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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.

Slice of lasagna on a plate with a fork.

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!

“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.”

Angela

What You’ll Need To Make Lasagna

Lasagna ingredients including mozzarella, olive oil, and egg.
  • 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.

vegetables in bowl of food processor

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

Minced vegetables in a food processor.

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.

Pan of 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 pot

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

Cooked vegetables in a Dutch oven.

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.

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 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.

Dutch oven of 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 processor

Process 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 dish

Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce, and dollop a third of the ricotta filling over the noodles.

noodles and ricotta over lasagna sauce

Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.

spreading ricotta mixture onto lasagna noodles

Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

adding mozzarella cheese to lasagna layers

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.

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.

Yellow baking dish of baked lasagna.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can lasagna be made ahead of time?

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.

Can lasagna be frozen?

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.

Can I use ground beef instead of Italian sausage?

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.

Slice of lasagna on a plate with a fork.

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.

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 (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.
  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 before baking. Allow a few extra minutes in the oven if baking from cold.
  5. 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

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

  • This is hands down the most amazing recipe ever! We do not eat sausage, so I usually make two pans; one I add ground chicken to and the other I layer with chopped broccoli and carrots. The sauce is incredible and it only gets better the longer it sits. We enjoy it for days! Thank you so much for the amazing recipes, I have never tried one that we did not like!

    • — Alison on December 12, 2023
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  • Excellent recipe! My my 4 teenage boys loved it.

    • — Kate on December 12, 2023
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  • My food processor has broken. Can I use a ninja blender on the pulse mode to make the Ricotta mixture?

    • — Caarolyn Fahey on December 11, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Carolyn, It’s okay if your food processor is on the fritz – 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!

      • — Jenn on December 11, 2023
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      • Thank you. I’ll write back after I make this.

        • — Carolyn on December 13, 2023
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        • Jenn, I had a small chopper and that worked wonders on the veggies. This dish was terrific. I used hot Italian sausage and was so nervous it would be overpowering for my guests. But the cheese mixture toned it down just enough. One question, the noodles seemed mushy. Is this the product of the no bake noodles (I have never used them before). Any insight would be appreciated as I will definitely be making this again. I did assemble the day before, just an fyi.

          • — Carolyn on December 17, 2023
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          • Hi Carolyn, glad you enjoyed the lasagna but sorry you found the noodles to be mushy. The no bake noodles do you have a bit of a different texture but I wouldn’t describe them as mushy (assembling this ahead would not have impacted the texture of the noodles).

            • — Jenn on December 19, 2023
  • This is an excellent recipe. I have made the recipe twice and always make an extra lasagna for my parents or one for the freezer! The sauce is delicious, and the lasagna sets well and stays moist but isn’t drowning in sauce.

    • — Kris Rosenfeld on December 11, 2023
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  • I make a pan of lasagna and freeze it every year at Christmas for each of my grown children and their families. I have tried many recipes over the years, but yours is the best. Making it is a labor of love, and our Christmas wouldn’t be the same without your beautiful lasagna! Many thanks, and happy holidays to you.

    • — Meg Cutler on December 9, 2023
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  • I accidentally used tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes. Do you think it will make a big difference in taste?

    • — Jennie on November 22, 2023
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    • Hi Jennie, It should be fine. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on November 23, 2023
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  • Hi Jenn,
    I can’t wait to try your lasagne recipe but just realized I bought Swiss Emmentale cheese instead of Mozzarella – do you think that would work?
    Thank you for all your wonderful recipes – we have never been dissappointed!
    DD

    • — Dale on November 15, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Dale, technically it will work — it will just have a different flavor. And so glad you like the recipes! 🙂

      • — Jenn on November 16, 2023
      • Reply
  • I can’t seem to get the video to play and I really love to watch a video, gets me in the mood to start cooking! It starts, then advertisements, and then goes to an egg salad recipe, more advertisements and then goes to an enchilada recipe. What am I doing wrong???

    • — Pamela on November 12, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Pamela, You’re not doing anything wrong. I’m aware of how they work – giving you a snippet, followed by an ad and then moving on to another video. I wish it didn’t work that way and have requested that it be changed, but the network that I work with presents the videos that way and isn’t flexible to change them – frustrating for me too! If you see a recipe video that you’d like to see more of us, just search for the recipe on my blog, and one of the search results on the page will be the video. Just a heads up that while you’re viewing it, about 1/3 of the way through, you’ll get two little buttons show up on the right side of the video saying “next” or “stay?” Just click on the stay button and you should see the remainder of the video with no ad. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the lasagna if you make it!

      • — Jenn on November 13, 2023
      • Reply
  • This was the best homemade lasagna I’ve ever had. Served for friends. Recipe is perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing BUT in case you are missing heavy cream and cream cheese like I was, no worries! I bet they make the recipe better but it was perfectly fine without. All I had was 2% milk and a bit of cornstarch to sub for cream. Can’t wait to follow recipe as written.

    • — Monica on November 9, 2023
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  • Hi Jenn! I am in love with this lasagna and making it for a party of 14 this weekend. May I ask….would you make a double batch and cook in a larger pan OR would you do two separate? If one large pan, would the cook time increase? If you did 2 separate, can you bake at one time? I plan to make the night before and just bake the next day. I cannot thank you enough for your patience and advice! And for the outstanding recipes.
    -Maura

    • — Maura S on November 2, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Maura, so glad you like the recipes! If you have the option to make it in two pans, I’d go that route as it ensures that they will bake evenly. You can bake them at the same time – just keep in mind that they may take a few extra minutes as the oven will be more crowded. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • — Jenn on November 2, 2023
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      • Thank you so much! 🙂

        • — Maura S on November 2, 2023
        • Reply
  • Hi I followed to the recipe to the T. I have a quick question about noodles. I did buy exact brand noodles. Then I used three noodles in each layer as shown in pictures here. I used total 9 noodles in three layers. It seems like I have lots of left over noodles and looks like lots of space around my lasagna in baking sheet. Should I have used more than three noodles in each layer? Thanks

    • — Hazel on November 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Hazel, it’s normal for there to be just a little bit of space between and around the edges of the noodles. You mentioned that you only used nine; the recipe calls for 12, Did you happen to Skip the top layer of noodles?

      • — Jenn on November 2, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jen,

    We tried your meatball recipe and it was absolutely amazing!!! Have you ever tried to combine your meatball recipe with this one to make a meatball lasagna?

    Thank you!!

    • — Anonymous on November 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • I can’t say I have – if you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      • — Jenn on November 2, 2023
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    • I have! It’s my grandmother’s recipe. Pieces of sausage , pepperoni cooked, sliced, and meatballs broken up pieces . Used meat layers. Sooooo good ! Sharon

      • — Sharon l on March 3, 2024
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  • I just have to say that I’m not normally a lasagna fan. This recipe changed my mind. Delicious! 😋

    • — Cindy on October 29, 2023
    • Reply
  • Just wondering if using fresh pasta would be too gummy here?

    • — Naz on October 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Fresh pasta should be fine. As long as you don’t cook it first, the bake time should be the same. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on October 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • The best lasagna ever!

    • — Heather R. on September 23, 2023
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  • I made this for a dinner party this weekend and everyone loved it! Great flavor really perfect!

    • — Juliet on September 18, 2023
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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    • 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
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      • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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    • 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
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  • 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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