Granny's Classic Homemade Lasagna recipe has been perfected over the years. This is the absolute best lasagna recipe you will ever find! Italian sausage, spinach, basil, and four melted cheeses come together in this satisfying and flavorful dinner.
The secrets to making the best classic lasagna:
Here are my secrets to making the absolute best lasagna you'll ever enjoy. None of these are absolutely necessary, but I've found they make a huge difference in creating the best tasting classic lasagna.
- Use no boil lasagna noodles. Like I said above, they're not only easier and quicker, but I actually prefer the texture as they never get over cooked.
- I love spicy Italian sausage in my lasagna but for some reason, I don't like getting a huge chunk in a single bite. I found out by accident that there is a better way. You see, when I was making the filling for my meat and cheese ravioli, I pulsed the cooked sausage in the food processor into tiny crumbles and then mixed it with the ricotta. I had leftover filling and turned it into a lasagna. Voila! It was perfect!
- Whole milk cheese. For the love of all things, be sure to buy whole milk ricotta and whole milk mozzarella. It will yield the creamiest and richest lasagna. Whoever came up with low fat cheese should be punished.
- The secret ingredients in my ricotta filling are roasted garlic, lots of fresh basil, parmesan and pecorino cheese. If you don't always have roasted garlic on hand, you should. I use it in sooooo many recipes. I used to make lasagna without these four secret ingredients and let me tell you - they are incredibly worth it.
- And finally, you will get the best tasting lasagna if you make it the day before and let it rest at least 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
The best way to layer it:
I have found that my technique works extremely well. In my opinion, the proper way to layer lasagna is as follows:
- A thin layer of sauce must go on the bottom of your casserole dish. This will prevent any pasta from sticking.
- Then goes the no boil lasagna noodles.
- On top of the lasagna noodles goes one third of your sausage and ricotta mixture, then a layer of fresh spinach, and that is all topped with a generous amount of sauce. I like the pasta sauce to be on top of the spinach and directly under the next layer of pasta so that the moisture goes both ways.
- Repeat this process of layering no boil lasagna noodles with the ricotta sausage mixture, spinach, and sauce two more times.
- Top with your final layer of pasta followed by the remaining amount of sauce as well as the shredded mozzarella.
The result is a perfectly layered, evenly proportioned, best tasting lasagna. Trust the process.
Do you cook the noodles first?
There are two types of lasagna noodles - the type you have to cook first and the type you are not supposed to cook first. My personal preference is to use no cook lasagna noodles. Why add that extra step of having to boil the lasagna noodles first? Then, when you do, they stick to one another unless you are very careful.
No boil lasagna noodles are not only easier to use with less clean up, but I also feel that their final texture once the lasagna is fully cooked is better than lasagna noodles you have to boil first.
Make it ahead of time!
This is one of my many secrets that make this recipe so good.
This lasagna recipe is actually one of our favorite things to serve for dinner when friends come over. Why? Because I can do all the prep the day before and only have to pop it in the oven when our friends get here. It feels sooooo good to have the kitchen start and stay clean when company comes over. Lasagna is one of the best make ahead dinner recipes you'll find.
The other reason it's best to make lasagna ahead of time is it gives the pasta time to absorb a lot of the liquid and flavor.
How long can uncooked lasagna last in the fridge?
My personal preference is to make the uncooked lasagna the day before you are planning to cook it. I have found that gives me the best results.
I have, however, made lasagna two days before I cook it and it turned out perfectly fine as well. You just need to keep in mind the shelf life of the ingredients. They fresher they are, the more wiggle room you'll have as far as how long it will last in the fridge.
The ricotta needs egg.
If you have some kind of egg allergy or have simply run out, you can always omit the egg.
But, like in most recipes, the egg acts as a binder and helps keep the ricotta mixture cohesive. A good egg also adds richness to any recipes.
How to avoid runny lasagna:
This has happened to me countless times but I now know how to avoid it.
Both the sauce and the spinach have a lot of moisture in them. If you don't make your lasagna ahead of time and just pop it into the oven, you won't give your pasta sufficient time to absorb the liquid in the sauce.
Also, when you cook your lasagna, the spinach will release a bunch of liquid.
