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The Best Homemade Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese

A thick, multi-layered slice of homemade lasagna with rich meat sauce and melted cheese topping.
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Create the ultimate comfort food with this classic, layered beef lasagna featuring rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese. This recipe delivers satisfying, restaurant-quality flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar of marinara sauce
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup water (for sauce thinning)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Prepare the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Stir the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the skillet with the beef. Add 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce slightly. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and lay them flat on parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  5. Prepare the ricotta mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well until smooth.
  6. Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  7. Arrange four cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping if necessary.
  8. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the noodles.
  9. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.
  10. Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the mozzarella.
  11. Repeat the layers: Add four more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, another third of the mozzarella, and the rest of the meat sauce.
  12. Top with the final four noodles. Spread any remaining sauce lightly over the top noodles, then cover completely with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  13. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
  14. Bake for 25 minutes covered. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
  15. Let the lasagna rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the layers set.

Notes

  • For cleaner slices, prepare the lasagna completely, cover it, and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
  • Use no-boil noodles if you prefer to skip boiling the pasta, but adjust the liquid in your sauce slightly, as no-boil noodles absorb more moisture during baking.
  • If you want a richer sauce, substitute half of the ground beef with ground Italian sausage.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/best-homemade-lasagna-recipe/