✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2024)

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Julie Clark

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Learn our easy lasagna recipe with no boil noodles! This classic recipe uses two meats and three cheeses for amazing flavor. Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce keeps it simple.

About two years ago we shared our family’sbest lasagna recipe. It is 100% homemade (ok not the pasta, but the rest is homemade). It takes a little work, but it is so good and so worth it.

What happens if you’re short on time and still craving that classic homemade lasagna flavor? Lasagna shortcuts likeravioli lasagna bake,lasagna roll upsorskillet lasagnaare always options, but this easy oven ready lasagna recipe is an easy solution. By using your favoritespaghetti sauceour no boil noodle trick, you can make this quickly!

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2)

What readers are saying about this easy lasagna recipe:

Jeff says, “I’m a guy that just does not like to cook! I love to eat but just don’t have an enough of an imagination to make something good. But after making this simple lasagna recipe, everybody loved it. The taste was awesome but also just to look at it after it was done in the oven looked amazing! Believe me I never talk about something I’ve made like this but it truly was perfect.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Pat says, “I made this homemade lasagna recipe today and it was a terrific hit! My mother-in-law said it was the best lasagna she has ever tasted! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Lasagna with Ricotta or Cottage Cheese?

When I was growing up, I always had lasagna with cottage cheese. I didn’t love the texture of ricotta so my mom always put cottage cheese in lasagna instead.

These days I’m more tolerant of ricotta in lasagna. You canuse either cottage cheese OR ricottain this recipe. Use the same amount for either cheese you choose. You can even mix cottage cheese and ricotta cheese together. Both are delicious, but ricotta is more authentic.

Ingredients for Lasagna

This lasagna has simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (3)

A few notes:

  • Ground beef and Italian sausage. A combination of these two meats give the best flavor. You can season ground pork with ourhomemade Italian sausage seasoningif you prefer.
  • Spaghetti sauce. This is excellent with a store-bought sauce such as Rao’s marinara or try ourhomemade spaghetti sauce.
  • Lasagna noodles. We don’t specifically use oven-ready lasagna noodles. Just use regular lasagna noodles and they should cook just fine if you follow our instructions.

See therecipe cardfor the full ingredient list.

How to Make this Easy Lasagna

To prepare, preheat the oven to 350ºF andspray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef and sausage together. Drain off and discard any fat. Add the minced garlic and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (4)
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the cheese mixture: ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (5)
  1. To assemble, spread ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Cover the bottom with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Top with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and ¼ of the sauce. Repeat layers (noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce).
  2. For the top layer, add 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (6)
  1. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with the pan with aluminum foil (sprayed side down). This prevents the cheese from sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  2. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Pro tip

If your sauce is a thick, hearty sauce, add ½ cup water to the edges of the pan. If your sauce is runnier like Old World Style Ragu or even Rao’s marinara, you won’t need as much water.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (7)

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (8)

Make it a meal.

Try this easy lasagna recipe with ourhomemade garlic breadand anItalian salad.

Italian green beans and roasted potatoes are always great options, too!

How to Reheat Lasagna

If you are wanting to heat leftover lasagna that is in a pan, cover it with foil and bake it in an oven that you’ve preheated to 350º Fahrenheit. Bake it until the internal temperature reaches 165º F. This will take at least 30 minutes, but depending on how much is left, could take up to 50 minutes.

You can also reheat individual slices on a plate in the microwave.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (9)

Can you freeze lasagna?

Yes! You can freeze this easy lasagna both before and/or after you cook it. Here are a few tips:

  • Use a disposable aluminum pan to make your lasagna in. Then you can easily wrap the unbaked lasagna and freeze it.
  • If you are baking the lasagna before freezing it, allow the lasagna to cool completely before wrapping it.
  • Wrap the lasagna twice in plastic wrap and once in foil.
  • Remove the frozen lasagna from the freezer the day before you want to bake it. This will help it bake more quickly in the oven.
  • Freeze for 2-3 months.

How to Cook Frozen Lasagna

Lasagna will cook the most evenly and have the best results if you remove the lasagna from the freezer the day before you want to cook it. This will help it to mostly defrost and bake more easily.

  • Remove the wrappings, then cover with just one layer of foil.
  • Bake in a 350º F oven covered for about 50 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  • **If the lasagna was previously baked, you won’t need to bake it as long. Start at 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake until heated through and bubbly on the edges.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (10)

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (11)

Easy Lasagna Recipe (No Boil Noodles)

4.69 from 2004 votes

Learn our easy lasagna recipe with no boil noodles! This classic recipe uses two meats and three cheeses for amazing flavor. Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce keeps it simple.