To avoid a runny lasagna, be sure to remove the foil during the last phase of cooking to help release some of the moisture.
It is also very important to let the lasagna rest after taking it out of the oven. This allows the lasagna noodles to further absorb any remaining moisture. Don't worry - it will still stay hot!
Love cheesy pasta recipes?
You'll definitely want to make these:
- Homemade Pasta smothered in Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- Swedish Meatball Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Ham and Pea Pasta Carbonara
- Cheesy Baked Rigatoni Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Dozen Veggie Pasta Primavera
- Lobster Mac and Cheese
Full Recipe Instructions
Granny's Classic Homemade Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds spicy Italian pork sausage (in bulk, not in casings)
- 4 tablespoon roasted garlic
- 1 cup fresh basil (packed)
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 oz pecorino (grated)
- 2 oz parmesan (grated)
- 1 large egg
- 16 oz whole milk mozzarella (divided, grated)
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 48 oz pasta sauce
- 12 no boil lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces)
Instructions
To assemble the lasagna:
- In a large pan over medium high heat, cook the Italian sausage until browned and crumbly, stirring occasionally. This should take about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and allow it to cool slightly.
- Use a food processor to mix the roasted garlic, basil, ricotta, pecorino, parmesan, egg, and half of the mozzarella, . Add the cooked sausage and pulse a few times to break the sausage into crumbles and mix it into the cheese mixture.
- To assemble the lasagna, add about a cup of the pasta sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add 3 of the no boil lasagna noodles.
- Add about ⅓ of the sausage mixture to the top of the noodles.
- Add about ⅓ of the fresh spinach leaves and top them with about a cup of the sauce.
- Continue to layer: 1. pasta, sausage mixture, spinach, sauce.2. pasta, remaining sausage mixture, remaining spinach, sauce.
3. top layer will be remaining pasta, remaining sauce, and remaining mozzarella. - Cover with aluminum foil. For best results, refrigerate overnight. If needed, you may bake right away.
To bake the lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. If previously refrigerated, be sure to allow lasagna to come to room temperature before cooking, otherwise your cook time will be extended. Cook, covered, until heated through, 40-60 minutes. You may remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time to help melt the cheese and release some of the moisture. Allow lasagna to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving to absorb any remaining liquid.
Notes
Pro Tips to get Perfect Results:
- Use no boil lasagna noodles. They're not only easier and quicker, but I actually prefer the texture as they never get over cooked.
- I prefer using Trader Joe's no boil lasagna because the pieces fit perfectly in my baking dish, especially once they expand when cooking, but you can use any kind you like. You can even make your own homemade pasta sheets.
- I love spicy Italian sausage in my lasagna but for some reason, I don't like getting a huge chunk in a single bite. I found out by accident that there is a better way. You see, when I was making the filling for my meat and cheese ravioli, I pulsed the cooked sausage in the food processor into tiny crumbles and then mixed it with the ricotta. I had leftover filling and turned it into a lasagna. Voila! It was perfect!
- Whole milk cheese. For the love of all things, be sure to buy whole milk ricotta and whole milk mozzarella. It will yield the creamiest and richest lasagna. Whoever came up with low fat cheese should be punished.
- The secret ingredients in my ricotta filling are roasted garlic, lots of fresh basil, parmesan and pecorino cheese. If you don't always have roasted garlic on hand, you should. I use it in sooooo many recipes. I used to make lasagna without these four secret ingredients and let me tell you - they are incredibly worth it.
- And finally, you will get the best tasting lasagna if you make it the day before and let it rest at least 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven. This allows the no-bake pasta can soak in the sauce, but you can still bake it on the day you prepare it if needed.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This recipe was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated with more information and cooking tips. Don't worry - I didn't touch the recipe. It's too good to change!
Kara
Ughhhh so disappointed with this! The roasted garlic wouldn’t chop into small enough pieces until the mix was almost a paste. I wish I would’ve added some seasoning to the mix as well. It needed salt and pepper and some red pepper flakes for better flavor. The instructions were good but the final taste result was not a hit in my house.
