✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2024)

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Julie Clark

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Learn our easy lasagna recipe with no boil noodles! This classic recipe uses two meats and three cheeses for amazing flavor. Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce keeps it simple.

About two years ago we shared our family’sbest lasagna recipe. It is 100% homemade (ok not the pasta, but the rest is homemade). It takes a little work, but it is so good and so worth it.

What happens if you’re short on time and still craving that classic homemade lasagna flavor? Lasagna shortcuts likeravioli lasagna bake,lasagna roll upsorskillet lasagnaare always options, but this easy oven ready lasagna recipe is an easy solution. By using your favoritespaghetti sauceour no boil noodle trick, you can make this quickly!

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2)

What readers are saying about this easy lasagna recipe:

Jeff says, “I’m a guy that just does not like to cook! I love to eat but just don’t have an enough of an imagination to make something good. But after making this simple lasagna recipe, everybody loved it. The taste was awesome but also just to look at it after it was done in the oven looked amazing! Believe me I never talk about something I’ve made like this but it truly was perfect.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Pat says, “I made this homemade lasagna recipe today and it was a terrific hit! My mother-in-law said it was the best lasagna she has ever tasted! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Lasagna with Ricotta or Cottage Cheese?

When I was growing up, I always had lasagna with cottage cheese. I didn’t love the texture of ricotta so my mom always put cottage cheese in lasagna instead.

These days I’m more tolerant of ricotta in lasagna. You canuse either cottage cheese OR ricottain this recipe. Use the same amount for either cheese you choose. You can even mix cottage cheese and ricotta cheese together. Both are delicious, but ricotta is more authentic.

Ingredients for Lasagna

This lasagna has simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (3)

A few notes:

  • Ground beef and Italian sausage. A combination of these two meats give the best flavor. You can season ground pork with ourhomemade Italian sausage seasoningif you prefer.
  • Spaghetti sauce. This is excellent with a store-bought sauce such as Rao’s marinara or try ourhomemade spaghetti sauce.
  • Lasagna noodles. We don’t specifically use oven-ready lasagna noodles. Just use regular lasagna noodles and they should cook just fine if you follow our instructions.

See therecipe cardfor the full ingredient list.

How to Make this Easy Lasagna

To prepare, preheat the oven to 350ºF andspray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef and sausage together. Drain off and discard any fat. Add the minced garlic and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (4)
  1. In a large bowl, mix together the cheese mixture: ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (5)
  1. To assemble, spread ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Cover the bottom with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Top with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and ¼ of the sauce. Repeat layers (noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce).
  2. For the top layer, add 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (6)
  1. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with the pan with aluminum foil (sprayed side down). This prevents the cheese from sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  2. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Pro tip

If your sauce is a thick, hearty sauce, add ½ cup water to the edges of the pan. If your sauce is runnier like Old World Style Ragu or even Rao’s marinara, you won’t need as much water.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (7)

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (8)

Make it a meal.

Try this easy lasagna recipe with ourhomemade garlic breadand anItalian salad.

Italian green beans and roasted potatoes are always great options, too!

How to Reheat Lasagna

If you are wanting to heat leftover lasagna that is in a pan, cover it with foil and bake it in an oven that you’ve preheated to 350º Fahrenheit. Bake it until the internal temperature reaches 165º F. This will take at least 30 minutes, but depending on how much is left, could take up to 50 minutes.

You can also reheat individual slices on a plate in the microwave.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (9)

Can you freeze lasagna?

Yes! You can freeze this easy lasagna both before and/or after you cook it. Here are a few tips:

  • Use a disposable aluminum pan to make your lasagna in. Then you can easily wrap the unbaked lasagna and freeze it.
  • If you are baking the lasagna before freezing it, allow the lasagna to cool completely before wrapping it.
  • Wrap the lasagna twice in plastic wrap and once in foil.
  • Remove the frozen lasagna from the freezer the day before you want to bake it. This will help it bake more quickly in the oven.
  • Freeze for 2-3 months.

How to Cook Frozen Lasagna

Lasagna will cook the most evenly and have the best results if you remove the lasagna from the freezer the day before you want to cook it. This will help it to mostly defrost and bake more easily.

  • Remove the wrappings, then cover with just one layer of foil.
  • Bake in a 350º F oven covered for about 50 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  • **If the lasagna was previously baked, you won’t need to bake it as long. Start at 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake until heated through and bubbly on the edges.

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (10)

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (11)

Easy Lasagna Recipe (No Boil Noodles)

4.70 from 2038 votes

Learn our easy lasagna recipe with no boil noodles! This classic recipe uses two meats and three cheeses for amazing flavor. Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce keeps it simple.

