Last Updated March 2022 by Crystallace

Hey Girl!

I don’t think anyone loves classic Lasagna more than me and Garfield, remember him? Let me know in the comments if you do.

It seems like good Lasagna is one of those things that are hard to come by. For a while, I had defaulted to getting it from Olive Garden but it seems like the quality and the flavor of their meals have declined over the years. Is it just me? Let me know in the comments.

So, I am sharing this Classic Lasagna Recipe that I adapted from a recipe that I found on Pinterest .

I have made this Classic Lasagna with meat sauce multiple times now and and it is soooooo good. My friends are always asking when I am making it next.

Be sure to Pin 📌 this recipe for later.

Before you jump into this Best Classic Lasagna Recipe

Be sure to read all of the tips and tricks even before you grocery shop for the meal. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks for making Classic Lasagna

• Be sure to use a a dish tall enough for Classic Lasagna. I made this in a regular 13″ x 9″ dish and I had a lot of spill over. So for the second time, I bought a Le Creuset Lasagna dish and it came out perfect. Always use a baking sheet under your dish when in the oven so that you can collect the spill over.

• Italian Sausage.  Italian Sausage comes seasoned with Italian seasonings, primarily fennel.  Fennel is crucial for authentic Italian flavor so if you skip the Italian sausage, make sure you add some fennel to your meat sauce. Because I have family members who don’t eat pork, I substitute this with Turkey Italian Sausage from Publix.

• Lean Ground Beef.  Make sure you are using  (93/7)  lean ground beef so that the sauce doesn’t end up greasy.  You will also want to drain your meat of any excess grease after cooking.

• Herbs. Fresh herbs are better. I keep them on hand because I grow them in my kitchen. If you are interested in doing that, check out this blog post.

• Mozzarella.  I prefer shredded mozzarella cheese over fresh mozzarella balls because I find them too watery for lasagna.  I also prefer shredded mozzarella cheese over sliced because it is so much easier to evenly distribute. If you want to use mozzarella slices, then I suggest asking your deli counter to very thinly slice the mozzarella.

• Parmesan.  You don’t want to use the powdered or pre-shredded Parmesan cheese.  Freshly grated Parmesan tastes far superior and melts much better.

Ingredients for making Classic Lasagna

Bolognese

• 1 pound mild Italian sausage bulk or casings removed
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6-8 garlic cloves minced
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley or 1/4 cup fresh
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon sugar more or less to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme, salt, pepper
• 1 whole bay leaf

Cheese Filling

• 3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Layers

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella (4 cups)
• 15 classic lasagna noodles (NOT no-boil)

Instructions on How to Make Classic Lasagna

1. Place lasagna noodles into the bottom of a long pan. Pour hot tap water over the noodles until they are submerged. Let them soak while you prep the lasagna – at least 30 minutes.
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, brown ground beef, sausage, onion, carrots and celery over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 more seconds. Drain grease.
3. Add all remaining Bolognese ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until Bolognese is reduced but still saucy.
4. While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add all of the Cheese Filling ingredients to a large bowl and mix until combined.
5. To assemble, lightly grease a deep 9×13 pan. Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan (layer will be thin). Place 4 noodles lengthwise and part of a 5th noodle on top to cover. Spread with a third of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese followed by 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers (meat, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan) 2 more times for a total of 3 complete layers. To finish, top with remaining meat sauce, remaining mozzarella (1 cup) and remaining Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup). (Pan will be very full.) Tent lasagna with foil and secure tightly all around the edges.
6. Place lasagna pan on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Other Notes for making classic Lasagna

How to prep Lasagna ahead of tiime

• Assemble and Refrigerate. You can make and assemble the entire lasagna a day in advance and refrigerate.  I actually think the lasagna tastes better this way because the flavors have more time to develop and meld.
• Make Sauce in Advance. You can make the sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it or freeze it for up to 3 months.  If you use cold, thawed sauce in your lasagna, you will need to bake your lasagna an addition 15 minutes or so.

How to freeze uncooked Lasagna

• Assemble lasagna according to recipe directions in a freezer safe dish.
• Cover lasagna tightly all around the dish with 2 layers of plastic wrap.
• Cover the lasagna tightly with one layer of aluminum foil.
• Label lasagna.
• Place evenly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, place lasagna in the refrigerator the night before to thaw completely.
• Remove plastic wrap and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake lasagna according to directions, adding an additional 10-15 minutes.

How to freeze cooked Lasagna

• Bake lasagna according to directions in a freezer safe dish.
• Let cool on the counter for one hour.
• Cover lasagna with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill completely before freezing (this will prevent an unpleasant texture).
• Cover lasagna tightly with a second layer of plastic wrap all the way around the dish.
• Cover the lasagna tightly with one layer of aluminum foil.
• Label lasagna.
• Place evenly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, place lasagna in the refrigerator the night before to thaw completely.
• Remove plastic wrap and cover lasagna tightly with foil.
• Bake entire lasagna according to directions, adding an additional 10-15 minutes.

How to freeze individual servings of Lasagna

• Bake lasagna according to directions.
• Let lasagna cool completely then slice into individual servings.
• Freeze lasagna in freezer safe plastic bags.
• To reheat, bake individual servings at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

How to cook frozen Lasagna

• Remove plastic wrap from lasagna and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake lasagna covered at 350 degrees F for 1 ½ hours.
• Uncover and bake an addition 15-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Let me know in the comments how it turned out!