This Easy Lasagna Recipe is pure comfort food without the fuss! With layers of tender noodles, meaty pasta sauce, and a creamy ricotta filling, this hearty baked lasagna is topped with melty mozzarella cheese for the perfect finishing touch!
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If you're looking for an easy meat lasagna recipe, we've got you covered! Using a jarred pasta sauce and enhancing it with sausage and seasonings is the perfect shortcut. It comes together in minutes, unlike a homemade sauce that would take hours to simmer.
This meat lasagna is also loaded with cheesy goodness, featuring three kinds of cheese - ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella!
For more mouthwatering cheesy baked dishes, check out this Baked Ravioli, Baked Mac and Cheese, Chicken Tetrazzini, Chicken Alfredo Lasagna, and Stuffed Zucchini Boats.
Why You'll Love This Easy Lasagna Recipe With Ricotta
- Comfort Food Classic: From kids to adults, everyone loves lasagna! It's a classic comfort food dish that's sure to please!
- Great for Meal Prep: This lasagna recipe with ricotta cheese makes 12 servings! Whether you're feeding a crowd or just want some leftovers, there will be plenty. Plus, it also freezes and reheats well.
- Easy Prep: Doctoring up a store-bought sauce instead of making sauce from scratch is a huge time-saver and significantly cuts down on the prep time needed to make this dish.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the simple ingredients you'll need to make the best easy lasagna recipe!
- Lasagna Noodles: These serve as the base of the dish. You'll need 12 uncooked noodles and can use any brand you'd like.
- Sausage: We like using mild Italian sausage instead of ground beef because it adds more flavor to the sauce.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic add depth of flavor to the meat sauce.
- Seasonings: We used black pepper and Italian seasoning to flavor the sauce. We also used more Italian seasoning in the cheese filling.
- Pasta Sauce: You'll need 2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce for this recipe.
- Tomato Paste: Just 1 tablespoon helps thicken up the sauce. If you've bought a whole can or tube of tomato paste just for this dish and need a way to use it up, try this Lasagna Soup next.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds an umami flavor, which helps to enhance the store-bought pasta sauce.
- Cheese: Creamy ricotta and salty Parmesan are mixed together for the cheesy filling, while mozzarella is sprinkled throughout the layers of lasagna and on top.
- Egg: Helps to bind the cheese filling and makes it more creamy as it cooks.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spicy: To add a kick of heat to this lasagna with ricotta, swap the mild Italian sausage for hot Italian sausage. You can also replace one or both jars of the regular pasta sauce with arrabbiata sauce to spice things up.
- Vegetarian: Use plant-based Italian sausage instead of the pork sausage, or use plant-based ground beef if you can't find the sausage. You'll also need to use a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan cheese that does not contain animal rennet and a Worcestershire sauce without anchovies.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles and follow the directions on the package for baking, as the oven temperature and cooking time may vary. You'll also need to use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- Lightened Up: Swap the pork sausage for Italian chicken sausage and use part-skim ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
How to Make Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese
If you're wondering how to make lasagna, here is everything you need to know. To get started making this easy cheese lasagna recipe with sausage, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Pre-cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Step 1: Cook the sausage. Cook the sausage and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is browned and onions are soft. Drain the excess grease
Step 2: Make the sauce. Stir in garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, pasta sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Mix up the cheese filling. Add ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning to a bowl and mix until well combined.
Step 4: Begin layering. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place 4 of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Spread ⅓ of the cheese mixture onto the noodles and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella.
Step 5: Continue layering. Repeat the layering process two more times, and then top the lasagna with the rest of the meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Step 6: Bake. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until the sauce and cheese begin bubbling.
Hint: Use a lid.
When simmering the sauce, feel free to use a lid to prevent splattering.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftover lasagna tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also transfer individual portions to airtight containers before refrigerating. Another option is to freeze it for up to three months. Be sure to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat the lasagna covered in a 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes until warmed through.You can also microwave individual portions on a microwave-safe plate, covered for 3-5 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the lasagna a day in advance and store it unbaked in the refrigerator, covered with foil. You can also freeze the entire lasagna unbaked for up to 3 months. Cover it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight. For both methods, you'll need to allow the lasagna to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before baking. You may also need to add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time
Serving Suggestions
There's nothing like a side of your favorite bread to scoop up the sauce from your plate. Try these Homemade Dinner Rolls or this quick and easy no-knead Dutch Oven Bread. A slice of lasagna goes great with a simple side salad like this Cucumber Tomato Salad or this Strawberry Spinach Salad.
Enjoy this lasagna for a family dinner and serve some Brownie Cookies or Mint Chocolate Brownies for dessert.
Expert Tips
- Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente, as they will continue to cook in the oven. Overcooking them can make them mushy and hard to work with.
- Don't skip the foil: Cooking the lasagna covered with aluminum foil for the majority of the baking time helps prevent the cheese from browning too quickly.
- Allow the lasagna to set: Give the lasagna 10-15 minutes to rest before serving. This allows it to thicken up, so it doesn't fall apart when you slice it.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! No-boil noodles will cut down on the prep time even more. Just be sure to cover every inch of them with sauce or they won't cook up properly in the oven.
Be sure to drain your cooked noodles well and make sure your sauce is not overly watery. If the sauce doesn't seem thick enough when simmering, you can add a bit more tomato paste.
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
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Easy Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 4 ½ cups mozzarella cheese divided
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1 ½ cups onion diced
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 (24 ounce) jars pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Cheese Filling
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
Noodles
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and boil a large pot of water. Cook noodles until al dente according to directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meat Sauce
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, Cook Italian sausage and onions until browned and onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.
- Add garlic, black pepper, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, pasta sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Cheese Filling
- Add ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside.
Assemble
- Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. Top with four lasagna noodles.
- Spread ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then top with one cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Add 1½ cups of meat sauce and spread out evenly, then top with for more noodles.
- Repeat the cheese and meat layers two more times, then top with the remaining meat sauce and cheese.
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an addition 15 minutes or until the sauce and cheese start to bubble.
- Rest 10-15 minutes before serving to allow all the layers to set.
Notes
-
Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente, as they will continue to cook in the oven. Overcooking them can make them mushy and hard to work with.
-
Don't skip the foil: Cooking the lasagna covered with aluminum foil for the majority of the baking time helps prevent the cheese from browning too quickly.
-
Allow the lasagna to set: Give the lasagna 10-15 minutes to rest before serving. This allows it to thicken up, so it doesn't fall apart when you slice it.
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen
This lasagna is one of my familys favorites. It has the most amazing flavors and is so easy to make.