World’s Best Gluten Free Lasagna

2/6/19

The ultimate in gluten free Italian comfort food with layers of hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and gooey mozzarella between sheets of gluten free lasagna noodles.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Gluten Free Lasagna is sure to be the best when it is based on what is already known as the World’s Best Lasagna. The rich, hearty meat sauce has garnered rave reviews for years. Layer that with three kinds of gooey cheese between sheets of gluten-free lasagna noodles. I’ll share which ones work the best so that you can enjoy this traditional comfort food even on a gluten free diet. There’s no doubt that you’ll be calling this the World’s Best Gluten Free Lasagna. Not everyone thinks of homemade lasagna as a casserole, but it fits the definitely fits the definition. That makes it one of the best gluten free casserole recipes.

My kid is obsessed with Garfield. I’ll be honest, it is adorable and endearing at the same time as it is extremely annoying.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

First of all, anything that gets a kid reading for hours on end out of his own free will is a good thing. Albeit, it’s in disjointed speech bubbles and thought balloons without any level of scene-setting or detail. I mean, who needs adjectives anyway? But he reads.

And he curls up on the couch or in his bed with his book and just laughs and laughs. If you’ve ever heard this kid laugh, you’d know how this could warm even the coldest, blackest of hearts. He has this deep belly laugh that just fills the room.

But then he will retell each and every Garfield comic to me. The kicker is that he will start to tell me what happened, say the wrong thing, forget what he was saying, start over, and still get the joke wrong. A four-block comic strip that I could read in two minutes takes him 20 minutes to recount.

However, I listen. And I laugh. As moms do.

My bigger issue is the neverending requests for a lasagna dinner. But at least it was the motivation I needed to take the World’s Best Lasagna recipe and turn it into the World’s Best Gluten Free Lasagna recipe.

How to make lasagna gluten free?

There are some traditional lasagna recipes that call for a bechamel. This is a white cream sauce traditionally thickened with a roux made with flour and butter. This recipe does not have a bechamel sauce, so that is not a concern. But you do still get that creaminess in this gluten free lasagna with ricotta cheese mixture instead. Ricotta cheese is gluten free, and it is simply mixed with egg, salt, and fresh parsley.

Then there is this epically delicious sauce.

What is in the best gluten free lasagna sauce?

• Pork or turkey sausage and ground beef – do read the labels on your sausage, but most that I’ve seen are gluten free. If you buy pre-packaged ground beef, there is the possibility of added fillers. This is why I typically buy it ground in the store or I do check the labels on any pre-packaged meats.
• Onion, garlic, and fresh parsley – these fresh ingredients are always gluten free,
• Canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes – in most cases, these products are gluten free. Do be aware of added seasonings in tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. I usually use Tuttorosso, in particular for Crushed Tomatoes because it is my favorite.
• Dried herbs and seasonings – this is another case where most brands are safe, especially for single herbs. But mixes, such as the Italian Seasoning, can be a risk. So check your labels. McCormick has all of their information on their website, and the only concern is occasionally the blends or other mixes. But all of their ingredients in this recipe are gluten free, including the Italian Seasoning.
• Cheese – Ricotta cheese is typically not a concern. If you buy pre-grated parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese, just check your labels for additives or fillers. I do recommend shredding your own mozzarella as it melts better than pre-shredded.

What are the best gluten free lasagna noodles?

Hands down, I only recommend Barilla Gluten Free Oven-Ready Lasagne Noodles. These are no-boil noodles that you just layer in a baking dish with the other ingredients. I recommend these for several reasons:

• No-boil noodles are less work.
• No-boil noodles absorb some of the liquid in the sauce while cooking so you can add plenty of sauce to keep it moist and flavorful, and still end up being able to cut nice slices.
• Other brands do not have as good of a flavor and rice noodles tend to have a grittier texture. Plus they do not hold up well to the process of boiling and baking and can leave you with a pile of mush.

World’s Best Gluten Free Lasagna Recipe Tips:

• I typically use turkey sausage to make it a little less greasy and cut out a few calories (and mainly because my husband can’t eat much pork). But any kind of Italian sausage is fine. Like a little more heat? Use hot Italian sausage.
• The original recipe calls for a couple tablespoons of sugar. Some say that this helps balance the acidity in the sauce. I don’t feel that it is necessary, so it’s your call whether you use it or not.
• I like to simmer the sauce for no less than an hour and a half. In fact, I’ll often make it the day before I assemble the lasagna. You can also mix the ricotta in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight if you want to assemble the lasagna the next day.
• As I mentioned, while the texture does change slightly, this lasagna, when using the Barilla lasagna noodles, has held up well to reheating and even freezing and reheating.

What do you serve with gluten free lasagna?

• Start with a salad, such as this Italian-Style Wedge Salad with Polenta Croutons or Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad.
• Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar make lovely side dishes for gf lasagna.
• And for dessert, enjoy a piece of Gluten Free Tiramisu or a scoop of Fresh Strawberry Basil Sorbet.

What else can you make with gluten free noodles?

I’ve made all of these recipes with gluten free pasta, so give them a try and enjoy your favorite pasta dishes as part of your gluten free lifestyle.

• Easy Beefaroni
• Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
• Classic Vodka Sauce
• Eggplant Parmigiana Pasta Casserole

For more yumminess from me and my foodie friends, keep up with me on…

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Or sign up to have Cupcakes & Kale Chips delivered straight to your Inbox!

Where can I buy Barilla gluten free lasagna noodles?

I’ve already told you why you these are my favorite gluten free lasagna noodles, but now the question is where to get them. I have often seen them at my regular grocery stores and even at Target, but you can also order Barilla Gluten Free Oven-Ready Lasagne from Amazon!

World’s Best Gluten Free Lasagna Recipe

This is guaranteed to be the best lasagna recipe you’ve ever had. And by making it with the best gluten free lasagna noodles, you won’t even know the difference. This hearty Italian comfort food is always a family favorite. Now everyone can enjoy the layers of pasta, meat sauce, and creamy, gooey cheese, even if you have to eat gluten free. It is truly a labor of love.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and give it a FIVE STAR rating or share a photo on this pin on Pinterest!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

World's Best Gluten Free Lasagna

The ultimate in gluten free Italian comfort food with layers of hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and gooey mozzarella between sheets of gluten free lasagna noodles.

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Resting time15 mins

Total Time2 hrs 40 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: best gluten free lasagna, gluten free lasagna

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion , minced
• 2 cloves garlic , crushed
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (Tuttorosso is recommended)
• 12 ounce can tomato paste (or two 6 ounce cans)
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the ricotta cheese mixture:

• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablepsoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For assembling the lasagna:

• 12 Barilla Gluten Free Oven-Ready Lasagne Noodles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the meat sauce:

• In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and browned. Drain any excess grease, if needed.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water, and stir everything together.
• Add sugar (if using), basil, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and 2 Tablespoons parsley, and stir to combine.
• Simmer, covered, for at least 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. I usually try to simmer for as long as possible.

For the ricotta cheese mixture:

• In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 2 Tablespoons parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until needed.

For assembling the lasagna:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• To assemble, spread 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of three noodles over meat sauce. 
• Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
• Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
• Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
• Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Adapted from this World's Best Lasagna recipe on AllRecipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1572mg | Potassium: 851mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 23.8% | Vitamin C: 34% | Calcium: 27.7% | Iron: 38.4%

Enjoy!