Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe is a childhood favorite of mine–it’s sure to bring a smiles to everyone sitting at your dinner table! Nothing says comfort-food to me like a huge pan of cheesy lasagna deliciousness piping hot right outta the oven! It’s the BEST!
Why we love Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe
My mom was pretty innovative back in the 1970’s… she was one of the first to come up with the idea of NOT cooking the noodles before making a pan of lasagna. She’d make lasagna with hard noodles, drizzle water around the edges of the pan, and then bake it off! It was genius!
Even in the 1990’s when I was newly married and making it her quick and easy way–people were always amazed that was so simple to make and tasted better too.
How to make Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add turkey sausage, cook through until browned.
- Add pasta sauce to sausage and stir.
- Remove from heat; set aside.
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
- Coat 10×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Layering 4-5 pieces lasagna noodles, add 1 cup of sauce and spread evenly over noodles.
- Next add 3/4 cup of cottage cheese and then mozzarella cheese; spreading each addition.
- Repeat layers 3-4 times ending with mozzarella cheese on top.
- Evenly drizzle 1 cup of water around the outside of the pan.
- Cover with a foil tent, being careful not to let foil touch top.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center inserts easily.
- minutes before baking time is complete- remove foil top and finish cooking if a browned top is desired.
- Enjoy your Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe!
Fit Friday with Nichole
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 (19.5 ounce) sweet italian turkey sausage, casing removed
- 1 (13.25 ounce) whole grain lasagna
- 2 (23.9 ounce) Sundried Tomato and Sweet Basil pasta sauce
- 1 (24 ounce) lowfat ricotta or cottage cheese
- 6 cups mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add turkey sausage, cook through until browned.
- Add pasta sauce to sausage and stir.
- Remove from heat; set aside.
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
- Coat 10x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Layering 4-5 pieces lasagna noodles, add 1 cup of sauce and spread evenly over noodles.
- Next add 3/4 cup of cottage cheese and then mozzarella cheese; spreading each addition.
- Repeat layers 3-4 times ending with mozzarella cheese on top.
- Evenly drizzle 1 cup of water around the outside of the pan.
- Cover with a foil tent, being careful not to let foil touch top.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center inserts easily.
- minutes before baking time is complete- remove foil top and finish cooking if a browned top is desired.
- Enjoy your Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 222Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 558mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 18g
More Pasta Recipes
- Hearty Ratatouille with Penne Pasta
- Pasta and Red Sauce, Basil Chicken with Caramelized Parsnips and Onions
- Bruschetta Pasta Recipe
- Lemon Chicken Roasted Red Potato Pasta
- Sun-dried Tomato, Artichoke, Mushroom Alfredo Pasta
- Italian Artichoke Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Marsala with Linguini
- Truffle Macaroni and Cheese
Food Memories with Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe
We truly treasure the times we get to spend together… Easy Homemade Lasagna is a food memory that’s tied us together for generations so were very happy to share this favorite recipe of ours with you!
I love my kids so much and I also love how food memories tie us together, no matter where we are… the smell of Lasagna brings all our hearts back home.
One more thing before you go…
We love creating recipes and sharing our adventures with you, so if you can do us a huge favor it’d really support us! It’s easier to stay motivated to share our best with you when we hear from you! We adore our readers and it really makes our day to get comments, social tags/shares, or pins that you save for later to share with your family and friends.
Our hearts sing when you do.
We SEE you and we do our very best to respond to all the love! It also amps up our mo-jo so we get lots of awesome things done around here. Please reach out if you have questions or comments via our email: ruthie@cookingwithruthie.com. We’re excited to see you again soon!
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Thanks for sharing in the CWR blog-love!
Love Always,
Ruthie & Madeliene
FAQs
Quick Overview:
- The first thing that goes on the buttered tray is a layer of red sauce. This is so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
- After that, add a smaller layer of white sauce.
- Then finally a layer of pasta.
- Repeat the process: red sauce, white sauce, pasta.
Which is better for lasagna cottage or ricotta? ›
The key to creating the absolute best lasagna is to use a combination of ricotta and cottage cheese. Ricotta brings the rich creaminess while cottage cheese lightens things up and seasons the whole dish. For even more cheese, we recommend also using shredded Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano).
