How To Layer and Make Lasagna
Lasagna is perhaps the quintessential feed-a-crowd casserole. There are many ways to make lasagna, but here is my own method for making it.
I was so intimidated by lasagna before I first tried it. It looked like a process that would eat up my whole day. While that it is not true, it is definitely more time-consuming than spaghetti with meat sauce — but it’s oh-so-worth-it.
This recipe is a hybrid of a full-on, totally from-scratch lasagna recipe and one that uses pre-made components. I do make my own sauce and cook the meat, but I use dried pasta instead of fresh, homemade pasta. You can definitely make lasagna quicker than this, if you use jarred sauce. But if I am going to the trouble of making a lasagna in the first place, I really like to make my own sauce.
Here are the steps in making lasagna in case you have never made one yet.
Why You’ll Love It
- This lasagna is extra-deep. It’s perfect for a crowd!
- It’s so cheesy and meaty. I use both ground beef AND Italian sausage. This is one serious lasagna.
Key Ingredients in Lasagna
- Dried lasagna noodles: Use regular dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil noodles).
- Italian sausage: I like spicy Italian pork sausage, but you can use mild if you prefer.
- Ground beef: Use ground beef for a classic meat sauce.
- Canned tomatoes: You’ll need canned plum tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce.
- Ricotta cheese: Drain the ricotta well to prevent a watery cheese layer.
- Eggs: The eggs help bind the cheese mixture together.
- Parmesan cheese: You’ll add half of the grated Parmesan cheese to the cheese mixture and the other half on top of the lasagna before baking.
- Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella is sprinkled on top of the meat sauce when layering the lasagna.
How to Make and Layer Lasagna
- Pre-heat oven and lightly grease the baking pan.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
- Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente.
- Drain and lay the noodles out on clean kitchen towels.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the crumbled sausage and beef until brown.
- Add the chopped onions and garlic to the meat.
- Drain most of the fat away from the meat, then place meat back to the skillet and add tomato paste.
- Simmer meat with crushed plum tomatoes and tomato sauce for 15 minutes.
- Prep the cheese layer; stir together the ricotta, beaten eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, olive oil, and parsley in a large bowl.
- 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.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and top with another 3 noodles.
- Repeat layering the ricotta and meat sauce with the cheese.
- Finish by topping the lasagna with 4 noodles.
- Cover loosely with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Helpful Swaps
- Italian sausage: You can use uncooked chicken or turkey Italian sausage.
- Jarred sauce: Use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerater: This lasagna can be made up to a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated.
- Freezer: It can also be frozen, before baking. If you freeze it, let the lasagna thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking it, then bake as directed above. If you don’t have time to let it thaw, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees, and bake for an additional half an hour, or until the center is steaming hot.
What to Serve with Lasagna
How to Make Lasagna
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound
dried lasagna noodles
Olive oil
Salt
Meat Sauce
- 1 1/4 pound
uncooked spicy Italian sausage
- 1 pound
ground beef
- 1
large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1
(28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, with their juice
- 1
(12-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1
(28-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons
salt, divided
Cheese Layer
- 15 ounces
ricotta cheese, drained
- 2
large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup
grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced
- 4 cups
shredded mozzarella cheese
Equipment
Extra-deep 13x9-inch baking dish (should be at least 3 inches deep!)
Baking spray or olive oil for greasing the pan
Large pasta pot
Towels for noodles
Colander
Deep sauté pan OR wide saucepan
Medium bowl
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease the baking pan with olive oil.
Place a large pot of water over high heat. Drizzle in a glug of olive oil and salt the water generously.
Bring to a boil, add 1 pound lasagna noodles, and bring back to a boil. Cook until the lasagna is al dente.
Drain and lay the noodles out on clean kitchen towels.
Place a large skillet over medium high heat.
Cut open the sausage casings (I like to use kitchen shears for this) and crumble the sausage. Crumble in 1 pound ground beef, and add all the meat to the skillet.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is very well browned.
Meanwhile, finely chop 1 large onion and 4 cloves garlic.
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and turn down the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and drain most of the fat away from the meat.
Place back on the heat, and add 1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring it into the meat.
Crush the (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes in the can, and then add them with their juices, as well as 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce, into the meat. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, while you prepare the cheese layer. When you take the sauce off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
In a medium bowl, stir together 15 ounces ricotta, 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, olive oil, and minced parsley in a large bowl.
Count your noodles. You will need four layers of noodles total. It is best to start and finish with wider layers, so if you have less than 16 noodles, put your extra noodles in the bottom or top layers. (For the purposes of this recipe, I'll assume you have 15 noodles.) Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 4 cooked lasagna noodles, overlapping them.
Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture on top.
Spread about one-third of the meat sauce on top of that.
Sprinkle with about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and top with another 3 noodles. Repeat layering the ricotta and meat sauce with the cheese. Repeat again with 3 noodles and another layer of ricotta, meat, and cheese.
Finish by topping the lasagna with 4 noodles — one crosswise and four lengthwise. Sprinkle any remaining mozzarella cheese on top of the noodles, as well as the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan. (At this point the lasagna may be covered and refrigerated for up to 48 hours. It may also be securely wrapped and frozen for up to a month.)
Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: This lasagna can be made up to a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated. It can also be frozen, before baking. If you freeze it, let the lasagna thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking it, then bake as directed above. If you don't have time to let it thaw, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees, and bake for an additional half an hour, or until the center is steaming hot.
This recipe is adapted from my own recipe from my book, Not Your Mother's Casserole Cookbook, published by Harvard Common Press in January 2011.