Servings 15

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 48 ounces spaghetti sauce (your favorite sauce)
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 4 tablespoons freshly snipped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • ¼ cup water**

Instructions

  • To prepare, preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef and sausage together. Drain off and discard any fat. Add the minced garlic and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. 1 pound ground beef, ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 48 ounces spaghetti sauce

  • In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, salt and ground black pepper. Mix well. 15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

  • To assemble, spread ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Cover the bottom with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Top with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and ¼ of the sauce. 12 lasagna noodles

  • Repeat layers (noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce).

  • Top with 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. If your sauce is a thick, hearty sauce, add ½ cup water to the edges of the pan. If your sauce is runnier like Old World Style Ragu or even Rao’s marinara, you won’t need as much water. ¼ cup water**

  • Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with the baking dish with aluminum foil (sprayed side down). This prevents the cheese from sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

  • Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Video

Notes

  • The liquids from the spaghetti sauce should be enough that the noodles will cook beautifully in the oven as the lasagna bakes.
  • You don’t need oven-ready lasagna noodles. Regular lasagna noodles should cook just fine.
  • If you prefer, you can boil lasagna noodles as the box instructions suggest and then make the lasagna as described. Don’t add any extra water if you choose this method.
  • Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
  • The calories shown are based on the lasagna being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 piece of lasagna. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 750IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 2mg

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Calories 358

Keyword best lasagna, easy lasagna recipe, how to make lasagna, lasagna recipe, no boil noodles

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Other Lasagna Recipes

  • White Chicken Lasagna
  • Lasagna Casserole
  • Lasagna Skillet
  • Lasagna Burgers
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (13)

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Jeff vyfschaft

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (19)
I’m a guy that just does not like to cook! I love to eat but just don’t have an enough of an imagination to make something good. But after making this everybody loved it. The taste was awesome but also just to look at it after it was done in the oven looked amazing! Believe me I never talk about something I’ve made like this but it truly was perfect.
Thank you
Jeff

54

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Monica

2 years ago

Delicious! For people who are saying the pasta is still “firm” after an hour: Pasta isn’t supposed to be cooked within an inch of its life. I have never once cooked noodles for baked ziti, lasagna, etc and I have never once had an undesirable result. Pasta should have a little texture. It should talk back. It’s called ‘al dente’ and it means literally, “To the tooth”. As in, you should be chewing it, it shouldn’t just slide down your throat. GROSS! There’s no way, if this dish is prepared as directed, you’re getting undercooked noodles. You’re getting properly cookedRead more »

24

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Judith

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (20)
I made this lasagna today. It looks delicious and it was easy to make. I just have a hard time judging “1/3 of cheese mixture ” and “1/4 of meat mixture “.I end up with to much or to little. It would be great if you could give us a specific measurement.

23

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Amanda

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (21)
First time making lasagna and I have to say this quite easy and I would definitely make again. Mine took about an hour and 10 minutes total (60 min covered, 10 min uncovered) and then the last few minutes I put on a low broil to crisp up the cheese. Turned out great!

15

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Julie G

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (22)
Great recipe! I used no boil noodles, cooked for an hour covered and 10 mins uncovered. It was delicious.

10

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Lisa

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (23)
This recipe is easy and delicious. I made the sauce early in the day and put it in my slow cooker to simmer until I was ready to put it together. I doubled the recipe. One pan went to a friend recuperating from surgery. His family called and asked if I would share the recipe. The other pan my family shared as we were coming and going from sports. This was a big, big hit. I highly recommend it and I am going to try the other variations on here soon!

10

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Brenda

4 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (24)
Easy and very delicious. Used a dish larger than 9x 13 and doubled the Ricotta cheese and added more meat to the sauce. Used up every bit of it in the layers. I like it really cheesy and love Ricotta ! Great recipe!

9

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Mrs pat Rook

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (25)
I made this recipe today and it was a terrific hit! My mother-in-law said it was the best lasagna she has ever tasted! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe

8

Reply

Terri

2 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (26)
I never cook my lasagna noodles no matter which recipe I use. I am famous for my great lasagna. I always use regular noodles. Tried this recipe. Came out excellent. Thanks for the great recipe.

6

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Syeda

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (27)
I decided to season the ground beef and sautéed onions before adding with garlic and beef before adding the sauce. The recipe was easy to follow and it was absolutely delicious! Whole family loved it including my almost 2 year old. ☺️ Thank you for the recipe!

