The Most Amazing Lasagna Recipe is the best recipe for homemade Italian-style lasagna. The balance between layers of cheese, noodles, and homemade bolognese sauce is perfection!
Homemade lasagna is the best. It tastes nothing like the ones from the frozen food aisle. This recipe is so good—it’s the kind of lasagna people write home about! It brings together all of the things we love in a good pasta dish: noodles, cheeses, fresh herbs and a delicious meat sauce. If you’ve never made lasagna before or haven’t found a good recipe, you have come to the right place. Invite a friend because you won’t want to keep this dish to yourself!
Kitchen Hacks
Lasagna Pasta Sheet Trick
Boiling lasagna sheets is an extra step that we would all love to avoid. No-boil lasagna noodles, in our opinion, have an unpleasant texture and often turn out soggy. A hack to skip boiling is to place regular lasagna sheets in a 9×13 pan and pour hot water over them. Let them soak for 30 minutes, and they’ll be tender enough to use in the recipe. Don’t worry, they will finish cooking in the oven. Give them a gentle shake every few minutes to prevent them from sticking together.
Tomato Paste Can Trick
You’ll notice that two cans of tomato paste are used in this recipe. It may seem like a lot, but tomato paste has a super concentrated tomato flavor. By adding in so much, we’re able to get a nice, strong tomato flavor, without adding too much liquid to the sauce.
If you open the tomato paste cans from both ends, you can use one of the lids to push the paste through the other side of the can, which is easier than scraping it out with a spoon (see how it’s done in the video below).
What kind of cheeses do you use? Any substitutes?
There are three kinds of cheese in this recipe:
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Mozzarella – 24 thin slices, sliced at the deli counter
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
For those who don’t like ricotta cheese, cottage cheese can be used in its place. For a more authentic Italian experience, you can also use a simple bechamel sauce instead of the ricotta mixture.
This recipe uses thinly sliced mozzarella as it is the easiest to use in assembly and provides the most even coverage of cheese. You can also use an equal amount of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Freshly grated parmesan cheese is highly preferred in this recipe. Pre-grated or shelf stable parmesan cheeses can also be used, but may not melt as well.
Why fennel seeds?
The blend of herbs included in this bolognese is perfect. The fresh herbs all combine to produce the best flavor, and the key to bringing it all together: fennel seeds. You need the fennel seeds for that meaty, Italian flavor.
Why is there sugar in the sauce?
Sugar is added to balance the acidity of the tomato. If you prefer to not use sugar, finely chopped carrots are another option, as they are naturally sweet and add another vegetable and flavor to your sauce. Use about 1 cup in place of the sugar.
Why does the sauce simmer for so long?
The sauce develops flavor as it simmers. It needs to be simmered for a minimum of 1 hour to give you the most amazing lasagna, but you can simmer it up to 4 hours for maximum flavor results. It’s worth every second and doesn’t require much effort at all. If you don’t want to leave it simmering on the stove, you can always transfer it all to a slow cooker and simmer it in there on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.
Can I use dried herbs?
Yes. We love the flavor that comes from the fresh herbs, but we know that it isn’t always an option. If you need to use dried herbs, use them in a third of the amount of fresh herbs called for.
What is a lasagna pan?
Lasagna p’ans are not the same as 9 x 13 casserole pans. Lasagna pans are deeper in order to accommodate for the layers in the dish. A true lasagna has four layers of noodles, which usually fit pretty nicely in a lasagna pan. If you like lasagna, it is a great investment
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat in an oven preheated to 350 degrees until warmed through or reheat individual portions in the microwave in 45 second increments until heated through to the center.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also be interested in these other lasagna recipes:
Video Demonstration
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Did not use water followed directions on lasagna noodle box turned out perfectly. Used cottage cheese drained instead of ricotta! Awesome!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe
This was a very good recipe! The only downside was that I found it to have a very sweet flavor, I think 2 tablespoons of sugar is too much. Next time I’ll probably cut that in half. Otherwise it’s delicious!
Awesome recipe! And today I’m making it for Thanksgiving. I love the idea of putting the noodles in hot tap water for 30 minutes. Excellent recipe! This is the only recipe I’m using for lasagne from now on.
Agreed! I love the idea of putting the noodles in the hot water bath while I prep the other ingredients. Very efficient and doesn’t waste space on the stove!
Do you think this recipe would taste just as good without the fennel seed? I have made this lasagna twice and it is AMAZING. But I think I may have an allergy to fennel seed as my throat has been itching both times after eating it. I want to make it again but was thinking about leaving the fennel seed out. Opinions?
It will still be delicious and you should for sure make it to be safe to eat for yourself!
I have made this so many times and it really is Amazing! I love the noodle trick, I’m not sure if it’s really faster than boiling but I think the texture is better! I pat the noodles dry before assembling so that does add to the time but keeps it from adding too much moisture. The meat sauce is totally worth the time and has the most amazing depth of flavor!!! I sometimes double the meat sauce and use it over pasta for a different meal and that is a big hit as well! Thank you for the Amazing recipe! I’ve been told it’s better than some Italian grandmother’s lasagna and have been asked for the recipe many times!
If I froze my lasagna how long will I bake it?
Start by baking it with the foil covering for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and let it cook for another 25. Check the center to ensure that it is heated all the way through!
So good!!! I think I needed more noodles though and we had to use 2 standard glass Casserole dishes to hold all of the ingredients so makes a ton!
Awesome recipe!