Servings 15

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 48 ounces spaghetti sauce (your favorite sauce)
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 4 tablespoons freshly snipped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • ¼ cup water**

Instructions

  • To prepare, preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef and sausage together. Drain off and discard any fat. Add the minced garlic and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. 1 pound ground beef, ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 48 ounces spaghetti sauce

  • In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, salt and ground black pepper. Mix well. 15 ounces ricotta cheese, 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

  • To assemble, spread ¾ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Cover the bottom with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Top with ⅓ of the cheese mixture and ¼ of the sauce. 12 lasagna noodles

  • Repeat layers (noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce).

  • Top with 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. If your sauce is a thick, hearty sauce, add ½ cup water to the edges of the pan. If your sauce is runnier like Old World Style Ragu or even Rao’s marinara, you won’t need as much water. ¼ cup water**

  • Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with the baking dish with aluminum foil (sprayed side down). This prevents the cheese from sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

  • Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • The liquids from the spaghetti sauce should be enough that the noodles will cook beautifully in the oven as the lasagna bakes.
  • You don’t need oven-ready lasagna noodles. Regular lasagna noodles should cook just fine.
  • If you prefer, you can boil lasagna noodles as the box instructions suggest and then make the lasagna as described. Don’t add any extra water if you choose this method.
  • Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
  • The calories shown are based on the lasagna being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 piece of lasagna. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 750IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 2mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Calories 358

Keyword best lasagna, easy lasagna recipe, how to make lasagna, lasagna recipe, no boil noodles

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Other Lasagna Recipes

  • White Chicken Lasagna
  • Lasagna Casserole
  • Lasagna Skillet
  • Lasagna Burgers
✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (14)

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Jeff vyfschaft

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (19)
I’m a guy that just does not like to cook! I love to eat but just don’t have an enough of an imagination to make something good. But after making this everybody loved it. The taste was awesome but also just to look at it after it was done in the oven looked amazing! Believe me I never talk about something I’ve made like this but it truly was perfect.
Thank you
Jeff

55

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Monica

2 years ago

Delicious! For people who are saying the pasta is still “firm” after an hour: Pasta isn’t supposed to be cooked within an inch of its life. I have never once cooked noodles for baked ziti, lasagna, etc and I have never once had an undesirable result. Pasta should have a little texture. It should talk back. It’s called ‘al dente’ and it means literally, “To the tooth”. As in, you should be chewing it, it shouldn’t just slide down your throat. GROSS! There’s no way, if this dish is prepared as directed, you’re getting undercooked noodles. You’re getting properly cookedRead more »

25

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Judith

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (20)
I made this lasagna today. It looks delicious and it was easy to make. I just have a hard time judging “1/3 of cheese mixture ” and “1/4 of meat mixture “.I end up with to much or to little. It would be great if you could give us a specific measurement.

23

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Amanda

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (21)
First time making lasagna and I have to say this quite easy and I would definitely make again. Mine took about an hour and 10 minutes total (60 min covered, 10 min uncovered) and then the last few minutes I put on a low broil to crisp up the cheese. Turned out great!

15

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Julie G

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (22)
Great recipe! I used no boil noodles, cooked for an hour covered and 10 mins uncovered. It was delicious.

10

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Lisa

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (23)
This recipe is easy and delicious. I made the sauce early in the day and put it in my slow cooker to simmer until I was ready to put it together. I doubled the recipe. One pan went to a friend recuperating from surgery. His family called and asked if I would share the recipe. The other pan my family shared as we were coming and going from sports. This was a big, big hit. I highly recommend it and I am going to try the other variations on here soon!

10

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Brenda

4 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (24)
Easy and very delicious. Used a dish larger than 9x 13 and doubled the Ricotta cheese and added more meat to the sauce. Used up every bit of it in the layers. I like it really cheesy and love Ricotta ! Great recipe!

9

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Mrs pat Rook

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (25)
I made this recipe today and it was a terrific hit! My mother-in-law said it was the best lasagna she has ever tasted! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe

8

Reply

Terri

2 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (26)
I never cook my lasagna noodles no matter which recipe I use. I am famous for my great lasagna. I always use regular noodles. Tried this recipe. Came out excellent. Thanks for the great recipe.

6

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Syeda

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (27)
I decided to season the ground beef and sautéed onions before adding with garlic and beef before adding the sauce. The recipe was easy to follow and it was absolutely delicious! Whole family loved it including my almost 2 year old. ☺️ Thank you for the recipe!

6

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Pam M

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (28)
I made this last night and it came out very good. The only changes I made was to leave out the sausuage and I added zucchini and fresh mozzarella on top. I will make again.

5

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Monica

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (29)
Smells & tastes just like at maggiano’s.

5

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Sarah

1 year ago

Should you use oven ready or standard lasagna noodles for this recipe?

