Homemade Lasagna Recipe Easy Cheesy Layers for Perfect Dinners
A comforting and easy homemade lasagna recipe featuring rich, flavorful sauce, tender noodles, and gooey cheese layers perfect for family dinners and leftovers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 12 sheets lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
- 4 cups tomato sauce (jarred marinara or homemade crushed tomatoes)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (full-fat, fresh)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (freshly shredded from a block)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep Your Ingredients (10 minutes): Mince garlic, chop basil, shred mozzarella and Parmesan. Mix ricotta with egg, half the Parmesan, and basil until smooth.
- Cook the Beef and Garlic (8–10 minutes): Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, cook until browned (7-8 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
- Add Tomato Sauce and Simmer (10 minutes): Pour in tomato sauce, stir, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Assemble the Lasagna (15 minutes): Spread a thin layer of sauce on the baking dish bottom. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce, and mozzarella in thirds, repeating twice. Finish with sauce, mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
- Cover and Bake (45 minutes): Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Rest Before Serving (15 minutes): Let lasagna cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing to set the layers.
Notes
[‘Do not skip the 15-minute resting time to allow layers to set for clean slices.’, ‘Use freshly shredded cheese for better melting and flavor.’, ‘Simmer sauce well to avoid watery lasagna and soggy noodles.’, ‘Cook regular noodles just until al dente to prevent mushiness.’, ‘Season each layer with salt and pepper to enhance flavor.’]
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of the
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: homemade lasagna, easy lasagna recipe, cheesy lasagna, family dinner, comfort food, layered pasta, baked pasta