Easy Homemade Lasagna (make ahead)

homemade lasagna A classic recipe every cook should have in their rotation.

Soft pasta, creamy ricotta filling, rich meaty tomato sauce topped with cheese and baked until golden brown.

This lasagna recipe has a few steps, but it’s easy to make and super flavorful. This dish can be made ahead and frozen before or after baking!

Homemade lasagna may have several steps, but each step is easy. I assure you it’s worth your time. Perfect Italian food!

The best lasagna recipes are made with ingredients you know and aren’t difficult at all! is!

lasagna ingredients

• cheese filling In this classic lasagna recipe, the filling includes ricotta and parmesan cheese, seasonings, and 2 tablespoons of parsley. No ricotta? No problem. Cottage cheese works well in this recipe.
• meat Both Italian sausage and ground beef are used to create a flavorful dish. If using all beef, add 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed and Italian seasoning to meat mixture for flavor.
• sauce To keep this sauce quick, use pasta sauce or marinara sauce (you can easily use mashed and canned tomatoes if you prefer).

Spinach (variation): To make spinach lasagna, squeeze out most of the moisture from thawed frozen spinach and add it along with the cheese layer.

Lasagna ingredients don’t have to be limited to those listed here. Substitute meat or another cheese, or try another meat sauce variation.

How to layer lasagna

1. Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce in a 9×13 skillet. Add a layer of noodles.
2. Sprinkle the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.Repeat layers, ending with a layer of noodles and sauce
3. Cover with foil and bake. Remove foil, top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Once the meat sauce and cheese mix are ready, you’re ready to layer. The order of layers is:

• sauce – noodles – cheese
• sauce – noodles – cheese
• sauce – noodles – cheese
• Noodles – Sauce (baked) – Cheese

baking time

Bake this lasagna recipe for a total of 1 hour. To get the perfect charred cheese topping, you need to bake in two stages.

1. Cover with aluminum foil to evaporate moisture.
2. Once cooked and heated, remove foil, top with cheese, and return to oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until top is browned and lasagna is bubbly.

Serve with a large slice of homemade garlic bread and garnish with fresh basil or 2 tablespoons of parsley.

Top off your meal with a Caesar salad or Italian salad.

go ahead

Lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.

freeze the lasagna

Lasagna is one of the best meals to make ahead of time and freeze. Double or triple the recipe and store in an airtight freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. If the lasagna is cold straight out of the fridge, he may need an additional 20 minutes of cooking time.

how to reheat lasagna

If you freeze leftovers, place them in a covered 350-degree Fahrenheit oven until reheating. This takes about 30 minutes. Of course, the leftovers can also be heated in the microwave!

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easy homemade lasagna

Homemade lasagna is a classic and delicious dinner that every family should have in their recipe rotation.

preparation time 30 minutes

cooking time 1 time

Break time 15 minutes

total time 1 time 45 minutes

• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot with salt, boil lasagna noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

• In a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the beef, sausage, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Eliminate fat.

• Stir in pasta sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.

• In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, ricotta, parsley, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

• Spread 1 cup meat in a 9×13 pan or casserole dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Layer 1/3 of the ricotta cheese and 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat two more times. Finish with 3 strips of noodles topped with the remaining sauce.

• Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

• Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining 2½ cups mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Bake for 2-3 minutes if desired.

• Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

*Notes on the source: This recipe contains about 1 cup of meat sauce for each layer. If you want more sauce in your lasagna, increase the pasta sauce to 48 oz. The amount of salt needed may vary depending on the brand of pasta sauce you use.
cheese layer The cheese layer is thin. If you want a thicker layer of cheese, divide the cheese in half and put it on the first he two layers, and add only the meat sauce to the third layer. I tested this with extra ricotta cheese and found it overpowered the lasagna.
Time-saving tips: Use fresh lasagna sheets found in the deli area and skip the boiling step! Fresh lasagna does not need to be boiled first.
After removing from the oven, let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes (30-45 minutes is fine). This will keep it from being watery and will help it hold its shape when cut. No need to rest when reheating.
Replace:

• Cottage cheese can be substituted for ricotta cheese.
• Substitute all beef (or ground turkey) for sausage if desired. If using all beef, add 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning to meat (add 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds if desired).

calorie: 377 | | carbohydrates: 28g | | protein: 29g | | obesity: 16g | | saturated fat: 7g | | cholesterol: 71mg | | sodium: 857mg | | potassium: 492mg | | fiber: 2g | | sugar: Fourg | | Vitamin A: 805IU | | Vitamin C: 7.4mg | | calcium: 526mg | | iron: 2.2mg

Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary depending on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta

cooking Italian

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