This Easy Homemade Lasagna Recipe is a family favorite! This classic dinner is full of homemade bolognese, a creamy cottage cheese or ricotta filling, and gooey cheese.
Lasagna is a classic for a reason. Perfectly al denté noodles layered with a creamy filling, gooey cheese, and a hearty beef bolognese. What’s not to love?!
It’s easy, it’s filling, and it’s loved by all!
Ingredients
This super simple ingredient list makes up a delicious, cheesy, super flavorful lasagna!
- Bolognese – I use my homemade bolognese from my spaghetti bolognese recipe! It has ground beef and Italian sausage…and it’s so good!
- Lasagna Noodles – cooked 2 minutes less than al dente according to box directions. This is key to avoiding mushy noodles.
- Cottage Cheese – I prefer the taste and texture of cottage cheese, but feel free to use ricotta for a more traditional filling.
- Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese – the classic lasagna cheeses. Mozzarella is ooey-gooey perfection while parmesan adds an amazing sharp, salty flavor.
- Italian Seasoning, Dried Basil, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Nutmeg, Salt, and Pepper – the classic Italian dish seasoning mixture with some nutmeg for a touch of warmth and sweetness.
- Eggs – binds the cheese mixture.
How to make lasagna
This easy dinner is perfect any day of the week!
- Mix cottage cheese, some of the mozzarella and parmesan, seasonings, and eggs in food processor.
- Spread a portion of the meat sauce in the bottom of a greased baking dish.
- Layer with noodles, cottage cheese/egg mixture, additional mozzarella cheese, more meat sauce, and more parmesan cheese. Repeat these layers 3 times.
- Top with remaining mozzarella, then cover with foil that has been greased with cooking spray.
- Bake for 25 minutes, uncover, bake for another 25 minutes, cool, then serve and enjoy!
How to layer lasagna
Start with a single layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and then layer on in this order:
- Noodles.
- Cottage Cheese Filling.
- Mozzarella.
- Meat Sauce.
- Parmesan.
Repeat this sequence 3 times then finish it off with the remaining mozzarella cheese before you bake it!
How long to bake lasagna
Bake lasagna, covered, at 375ºF for 25 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 25 minutes.
Covering it for half the time gives the lasagna time to cook all the way through without burning the top layer of cheese.
Do you need to cook the lasagna noodles first?
Yes! Cook your noodles 2 minutes less than al dente according to the directions on the box.
You want them to be slightly undercooked since they will continue to cook in the oven within the assembled lasagna. If you cook them fully beforehand, they will overcook and become mushy.
I don’t recommend no boil noodles, I personally find that the noodles don’t cook well.
How to keep the cheese from sticking to the foil
Before you cover the baking dish, make sure you grease the foil generously with cooking spray.
This prevents it from sticking to the cheese so it’s easy to remove after the first 25 minutes of baking!
What cheese goes in lasagna?
Classic lasagna recipes use a blend of parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese.
In this recipe, I’m substituting the ricotta cheese for full fat cottage cheese! I personally prefer the taste and texture, and bonus: it’s healthier! If you prefer ricotta cheese feel free to use that.
Why is my lasagna watery?
To prevent watery lasagna, make sure the noodles are drained properly after you cook them.
Also make sure you refrain from rinsing the noodles after you drain them. This will rinse off the starch which actually helps thicken the sauce for less moisture.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re using full fat cottage cheese, lower fat cottage cheeses are more watery.
Is lasagna healthy?
I wouldn’t call lasagna a superfood but it’s not one of the worst things either.
One large slice has slightly less than 600 calories and contains 32 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbs, and 37 grams or protein.
Feel free to give it a boost of nutrition by blending some spinach into your cheese mixture! You could even health-ify it further by using my turkey bolognese, whole wheat noodles, and part skim mozzarella!
Lasagna recipe variations
- Use a different meat. Try my healthy turkey bolognese instead.
- Make it vegetarian. Vegetarian lasagna recipe coming soon! 🙂
- Use veggie “noodles.” Try this zucchini lasagna instead.
- Add other cheeses. Try it with ricotta cheese, goat cheese, gruyere cheese, etc.
- Lighten it Up. Add spinach to the filling, use turkey bolognese, whole wheat noodles, and part skim mozzarella!
What to serve with lasagna?
I love to add a couple of side dishes that include veggies for a little boost of nutrition!
- Simple Green Salad with Italian Dressing
- Garlic Bread
- Caprese Salad
- Roasted Asparagus
- Pear, Blue Cheese, and Candied Pecan Salad
Can lasagna be made ahead of time?
Yep! Lasagna can be fully prepped and assembled ahead of time. Follow the recipe instructions then, before baking, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
If frozen, thaw a day ahead of time in the fridge, then bake as directed!
How to store
Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Can you freeze lasagna?
You sure can! To freeze already baked lasagna, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
How to reheat lasagna
To reheat your lasagna, thaw in the fridge if frozen then bake, covered with foil, at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes so the top layer can crisp back up.
– Jennifer
Lasagna Recipe
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 batch bolognese
- 12 lasagna noodles cooked 2 minutes less than al dente according to box directions
- 1 (24 oz) container full fat cottage cheese can replace with equal parts ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a deep 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, Italian seasoning, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and eggs into a food processor. Process until combined. It's okay if it's still a little chunky. Set aside.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- To assemble: repeat the below steps (step 5 - step 9) 3 times.
- Layer 4 noodles lengthwise - they will overlap slightly - that's ok.
- Spread with 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture.
- Top with a 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella.
- Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Once the layers are complete, top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
- Cover with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving!
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
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