Krissy
Sorry to hear that! I've found that mashing the garlic with a fork sometimes works better than with a knife. It's hard to taste the filling once the egg is incorporated and I tend to under salt and under spice when cooking for a crowd because both can always be added later, based on preference.
Hannah
Hello, what else can I use beside Percorino, I can't find it anywhere? An I already using parmesan
Krissy
You can just double the parmesan.
Dea
Do you have to use the spinach? If not will it affect the recipe?
I'm making lasagna for a rehearsal dinner not sure if everyone would like it.
Krissy
I apologize for the delay in responding - I was away on vacation and summer with the family is always super busy. You can always leave out the spinach!
Sorry
Sorry for saying ew
MyKaila
I followed the steps and made this lasagna the night before. I feel like since it sat in the fridge, the noodles absorbed too much moisture and while it was not dry, the sauce was not as much as I would’ve liked. I would do more sauce than suggested next time. It had good flavor though. I also used the food processor for the meat and I was not a fan of how that looked. I would probably lightly pulse it and add the meat to the sauce instead of the ricotta next time.
Kari
If I bake this the day before. How long and how hot do I bake it the day of for reheating?
Krissy
Bake it the full amount and then just reheat
Nancy
Can I bake and freeze? How do I reheat the day I want to make this
Krissy
I think it's better to prepare and freeze and then when you're ready to eat, either thaw and bake or bake frozen for extended time.
Katie F
This turned out great! And the hubby didn't mind the spinach.
Karen
Can the whole thing be frozen after it’s cooked and then reheated. Any advice?
Krissy
Yep! Just be sure to fully thaw before cooking.
Beth A Kunkel
Any particular pasta sauce that you like? Would it be crazy to add ground beef to the pasta sauce? I have MEAT LOVERS at my table...
Krissy
I love Rao's or Mezzetta - those are my favorite brands. I love adding cooked ground beef to the sauce!
Jacqueline Debono
Your lasagna looks very good. I love the sausage ricotta filling! I normally use fresh lasagne sheets, either homemade or bought ready-made. These don't need to be precooked which as you say can be a hassle, especially when they stick together!
Dannii
Lasagna might just be the ultimate comfort food, and the more cheese the better I say. This looks epic!
Jillian
This looks so delicious I can almost smell it! I too am a fan of no boil noodles - delicious and so easy!
Tawnie Kroll
This is a new family favorite - thank you!!
Adrianne
What a fantastic looking lasagna!! I wish I was having this for dinner tonight. It sounds delicious too with 4 noodle layers, haha, yes a bit OCD, but in a GOOD way. xx
Tracy
I followed your recipe word for word, but after it was finished I realized it never said where and when to add the roasted garlic! I had roaster some the day before and it was all ready to go! I’m so bummed it never got added. At what point was it to be added, so I can make sure I add it next time I make it?
Krissy
Sorry for the late reply! I add it to the ricotta mixture. just updated the recipe. Thanks for catching that!
Tiffany
I bought fresh noodles from a local Italian market and they suggested boiling for 4 minutes ahead of assembling. Can I still assemble the day before or should I wait until the day of since the noodles will already be boiled?
Krissy
I think it will still taste great if assembled the day before. Just be sure not to over cook those noodles!
Chuck KImberl
"Whoever came up with low-fat cheese should be punished."? Krissy, you are spot on. I feel the same way. You have an awesome sense of humor. I love your emails and recipes and have loved every one that I have made. Keep them coming, you're doing a fantastic job. I will definitely be making your lasagna.
Krissy
Your comment totally made my day. THANK YOU! So glad you're enjoying the recipes.
Larry Gaines
I wish you would put a PIN option on your recipes
Krissy
Hi Larry, If you hover over a picture there should be a button to PIN the recipe. Are you on mobile or desktop when you're viewing the recipe? Let me know and I'll try to see if it's not working. Thanks!
Mary C Kane
It was delicious!
peggy
granny recipes sound really good i use cottage in my lasagna must try. im going to give you 5 star because the recipes sound really good.
Krissy
Hi Peggy, I've never tried cottage cheese in my lasagna. Do you use it instead of or in addition to ricotta? I'll have to try it. Thanks for the suggestion!