The Best Lasagna Recipe

If you are looking for the cheesiest, most flavorful homemade lasagna recipe, you have come to the right place! This lasagna is not dry and bland like other recipes. Our family recipe features 3 different kinds of cheese, layers of seasoned ground beef, and hearty pasta sauce. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Jump to Recipe

Ever since I was a child, my mom made this classic Italian recipe. Ironically, she got it from my Portuguese grandmother. For years, I helped my mother assemble this family-sized meal which is quite involved, but worth every bite.

Ingredients

In order to make the best Lasagna, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 48 ounces marinara sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 32 ounces ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces cottage cheese
• 16 ounces fresh mozzarella grated
• 9 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles one full box*
• fresh basil chopped for garnish

Equipment and Supplies Needed

You’ll also need the following equipment and supplies:

• Pyrex 13″ x 9″ Deep Dish Casserole
• large skillet
• Wooden Spoon
• cheese grater/food processor
• cutting board
• sharp knife

Recipe Tips

Here are my tips for ensuring your Lasagna comes out perfectly.

Use a Deep Dish

Since this lasagna contains 3 layers of noodles, meat, cheese, and sauce you will need a deep baking dish. If you do not have a deep baking dish the layers will overflow and you will not be able to make as many.

The Pyrex^® Deep 9 x 13″ Rectangular Glass Baking Dish is hands-down the best lasagna pan because it is 50% deeper than their traditional 9″ x 13″ pan. The reviews on this dish are almost perfect too because it is so sturdy and deep for layered meals like this meat and cheese lasagna.

No Deep Dish?

If all you have is a standard 9″ x 13″ inch pan, that’s okay! Reduce the layers to just 2.

Alternatively, you could simply bake 2 lasagnas. I like to do this to make an additional freezer meal for the future.

Mozzarella Cheese

I don’t recommend using bagged and pre-shredded mozzarella cheese in this recipe. The reason is, they add an anti-caking agent to the bag to prevent the cheese shreds from sticking together. This also prevents the cheese from melting nicely.

It’s best to buy a 16-ounce block of fresh mozzarella cheese and grate it by hand. This will guarantee a smooth and creamy melted top layer of cheese.

Easy Cheese Grating

Grating cheese by hand can be tiring. If you have a food processor with a grating attachment, it will save you so much time and energy! This Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor is what I use. It is so sturdy, and powerful!

Ingredient Variations

Meats– You can swap the 80/20 ground beef for leaner beef, or turkey to save extra calories. Additionally, you can use a combination of equal parts of beef and pork.

Cheeses- If you prefer to not use mozzarella cheese, you can use parmesan cheese, Italian Cheese Blend, or smoked provolone. You can also omit the cottage cheese if you wish and just use ricotta cheese.

Herbs- Fresh basil tastes wonder when sprinkled on top of this dish. However, you can sprinkle yours with fresh Italian herb mix, oregano, or parsley.

Noodles- I love no-bake lasagna noodles. However, you can still use traditional. Simply boil your pasta until al dente, rinse noodles in cold water, and then drain water out.

Onions- If you prefer to skip the onion that is cooked with the ground beef you can omit it. Additionally, you could swap it for 3 gloves of pressed garlic cooked with the ground beef.

Tomato Paste- If you do not have tomato paste on-hand, you can use 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes, or a small can of tomato sauce. It is okay to skip this step altogether.

Sauces- The pasta sauce you use for this recipe all depends on which brands you love. For us, we like to opt for a sweeter pasta sauce to use with this recipe. The sweetness pairs well with the meat and cheese.

The Process

Making the lasagna is pretty easy, but it’s involved. The full recipe details are in the recipe card at the end of this post, but here’s a summary of the steps.

1. Pan-fry the seasoned ground beef and onion.
2. Mix the meat with cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and tomato paste. Add in one raw large egg and mix some more.
3. Grate the 16-ounce block of fresh mozzarella cheese. I use my food processor to do all the dirty work!
4. Line a deep dish pan with no-bake lasagna noodles. You can also use traditional noodles if you prefer.
5. Add a layer of meat & cheese mixture, sauce, and top with another layer of noodles. Add mozzarella cheese and repeat twice more.
6. Top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
8. Allow lasagna to sit and set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Making it Ahead of Time?

To make lasagna ahead of time simply do all of the above steps but do not bake the casserole. Cover it with an airtight cover or wrap and store in the fridge until ready to make it.

It will last up to 24 hours in the refrigerator before baking.

Freezer Meal

For freezing, assemble all layers but do not bake the lasagna. Cover disposable pans with lids, and secure with plastic wrap. Label the pan with the date, cooking directions, and meal type.

To prevent any accidents or glass shattering, I always suggest making freezer meals in disposable aluminum foil pans. This prevents any adverse reactions to temperature changes. We love this brand of freezer meal pans with lids.

Recipe

Follow the recipe below to make the Best Homemade Lasagna You’ll ever have! This recipe makes approximately 15 servings. Feel free to adjust the servings in the recipe card if you wish.

Other Casseroles