!
I was a liitle afraid about the amount of mozzarella, but it wasn’t too much at all. It was just the right amount and the end result was excellent. I’m totally making this for company. This is probably the 10th recipe of yours that I’ve made and you always deliver. Thank you and keep on teaching us all how to cook better.
If I don’t have a food processor at home, do you have any suggestions?
Lauren, you can make this without a food processor; it will just be a bit more time consuming and labor intensive (particularly with the mincing of the veggies). You just want to make sure that the veggies are in small enough pieces that they kind of melt into the sauce. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Jess,
Making the lasagna and only have 8×8 pans, granddaughter has my 9×13. Figured I could just bake a little less and it would be fine. Yes!
Hi Jenn –
This recipe looks delicious and I was wondering if I could use homemade lasagna noodles or would it mess up the balance?
Many thanks, Donna
I think it’d be okay, Donna, as long as you don’t cook them first. Enjoy!
This was the most flavourful lasagna that I ever had! This includes lasagna from most reputable chain restaurants (which I would order as I tend only to make lasagna once or twice a year). The spicy Italian sausage really added to the flavour and the no-boil noodles really are much better than the usual noodles. My only mistake was that I picked up what i thought was a can of crushed tomatoes and it turned out to be tomato sauce. (the picture on the outside of the can made me think it was actual tomatoes, my mistake). It still turned out quite tasty in my opinion, but i will have to try it again with crushed tomatoes.
I also want to add that the ricotta mixture really adds to this dish. I like the added touch of some seasoning. I added defrosted spinach to mine, it added a nice colour!
I would like to make this for Christmas Eve. We will go to church at 5:30 and want to eat dinner when we return which will be around 7:00. It’s too late to begin the baking process at that point. Would you recommend baking it earlier and leaving it in the warming drawer?
Hi Jan, I’m always nervous about warming drawers and food safety so I’d probably bake it in the morning or even a day ahead and refrigerate, and then reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot. Hope your family enjoys it and Merry Christmas!
Hey Jen,
Made this form my mom and the family last night. Huge success and wow best I have ever tasted! Keep up the great work and Happy Holidays. P.S. Can you freeze this? If so any recommendations on how to do this so you don’t get that yucky freezer taste. Thx.
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can definitely freeze this. You can either put it in a freezer-safe container that just fits the leftover piece, or you can cut into individual pieces and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.
Jenn, Excellent recipe again. I was a little unsure of the bolognese type sauce as I typically use marinara w/ sausage & ground beef. Your recipe was excellent and the no-boil noodles were excellent. I’m trying to figure out re-heating a portion and will test the 325 degree oven suggestion below and let you know how it comes out. My only other comment on the sauce was it was a little heavy on the thyme.