This Classic Lasagna Recipe is a comfort food staple, filled with Italian sausage, spinach, and a cheesy ricotta filling; you’ll fall in love with every bite.
Serve up this easy Lasagna recipe with some Garlic Bread, Parmesan Roasted Green Beans, and a Caesar salad!
If you’re in search of a new go-to lasagna recipe, look no further!
Traditional Lasagna
This homemade Lasagna recipe uses a combination of Italian sausage, baby spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and spices to create a classic recipe we all know and love.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to whip up this Lasagna recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Italian sausage – I love using a spicy or hot sausage in this recipe.
- Baby spinach
- Ricotta cheese – use full-fat or low-fat depending on your preference.
- Mozzarella cheese – use full-fat or low-fat depending on your preference.
- Parmesan cheese – you can use pre-grated or freshly grate it yourself.
- Italian seasoning – try my homemade blend!
- Garlic powder
- Lasagna noodles – I buy pre-cooked lasagna noodles, but you can buy uncooked and boil noodles yourself.
- Marinara sauce – use your favorite jarred marinara sauce or my homemade version.
How To Make Easy Lasagna Recipe
It’s all about the lasagna layers! I like to keep it simple by using oven-ready lasagna noodles, which saves you tons of time in the process.
BROWN THE SAUSAGE
Start by browning sausage in a large skillet, breaking up with a spoon until crumbled and no longer pink. Then, stir in spinach two handfuls at a time until it all wilts down. Remove from heat and set aside.
MAKE THE CREAMY RICOTTA CHEESE MIXTURE
Next, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
LAYER LASAGNA
Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Then, line 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce and spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the layer of noodles.
Next, top with 1/2 of the meat mixture. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the sausage and top with 3 more noodles. Then, spread the remaining ricotta over the noodles, followed by the remaining sausage mixture.
Finally, top with the last 3 noodles and then the remaining sauce.
BAKE @ 350° F
Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, then bake for 15 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted and bubbly throughout. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- If you like your lasagna really saucy, increase the sauce by 1/2 cup per layer of lasagna noodles.
- Be sure to let your lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to get perfect slices.
- Feel free to leave out the spinach or replace it with shredded zucchini. Just know that zucchini will add extra moisture to the dish.
- Swap the Italian sausage with turkey sausage or ground beef if desired. Or simply leave it out for a vegetarian lasagna.
- Try adding a tablespoon of prepared basil pesto to the ricotta mixture for an extra boost of flavor!
- If you want even more protein, use homemade meat sauce instead of marinara sauce!
- Want to add a slight kick? Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top!
- The trick to making sure you have the best Lasagna is to cover with foil when baking. This will create steam inside the dish that’ll help to cook those noodles nice and tender.
Common Questions
What’s great about this recipe is that you can easily prepare the lasagna up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake! I do this often when I know we’re having company so I can prepare ahead of time and enjoy the company while they’re in town.
If you have leftover lasagna, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
As I said earlier, lasagna is one of my favorite dishes to make ahead and freeze for an easy weeknight dinner. I’ll prepare two of these casserole dishes, make one for dinner, then freeze the other for a later date.
Simply layer the ingredients like you would in the recipe, but before baking, cover tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze the unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen lasagna: remove foil and plastic wrap, then replace foil on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours, remove foil, add cheese, and finish baking until bubbly throughout.
Do you reach for ricotta cheese or cottage cheese when adding that cheesy layer to your lasagna? My mother-in-law is a cottage cheese user, and it’s great… BUT – I’m all about the creamy texture of ricotta cheese. I like how it holds up when baked and doesn’t add any extra moisture to the lasagna.
PRO TIP: If you’re looking for a lasagna that slices nicely without having to serve it with a spoon, then you’re going to want to use ricotta cheese.
For my recipe, I’ve amped the cheese factor by adding mozzarella cheese as well as parmesan cheese with the ricotta. Season it with salt, pepper, Italian herbs, and garlic powder, then bind it all together with an egg.
Absolutely! If you prefer, you can use an 8×8, 9×9, or any other size dish you like as long as it fits the noodles properly. You may want to adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the dish you use.
More Italian Recipes
This perfect Lasagna recipe is a great way to make an easy dinner that your entire family will love! Here are some more Italian recipes I think you’d enjoy…
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
- Italian Beef Pasta Skillet
- Ravioli Lasagna Casserole
If you tried this homemade classic Lasagna recipe, please rate the recipe card and let me know in the comments!
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Classic Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, ground
- 4 handfuls baby spinach
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 9 Lasagna noodles, oven ready/no boil
- 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brown sausage in a large skillet, breaking up with a spoon until crumbled and no longer pink. Stir in spinach two handfuls at a time until it all wilts down. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a bowl combine the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Line 3 lasagna noodles on top of sauce, spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with 1/2 of the sausage mixture. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the sausage and top with 3 more noodles. Spread the remaining ricotta over the noodles, followed by the remaining sausage mixture. Top with the last 3 noodles and then the last cup of the marinara sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese then bake 15 minutes uncovered, until cheese is melted and bubbly throughout. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
Notes
- Simply layer the ingredients as stated above, but before baking, cover tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake Lasagna from frozen: remove foil and plastic wrap, then replace foil on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours, remove foil, add cheese and finish baking until bubbly throughout.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Michelle Maciel
This was fabulous! I added half a diced yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic when I sautéed the sausage, but that was the only change. This recipe is so quick and easy and comes out of the pan so nicely! Love all your recipes, thanks!
Paulina
I can not wait to make this. I love Lasagna. Looks so good.
Shawn
Hope you enjoy it!
Nancy Hoagland
I’ve made this three times for dinner parties…. Always a hit and I feel confident it will be delicious! Added diced onions and garlic plus 1/2 lb of lean meat to the sausage. Perfect!
Bennett Russell
Never before I covered lasagna with foil before. This came out great. Am glad I came across your recipe. Will save this one.
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Bennett!
Woodsy
What a great idea to put spinach in lasagna. My wife makes similar lasagna, but I’ll ask her to try the spinach next time around. Thanks. Looking forward to it!
Shawn
I love sneaking in the spinach for some extra iron and vitamins! 🙂
Cameron
Loved the addition of the pesto! Big hit with our whole family.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Cameron! We love the flavor from the pesto too! 🙂
Kelsey
Thank you for the lasagna layer picture! Will be making this tonight.
Shawn
Hope you enjoy it!
Maria G.
I have the similar recipe and I should say that lasagna is my favorite dish. It is the tastiest thing ever. The only thing that stops me from eating it too often is the amount of calories.
CTY
This indeed can be considered a classic recipe. The best part–ingredients can be swapped out to use homemade or store bought; I like to add thin zucchini slices. Also ricotta cheese or cottage cheese can be used (depending on which is on sale). Whenever I make lasagna I make 2 pans and put one (unbaked) in the freezer.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Your lasagna seriously looks absolutely perfect! I am the biggest fan of lasagna!! Delish!
Shawn
Thanks Jocelyn! 🙂
KELLY
Hi. The three lasagna noodles did not cover the 9×13. Use more noodles? Or supposed to have room on the side?
Shawn
If you have more room in your casserole dish, you can add more noodles!