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4.82 from 16 votes

Easy Homemade Lasagna

This is the best homemade lasagna recipe this side of Italy! Classic Italian flavors and simple ingredients come together in thick layers of pasta, cheese, and rich meat sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Freezer Lasagna, Homemade Lasagna
Servings: 12
Calories: 356kcal
Author: Karrie

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • 15 oz spaghetti sauce (I use traditional Ragu)
  • 1 pint cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp dried parsley
  • 10 oz lasagna pasta (cooked to al dente and cooled in cold water)
  • 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 ½ cups)

Instructions

  • Add ground beef, onion, salt and garlic powder to a medium skillet. Cook on med-high, stirring and chopping into the beef so you have small ground size pieces, and cooking until browned and tender. Drain fat from meat using a strainer and put back into skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer on low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and dried parsley. Mix well.
  • Boil your lasagna noodles as directed on the box to al dente. Remove them carefully from the water with tongs and lay them across a cutting board to dry and cool off. Don’t stack them, or they will stick together. (If you are freezing this lasagna for later cook less than al dente, to where the noodles are getting soft, but still have a firm bite.)

*Layering Lasagna*

  • First add a small amount of spaghetti sauce mix to the bottom of your 9x13 pan.
  • Layer a single row of noodles.
  • Layer 1/3 sauce.
  • Layer 1/3 Mozzarella Cheese.
  • Layer 1/3 Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over).
  • Layer single row of noodles.
  • Layer 1/3 sauce.
  • Layer 1/3 Mozzarella Cheese.
  • Layer 1/3 Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over).
  • Layer single row of noodles.
  • Layer 1/3 sauce.
  • Layer 1/3 Cottage cheese mixture (dotting it all over).
  • Layer 1/3 Mozzarella Cheese last so your topping will be cheesy.

BAKE IT NOW

  • Cover baking dish with foil and bake in 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove foil and cok for an additional 10-12 minutes, until bubbly all over and golden on top. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL

  • Wrap baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing down to gently remove air. Cover with foil, label and freeze.

THAW & COOK

  • Place dish in refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours to thaw. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and foil, re-cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes more until bubbly all over and golden on top. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Expert Tips
  • When cooking lasagna noodles for the recipe, remove them carefully from the water with tongs and lay them across a cutting board to dry and cool off. Don’t stack them, or they will stick together.
  • When preparing your ingredients in the baking dish, try to cover your top row of lasagna noodles with cheese and/or sauce before baking. Exposed, naked noodles end up burnt and hard.
  • Before cutting your baked lasagna to serve, let it stand for 10-15 minutes after you remove it from the oven. This will help it hold it's classic lasagna shape.
  • Shredded Romano can be substituted for shredded Parmesan cheese. It has a similar flavor, and usually costs less.
  • If using foil pans, this Lasagna can be quite heavy so make sure and put a cookie sheet underneath of it before you bake.
  • NEVER thaw your freezer lasagna on the counter. Always in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 2mg