Homemade lasagna is a comforting dinner built from simple layers: savory beef and pork sauce, creamy ricotta, tender noodles, and bubbling mozzarella. This homemade lasagna recipe makes eight generous servings in a deep 9×13-inch baking dish. It is hearty enough for a family meal, relaxed enough for a weekend, and practical enough to assemble ahead for guests. The short sauce simmer and resting time are small steps that make every slice taste rich and hold together neatly.
Why this homemade lasagna works
The sauce combines ground beef and pork for a full, savory flavor, while diced tomatoes and tomato paste give it body. A little sugar balances the tomatoes, and basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes add warmth without making the dish spicy. The ricotta filling stays creamy because it is mixed with an egg, and mozzarella melts through every layer. Resting the baked lasagna lets the sauce and cheese settle, so you can cut clean squares instead of a loose pile of noodles.
What you need for homemade lasagna
Gather the ingredients before you start. Chopping the onion and garlic first keeps the sauce moving, and dividing the mozzarella makes layering easier.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork
- One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes and 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
- 16 ounces full-fat ricotta cheese and 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare the meat sauce
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5–7 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the ground beef and pork and cook until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. The sauce should look thick enough to coat a spoon. Preheat the oven to 350°F while it simmers.
How to make homemade lasagna recipe
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, dried basil, salt, and pepper until smooth. The egg helps the filling set gently as the lasagna bakes. Boil the noodles in generously salted water until al dente, following the package timing. Drain them and lay them flat so they do not stick together. If your noodles are ready before the sauce, separate them with a clean sheet of parchment or a lightly oiled plate.
Layer the lasagna
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5–7 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and pork. Cook until no pink remains, drain excess fat, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix ricotta, egg, dried basil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Boil noodles in generously salted water until al dente, following package timing. Drain and lay flat.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and cover the bottom with meat sauce.
- Layer three noodles, one-third of remaining sauce, one-third of ricotta filling, and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat twice.
- Finish with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Grease a deep 9×13-inch baking dish and cover the bottom with meat sauce. Arrange three noodles over the sauce. Add one-third of the remaining sauce, one-third of the ricotta filling, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat that sequence twice, pressing each layer gently into place so the filling reaches the corners. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. A deep dish prevents the sauce from bubbling over and leaves enough room for the three complete layers.
Bake and rest the lasagna
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Spray the underside of the foil lightly if you want to keep it from touching the cheese. Uncover the dish and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the top is bubbling and golden. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This pause is important: the hot sauce thickens, the cheese firms slightly, and the layers become much easier to serve.
Serving, storage, and reheating
Serve each square with a crisp green salad, roasted vegetables, or garlic bread. A sharp knife gives the cleanest edges, and a wide spatula helps support the bottom layer. Refrigerate covered portions for up to four days. Reheat a portion in a covered oven-safe dish or in the microwave until hot throughout. If the edges look dry, add a spoonful of sauce before reheating. You can assemble the dish ahead, cover it, and refrigerate it before baking; add extra oven time if it goes into the oven cold.
Optional variation and helpful homemade lasagna tips
Use a deep baking dish because the sauce and cheese need room to bubble. Keep the sauce generous enough to moisten the noodles, especially if you use no-boil noodles. Do not skip draining excess fat from the meat if the skillet looks oily. For a slightly leaner variation, replace the pork with more ground beef. The flavor will change gently, but the same tomato, ricotta, and mozzarella layers still work. For the best texture, avoid cutting immediately after baking and let the dish complete its full rest.
Homemade lasagna FAQ
This homemade lasagna recipe is ready when the top is bubbling and golden, the edges are saucy, and the rested layers cut cleanly. Bring it to the table warm and serve the first square with a little extra Parmesan if you like.
Homemade Lasagna
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- to taste salt and pepper
- 16 oz full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese use block cheese
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5–7 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and pork. Cook until no pink remains, drain excess fat, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix ricotta, egg, dried basil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Boil noodles in generously salted water until al dente, following package timing. Drain and lay flat.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and cover the bottom with meat sauce.
- Layer three noodles, one-third of remaining sauce, one-third of ricotta filling, and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat twice.
- Finish with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.
