The Ultimate Lasagna with Ricotta

This quick and easy lasagna with ricotta is made with homemade meat sauce and then layered with no-boil lasagna noodles. Perfect for a big family dinner and entertaining.

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Lasagna is a popular Italian dish made with layers of lasagna noodles, sauce, cheese, and often other ingredients such as meat or vegetables. The noodles are typically boiled before layering with sauce (usually tomato-based), ricotta or bechamel sauce, and a variety of cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, or a mixture of cheeses. The layers are then baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly, creating a hearty and satisfying dish.

Why is this the best lasagna?

• Flavorful Layers: This recipe combines a rich tomato sauce with creamy ricotta cheese, savory meat, and layers of tender pasta for a harmonious blend of flavors in every bite.
• Cheesy Goodness: With generous amounts of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, each layer is gooey and cheesy, adding a luxurious texture and taste.
• Versatile and Customizable: While this recipe includes meat, you can easily customize it with your favorite ingredients like spinach, mushrooms, or different types of cheese to suit your taste.
• Crowd-pleaser: Loved by kids and adults alike, this lasagna is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or parties.

How to make lasagna

• The timeline and process for this lasagna recipe are very simple. There are just three components to this recipe:
• The meat sauce is my classic bolognese sauce, which takes about 40 minutes to prepare. We make this with beef, sausage (you can also use all beef), veggies, and tomatoes. Also, it can be made a few days in advance. In fact, it freezes well, and it is always in my freezer.
• Cheese layer – It takes just 5 minutes. I am using the perfect combination, which is three kinds of cheese: ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan (a match made in heaven).
• Lasagna noodles – I am using the quick-and-easy no-boil lasagna noodles, but you can also boil and drain them in just 12 minutes.
• After that, all we have to do is layer the lasagna and bake it until it’s golden and bubbling for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Meat – I am using lean ground beef with sausage meat. But you can also use all ground beef.
• Tomato sauce – I am using three different varieties of canned tomatoes. This adds a nice flavor and texture to the sauce.
• Tomato paste – Adds a nice thickness, color, and depth of flavor to the sauce without too much liquid.
• Noodles: I prefer Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles, but you can use any. I will leave instructions for the other noodles below.
• Ricotta – Use thick, rich ricotta that is not too low in fat. Low-fat ricotta has too much water, which gives a very soggy lasagna that’s not very appetizing.
• Egg – is used in the ricotta sauce to stabilize it and bind the ingredients together. That way, it does not break apart when cut later. If you can’t use egg, you can also use 2 tbsp of flour.

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Step-by-step: Lasagna with ricotta recipe

Lasagna meat sauce

• In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom saute pan, add olive oil. Sauté garlic, carrots, celery, and onions until translucent.
  Pro tip – I like to start with a cold pan with oil and garlic to get more flavor from the garlic before I add the rest of the veggies (see video).
• Then, add the ground beef and pork. Break apart the beef into smaller pieces. Sauté until the meat is no longer pink.
  Pro tip – It is important to break the meat apart now, or the sauce will be very lumpy when layering the lasagna.
• Add the Italian seasoning, thyme, brown sugar, and bouillon. Followed by the canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
  Pro tip – Alternatively, you can use 4 cups of ready-made marinara sauce instead.

• Season with salt and pepper. Add the water, whole basil sprigs, and chopped parsley.
  Pro tip – Depending on the type of canned tomatoes, you may need a little less or more water for the sauce.
• Cover and cook for an hour on low, stirring every 15 minutes until you have a thick, delicious meat sauce.
  Pro tip – Add a little water if necessary to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, take the lid off to help evaporate excess moisture.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the basil sprigs and discard them. Set aside to cool completely before using.
  Pro tip – I find that cool tomato sauce works better when layering the lasagna.

Ricotta sauce

• In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and egg. Season with salt and pepper. And set aside.
  Pro tip – You can combine the grated mozzarella and parmesan with the ricotta to make just one mixture, but I like to sprinkle these separately.

Layering the lasagna

• Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C/ Gas Mark 5.
• In a 9 x 13 baking dish or similar
  • Spread one cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan.
  • Top with 3 or 4 lasagna sheets ( I like a little more sauce on my noodles).
  • Spread about 1/2 cup ricotta cheese with an offset spatula.
  • Sprinkle on some Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
  • Repeat the process three more times until you have used up all the meat sauce and ricotta.
    Pro tip – It is important to plan the amount you will use first to have even layers. Otherwise, the cut lasagna slices will slide with uneven fillings.
• After the last layer, sprinkle any remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
  Pro tip – Place the baking dish on a baking tray for easy clean-up in case of any spillover.

Bake

• Bake for 30 minutes covered, remove the aluminum foil, and cook another 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
  Pro tip – Covering with the foil will help the noodles cook in the steam created in the pan. Baking uncovered will ensure you have a nice golden top that looks appetizing and delicious.
• Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will give you nicer slices that won’t fall apart when cut.

• Baked eggplant slices or Parmesan roasted asparagus
• Oven-baked carrots or butternut squash
• Rosemary Focaccia or Parmesan garlic rolls
• No-knead olive bread or no-knead beer bread
• Avocado salad or tomato mozzarella salad

Frequently asked questions

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