Homemade Lasagna Recipe

white plate with slice of lasagna and a garlic knot

Easy lasagna with layers of noodles, beef sauce, and cheese. Make ahead, freezer-friendly, perfect for dinner!

Rate me!

Print Pin

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

16 ounces lasagna noodles uncooked, regular, not "oven ready"
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 ½ pounds ground beef lean
4 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups tomato sauce
8-10 slices provolone cheese non-smoked
4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
32 ounces ricotta cheese

Instructions

Boil the lasagna noodles
Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over medium high heat.
Cook noodles according to package directions, to al dente. Do not over cook.
Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Prepare the meat sauce
In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil.
Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the onions are soft.
Add the ground beef. Cook until no longer pink. Drain if desired.
Return the pan to the heat and add the tomato paste. Stir to combine and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
Assemble the lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a deep 9×13 baking dish add 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Spread to cover the bottom of the dish.
Place a layer of lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping, over the sauce. I use 5 noodles across.
Remove the bay leaf from the meat mixture and gently spread all the meat over the noodles.
Top with the provolone slices, spreading out to cover as much of the meat as possible.
Top with another layer of noodles. Add 1/2 cup sauce and gently spread around.
Remove the ricotta cheese from the container and place on the noodles. I like to scoop or spoon it around the layer and then spread using a spatula or spoon (or my hands) to cover the layer evenly.
Top the ricotta cheese with half the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Add a final layer of lasagna noodles. Top with remaining tomato sauce, spreading to cover the noodles evenly.
Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes or until the sides are bubbly and the cheese is melted. If the cheese starts to brown too quickly, you can cover the lasagna with aluminum foil until it is finished cooking.
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Cook noodles to al dente only. Don't overcook or they get mushy.
Drain and rinse noodles with cold water to stop cooking.
Use lean ground beef (93/7%) to avoid greasy lasagna.
Add bay leaf while cooking meat sauce for depth of flavor. Remove before assembling!
Overlap noodles to cover each layer completely.
Spread ricotta with your hands or spatula for even coverage.
Cover with foil if top browns too quickly.
Let rest 10-15 minutes after baking so layers set. Trust me, it will still be hot!
Prep meat sauce and noodles up to 2 days ahead for easier assembly.
Fresh herbs work great - just use double the amount of dried.
Baking time varies 30-45 minutes depending on dish size and oven.
Don't reheat and let sit - only let unbaked lasagna rest.

Nutrition