Name: Classic Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
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

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

This Classic Lasagna Recipe is filled with Italian sausage, spinach and a creamy ricotta cheese filling. It's a classic Italian dish that's perfect for Sunday supper and even great for freezing! Don’t let the thought of making homemade lasagna intimidate you. It’s actually SUPER EASY to put together and the results are phenomenal. My family loves this classic dish so much that I’ll typically prepare two 9×13 pans at the same time, then freeze one for later.

How To Make Homemade Lasagna

It’s all about the layers! I like to keep it simple by using the oven-ready lasagna noodles, which saves you tons of time in the process.

Start by browning some Italian sausage on the stove top. Once you’re just about done cooking that, toss in a couple handfuls of baby spinach and let it cook down.
Combine the ricotta cheese filling ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
Now just layer your ingredients in a casserole dish and you’re all set!

Italian Sausage and Spinach make a great addition to classic lasagna

Ricotta Cheese or Cottage Cheese?

When adding in that cheesy layer to your lasagna, do you reach for ricotta cheese or cottage cheese? 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 in 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.

Ricotta cheese is the best filling for a traditional lasagna recipe.

How To Layer Lasagna Like a Pro

It’s incredibly easy to layer lasagna when you have all your ingredients ready to go.

Start by spreading 1/2 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of your 9×13″ casserole dish.
Lay 3 of your oven-ready lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
Spread half of your cheesy ricotta mixture over the top of the dry noodles.
Sprinkle half of the sausage and spinach mixture over the top of the cheese, followed by 1 cup of marinara sauce.
Lay 3 more lasagna noodles on top, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture and sausage/spinach combo.
Top with 3 more lasagna noodles and the remainder of the marinara sauce.

How Long To Bake Lasagna?

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.

When covered, you’ll bake for 45 minutes. Then you’ll remove the foil, top with mozzarella cheese and continue baking an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, for a total cook time of 60 minutes.

EASY Lasagna in a casserole dish

Tips & Variations:

If you like your lasagna really saucy, increase the sauce by 1/2 cup per layer.
Be sure to let your lasagna rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to get perfect slices.
Feel free to leave out the spinach or replace 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 in a tablespoon of prepared basil pesto to the ricotta mixture for an extra boost of flavor!

Make Ahead Lasagna

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.

How To Freeze Lasagna

Like 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 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.

EASY Lasagna Recipe that's sliceable too!

What To Serve with Lasagna

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

4.93 from 14 votes