6

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Pam M

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (28)
I made this last night and it came out very good. The only changes I made was to leave out the sausuage and I added zucchini and fresh mozzarella on top. I will make again.

5

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Monica

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (29)
Smells & tastes just like at maggiano’s.

5

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Sarah

11 months ago

Should you use oven ready or standard lasagna noodles for this recipe?

4

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Lisa

1 year ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (30)
This is by far the best lasagna I’ve had and by far the easiest lasagna I’ve ever made. You have to try it. The only ingredient I left out was the ricotta cheese because my husband doesn’t like it. I just used the mozzarella, eggs, parsley and Parmesan and it turned out great. I make it at least once a month.

4

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Resheda Gray

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (31)
This Lasagna was delicious! I added basil and oregano 🌿 instead of parsley. I also added shredded sharp cheddar cheese between the layers😋

4

Reply

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to boil noodles for lasagna? ›

Place your dry noodles in the water, making sure they're all equally submerged, and let them soak for about 20 minutes. Let this go while making your sauce or preheating the oven, and it shaves off all the extra time you'd spend boiling them.

What does no boil lasagna noodles mean? ›

Over the past few years, no-boil (also called oven-ready) lasagna noodles have become a permanent fixture on supermarket shelves. Much like "instant rice," no-boil noodles are precooked at the factory. The extruded noodles are run through a water bath and then dehydrated mechanically.

How do you soften lasagna noodles without boiling them? ›

To employ the so-called "noodle trick," simply fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water, put your dry lasagna noodles in, and let the noodles soak for 20 minutes before draining.

Do you rinse lasagna noodles in cold water after boiling? ›

Do Not Rinse. Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

What happens when you boil no-boil lasagna? ›

While you don't need to cook their no-boil noodles for a traditional layered-up lasagna, they advise, "If you are making lasagna roll-ups, you can boil Barilla® Oven-Ready Lasagna for 3-5 minutes, so the sheets become more pliable and can be easily rolled." Ronzoni recommends that their Oven Ready Lasagna noodles be ...

Can I use regular lasagna instead of no boil? ›

Yes, you can use regular lasagna noodles without cooking them first in certain recipes. This method is commonly referred to as "no-boil" or "oven-ready" lasagna.

Is there a difference between oven ready lasagna noodles and regular? ›

The main difference between oven-ready lasagna noodles and regular lasagna noodles is that oven-ready noodles are pre-cooked and dehydrated to a lower moisture content than regular noodles. This means that they can be used in recipes without boiling or precooking, as they will cook and soften during the baking process.

Who makes no boil lasagna? ›

"This is the best lasagna ever!! The noodles are so nice and thin and there is NO PREBOILING!! I will never purchase any other lasagna other than Barilla.

How many layers should lasagna have? ›

Let me break it to you: If you want to make a lasagna, three layers just won't cut it! For the perfect lasagna, you need at least 4-5 layers to really enjoy all those mouth-watering flavors. And, here's a pro-tip: make sure to season each layer generously, but not too much. The average lasagna has 8 layers!

How long do you boil the noodles for lasagna? ›

Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Does oven ready lasagna really work? ›

With these, you just layer them like you would pre-boiled noodles. As long as you use plenty of sauce in your recipe, you will have a beautifully layered, frustration-free lasagna once it's baked. The 4-pack price on Amazon is great.

How far in advance can you make lasagna before cooking it? ›

You can prepare lasagna up to 24 hours before baking it. To do so, follow these instructions: Assemble the lasagna in an oven-safe container and store it in the refrigerator. The temperature should be at or below 40 degrees.

Is it best to cook lasagna noodles before baking? ›

you bake it as it is. and the noodles will be perfectly cooked from the sauce and the cheese in lasagna. the other benefit is that you'll have a more solid lasagna that's more compact. it's easier to cut to see those beautiful layers in between.

How long do you boil lasagna noodles before baking? ›

Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Should I boil lasagna sheets before baking? ›

Soak the lasagne sheets in a single layer in boiling water for 5 mins. (Although the packet says no pre-cook, I find soaking improves the texture.) Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Do you need to pre boil lasagne sheets? ›

How to layer up a lasagne. To build up the layers of your lasagne, have your ingredients and sauces ready and to hand. I like to use fresh lasagne sheets, which you can buy in the fresh pasta section in the supermarket – they can go straight in and there's no need to pre-cook the pasta sheets at all.

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