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Easy Lasagna with Ricotta

A close-up of a hearty slice of easy lasagna with ricotta, featuring layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, and melted cheese.
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A classic, crowd-pleasing lasagna featuring layers of creamy ricotta, savory meat sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for family dinners and holidays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat until the beef is browned and the onion is tender. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. While the sauce simmers, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, and Parmesan cheese.
  7. Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  8. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
  9. Repeat the layers: 1 cup of meat sauce, 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and another 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
  10. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, the rest of the meat sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  11. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
  12. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the lasagna is heated through.
  13. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • For a make-ahead option, assemble the lasagna completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
  • This lasagna freezes well. Bake it, let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a 350 degree F oven until heated through.
  • You can substitute ground turkey or Italian sausage for the ground beef.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little heat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/easy-lasagna-with-ricotta/