What not to do when making lasagna? ›
A well-made lasagna can be a delicious and satisfying meal, just as long as it's cooked correctly.
- Not cooking the noodles correctly. ...
- Not having all the ingredients ready. ...
- Not browning the meat. ...
- Using the wrong cheese. ...
- Skipping the dairy sauce. ...
- Skimping on the amount of marinara. ...
- Improperly layering the noodles.
Why do you put milk in lasagna? ›
The secret ingredient? Milk. It tenderises the meat, to leave you with the most tender ragù. Use a deep dish and find out how to layer a lasagne.
Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered? ›
In an oven preheated to 375 degrees F, this homemade lasagna should be perfectly baked in about 50 minutes (30-40 minutes covered, 5-10 minutes uncovered).
Should you criss cross lasagna noodles? ›
(Do notice that I put the noodles criss cross – perpendicular from the layer below – it helps it to hold together when you serve it). So, the noodles directly on the cheese means there won't be enough for a top layer of noodles.
Do you have to add egg to ricotta for lasagna? ›
Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact. So what happens if you don't put eggs in your lasagna? It'll just be a bit runnier, but omitting the egg won't affect the taste.
Is it better to bake lasagna in a glass or metal pan? ›
Glass baking dishes tend to retain heat longer than metal, keeping your lasagna warmer as you bring it to the table. That's not the only plus, though – glass is also naturally more non-stick than aluminum. That means that when you're done enjoying the delicious lasagna, cleanup doesn't have to be a challenge.
What do Italians use instead of ricotta in lasagna? ›
In Italian cuisine, ricotta cheese is a popular ingredient in many dishes, but when it's not available, Italians may substitute it with other soft cheeses like mascarpone, stracchino, or crescenza. These cheeses offer a similar creamy texture and mild flavor to ricotta.
What can I add to my lasagna to make it taste better? ›
Use plenty of herbs and spices: Herbs and spices can add a lot of flavor to a vegetarian lasagna. Some good options include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Add some umami-rich ingredients: Umami is a savory taste that can be found in ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, and soy sauce.
Betony Kitchen says you could make lasagna with as little as two layers for a quick lasagna that doesn't take long to bake. Many, however, would consider this skimping. Most recipes you'll find for lasagna call for a minimum of three layers, which seems to be the universal standard.
Why put toothpick in lasagna? ›
Pro Tip: There's nothing worse than having the top portion of cheese stuck to the foil. To prevent this, I poke 8-10 toothpicks evenly around the top of the lasagna, pushing them in halfway to keep the foil from touching the cheese. Just be sure to count and remove every toothpick prior to serving.
Why add tomato paste to lasagna? ›
A good tomato paste helps to thicken but also adds a sweet and savory umami flavor. Lean Ground Beef: Lean beef adds a robust and hearty meatiness that's essential in a classic lasagna recipe.
Why do Italians put boiled eggs in lasagna? ›
It adds a wonderful texture and flavour to the lasagna.
Why is my lasagna so runny? ›
The sauce could be too watery. The noodles can be holding on to water. The vegetables are releasing excess moisture. If you are using ricotta be careful of the moisture it can add.
What goes first noodles or meat in lasagna? ›
The bottom layer is pasta noodles. However there should be a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking but not meat. You put a thin layer of sauce then noodles. There are many different types of lasagna and not all have meat but some do.
Do you put meat as bottom layer lasagna? ›
Line the bottom of the baking pan with 4 cooked lasagna noodles, overlapping them. Spread the ricotta mixture first then the meat sauce on top.
How many layers does authentic lasagna have? ›
Generally, lasagna has about 3 or 4 layers of pasta, with sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, béchamel, and sometimes meat or even meatballs or sausage between those layers. Our many layer lasagna has around 12 layers of pasta, or even more depending on how thin you end up rolling the dough.
How do you layer Gordon Ramsay's lasagna? ›
Spoon half the meat sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and place pasta sheets on top. Pour in half the cheese sauce and spread evenly. And then more meat and pasta sheets and cheese… you know how to layer a lasagna. Finish with grated Parmesan and sprinkle with another pinch of oregano; lightly season.