Easy Traditional Lasagna

This easy traditional lasagna recipe is Italian comfort food at it’s best. It’s got layer upon layer of pasta, cheese and a rich meat sauce. Plus, it’s make ahead friendly.

Lasagna is a Great Comfort Food

When I think of comfort food, lasagna is definitely one dish that comes to mind. The sauce, the pasta, the ooey, gooey cheese….it’s all good.

I know it can be time consuming to put together. It’s not something you’re going to quick whip up for dinner after a long day at work. 

But, it is something that you can assemble ahead of time and pop in the freezer. Then, you can have lasagna anytime. And, it’s way better than any frozen lasagna you can buy at the store!

Tips and Tricks to Making an Easy Traditional Lasagna

Over the years I have figured out ways to make lasagna easier to make and to make it come out just right. The first thing is to use no-boil noodles, which is a huge time saver.

I have used Barilla no-boil noodles as well as Aldi’s store brand and I find that either works really well.

I also always try and have homemade sauce on hand in the freezer. But, you also can save time by using a jarred sauce. I always use ricotta cheese with an egg and parmesan cheese mixed into it as well.

It’s also very important to take the time to let it rest before you cut into it. By following these tips your lasagna will always comes out nice and firm, not a runny mess on the plate!

What Ingredients are Needed to Make Traditional Lasagna?

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Lasagna noodles
• Marinara sauce
• Ground beef
• Ricotta cheese
• Egg
• Parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese

Is Easy Traditional Lasagna Make Ahead Friendly?

Yes! This lasagna recipe can be made ahead and either refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Just  make sure that you cover it tightly with foil and allow an extra 10-15 minutes cooking time if refrigerated or an extra 30 minutes cooking time if baking from frozen.

 

What Can I Serve With Traditional Lasagna?

• Field Greens Salad
• Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread
• Easy Focaccia Bread
• Your favorite red or white wine

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Yield: 12 servings

Easy Traditional Lasagna

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This easy traditional lasagna recipe is Italian comfort food at it's best. It's got layer upon layer of pasta, cheese and a rich meat sauce. Plus, it's make ahead friendly.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 cups marinara sauce, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp pepper, divided
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 12 no boil lasagna noodles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
3. Add ground beef, onion and garlic, breaking up beef with a spoon.
4. Season mixture with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
5. Cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent, season with salt and pepper.
6. Stir 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce into the ground beef mixture and heat over medium low heat until heated through.
7. Place ricotta, parmesan, parsley, egg and fresh cracked pepper in a bowl.
8. Mix until well combined.
9. Now it's time to assemble. I find it works best to make an assembly line for youself so everthing is right there for you.
10. Start by spreading remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 pan that's been coated with cooking spray.
11. Place three no boil noodles on top of the sauce.
12. Spread 1/4 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
13. Spread about 1 cup of the meat/sauce mixture over the ricotta mixture.
14. Top with 1/4 of the mozzerella and about 2 tbsp of the parmesan.
15. Repeat layers 3 more times: noodles, ricotta, meat sauce, cheese
16. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
17. After 45 minutues, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
18. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
19. Cut into 12 pieces.

Notes

• After lasagna has been assembled, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months. Make sure that it is covered tightly.
• To bake from refrigerated, allow to sit out for 30 minutes before baking. It may take an additional 10-15 minutes to bake.
• To bake from frozen, either defrost completely or you can bake it from frozen. If baking from frozen you'll need to add about an additional 30 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 354Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 755mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g