4

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Lisa

1 year ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (30)
This is by far the best lasagna I’ve had and by far the easiest lasagna I’ve ever made. You have to try it. The only ingredient I left out was the ricotta cheese because my husband doesn’t like it. I just used the mozzarella, eggs, parsley and Parmesan and it turned out great. I make it at least once a month.

4

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Resheda Gray

3 years ago

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (31)
This Lasagna was delicious! I added basil and oregano 🌿 instead of parsley. I also added shredded sharp cheddar cheese between the layers😋

4

Reply

✨ The easiest lasagna recipe! Learn our tips and skip boiling the noodles. (2024)

FAQs

Is there a trick to using no boil lasagna noodles? ›

Skip Boiling and Soak Noodles Instead to Make Lasagna Prep Quick and Easy. Her genius hack is to briefly soak your regular lasagna sheets in hot water. This softens them slightly, completely omitting the need to boil.

How do I substitute regular lasagna noodles for no boil? ›

Substituting Regular with Oven-Ready
  1. Oven-ready noodles absorb up to 50% more liquid than regular, so either increase the amount of liquid (i.e. water) in your sauce by 50%, or reduce the simmering time. ...
  2. Make sure each layer of noodles is in contact with either a moist cheese mixture or the sauce.
Oct 7, 2016

What does no boil lasagna noodles mean? ›

Over the past few years, no-boil (also called oven-ready) lasagna noodles have become a permanent fixture on supermarket shelves. Much like "instant rice," no-boil noodles are precooked at the factory. The extruded noodles are run through a water bath and then dehydrated mechanically.

What happens if you don't boil lasagna? ›

If I don't boil the oven-ready noodles, I notice my lasagna dish is more dried out. Another delicious meal that needs to boil oven-ready lasagna sheets is luscious lasagna rolls stuffed with an herb ricotta cheese mixture. The pasta pieces need to be pliable to make the rolls.

Can you still boil no boil lasagna? ›

Yes, you can absolutely boil your lasagna noodles – even the oven-ready type. I prefer to par-boil (partially boil) oven-ready dried noodles for lasagna for 3-5 minutes before they become “al dente”. Al dente is an Italian term that literally means 'to the tooth'.

Can you soak lasagna noodles in hot water instead of boiling them? ›

The key is to soak the lasagna noodles in the baking dish with hot water rather than boiling them in a large pot. This method helps the noodles cook just enough without having to spend extra time waiting for water to boil.

Do you rinse lasagna noodles in cold water after boiling? ›

Do Not Rinse. Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

Do oven ready lasagna noodles really work? ›

We agree that no-bake, oven-ready lasagna noodles are brilliant, if for no other reason than you're unlikely to ever end up with mushy, overcooked lasagna noodles. In an article for Epicurious entitled, "Guys, Stop Boiling Your Lasagna Noodles Already," the author notes how challenging the uncooked version is to cook.

What's the difference between lasagna and no boil lasagna? ›

Oven-ready" lasagna noodles, also known as "no-boil" lasagna noodles, are different from regular lasagna noodles in that they are designed to be used in lasagna recipes without being precooked or boiled. This can save time and simplify the lasagna-making process.

What is the difference between oven ready lasagna and regular lasagna? ›

Pre-cooked lasagna pieces that are much thinner than regular lasagna. Because the noodles are pre-cooked, there's no need to boil them first, saving half the preparation time. Sometimes called "weeknight lasagna", Oven Ready Lasagna fits the bill for time-starved cooks.

Should I pre soak lasagna sheets? ›

Soak the lasagne sheets in a single layer in boiling water for 5 mins. (Although the packet says no pre-cook, I find soaking improves the texture.) Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Do you need to soak no boil lasagna noodles? ›

If you don't want to boil or soak your lasagna noodles, there's always no-boil lasagna noodles. These oven-ready noodles are ready to assemble with no precooking involved, they tend to be thinner and tenderize by absorbing liquid while baking.

Do you need to add water to no boil lasagna noodles? ›

For those of you that just can't see how this no-boil-regular-noodle-pasta-thing is going to work you can soothe your nerves by adding a 1/4 cup water (pour it down the sides) to the lasagna. I've made this type of no-boil lasagna with and without the extra water, and it really does not need it.

Why are my no boil lasagna noodles not softening? ›

The main problem people have with a no boil lasagna recipe is that their noodles get tough on the outer edges. This is because there isn't enough moisture for the noodles and this can be remedied quite simply. Add an extra cup of water to your sauce (or make extra sauce) to help soften the noodles while baking.

Should I soak dried lasagne sheets? ›

If you are eating soon after making, say in 2 hours time, pre soak the lasagne sheets in hand hot water for about 10 minutes before layering. This softens the pasta. If you are making it 12 hours ahead you could use no cook dry lasagne.

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