The World’s Best Homemade Lasagna Recipe
This easy lasagna recipe is called the World’s Best Lasagna for a reason! A classic pasta made with layers of lasagna noodles, hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and mozzarella cheese baked to hot, gooey deliciousness. This no-fail homemade lasagna always wins rave reviews!
Looking for a gluten free option? Try this simple Gluten Free Lasagna recipe! Or get creative with Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf or Lasagna Stuffed Acorn Squash
Is This The World’s Best Lasagna?
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Italian
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
I love Italy, and Italian food. Growing up in New Jersey, which is an epicenter of Italian-American cooking with pizzerias and Italian restaurants on every corner, I ate Italian cuisine a few times a week. All of which is to say, I know what authentic, incredible Italian food tastes like.
So when I say this is the best lasagna recipe, I don’t make that claim lightly. In fact, if I have to make a large amount of something, this recipe created by John Chandler on Allrecipes is my go-to. It gets RAVE reviews every time. I’ve changed the recipe a bit over the years and know you’re going to love it as much as I do.
Chef John called this the World’s Best Lasagna, and while I can’t verify any research that went into this claim, what I can say is that this it the best homemade lasagna I’ve ever made. And I’ve made it many, many times.
I brought it to a woman in my former mom’s group who had just had her third baby. I made it for my dad to eat while he was babysitting my big guy when he was just a toddler because they both love it. We have made two of them for big family parties. (And trust me, always make two. It’s not much more work and it freezes and reheats beautifully!)
I have dozens and dozens of friends (and readers like you!) who have emailed me to say that this recipe is so good that when they make it for people their text messages explode with everyone wanting the recipe.
“I JUST made this, and it was actually the best lasagna ever. It was my first time making lasagna, and I am blown away by how well it turned out. I served it with fresh garlic bread. Thank you so much for this recipe!” – Rachel (a reader)
If you read all of my tips, check out the process shots, and watch the short video, you’ll see that it is truly an easy lasagna recipe. And once you taste it, you’ll know that all the effort is worth it.
What Makes This Lasagna So Incredibly Good?
It’s got the layers of pasta, meaty sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese that you know and love. But there’s just something about this sauce that makes this recipe so amazing.
Seriously, it’s all about the sauce. There is nothing like it. It’s hearty and meaty with tons of tomato flavor and the perfect amount of herbs. And it is so flavorful because it is made with both beef and sausage.
Then when it is layered with noodles and three kinds of cheese, it all comes together into the perfect bite of hot, cheesy, meaty, saucy deliciousness.
But don’t just take my word for it. Truly, everyone who tries it absolutely loves it!
“I’ve made this many times and it really is the best lasagna recipe I’ve ever made. Its my son’s favorite!”
“Delicious!! Meat sauce is the absolute BEST!!. I let it simmer for two hours. It turned out great. I will definitely add this to my dinner rotation. Thanks for the awesome recipe Brianne!”
“Outstanding recipe! The sauce alone is one of the best I’ve had. I use San Marzano tomatoes and simmer it for 3 hours. Thanks so much for sharing this great Italian classic!”
Ingredients
Since it is so good, I have no need to make any major changes to the original ingredients. But I do make a few tweaks. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.
For the sauce:
- Sweet Italian turkey or pork sausage: I always use turkey sausage, but either is fine. If you like a little spice, try hot sausage.
- Ground beef
- Onion & Garlic
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Canned tomato sauce
- Water
- Sugar: Some people like a bit of sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomato sauce. This is optional and I usually leave it out.
- Herbs: Dried basil leaves, dried Italian seasoning and fresh parsley.
- Fennel seeds: Some people think fennel is essential in meat sauce. I find that the sausage adds enough fennel flavor for my taste, so this is optional and I usually leave it out.
- Salt & Pepper
For layering the lasagna:
- Lasagna noodles: Regular or no cook are both fine. I usually use no cook noodles. If you need to make this gluten free, use Barilla No Boil Gluten Free Lasagna Sheets)
- Ricotta cheese
- Egg: The egg serves as a binder to make the ricotta firmer.
- Fresh parsley: You’ll need a little more here to add in with the ricotta mixture.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
How to Make Homemade Lasagna
Though I mentioned that it does take a bit of time, most of that time is waiting for the sauce to simmer or the homemade lasagna to bake in the oven. Here is an overview with photos showing how to make this easy lasagna recipe. You can find all the details in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Make the sauce
- Combine sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large pot over medium heat.
- Stir and cook until cooked through and browned.
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients.
- Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and let it cook for at least 1 1/2 hours.
Prepare the noodles and cheeses
- If you are using regular lasagna noodles, while it simmers cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Shred the mozzarella cheese.
- Stir together the ricotta, egg, parsley, and salt.
The correct order to layer lasagna:
Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese as described and shown here:
- Layer sauce on the bottom of the pan.
- Top with noodles.
- Top with ricotta cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese.
- Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese.
- Add more sauce.
- Repeat layers starting with another layer of noodles.
- Spread on the rest of the ricotta.
- Sprinkle on more mozzarella.
- Add more Parmesan
- Layer on more sauce.
- A final top layer of noodles, sauce, and the rest of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.
How Many Layers Should Lasagna Have?
You need at least 2 layers to make a proper homemade lasagna. You can certainly have more but 2 is the minimum. In this recipe, I like to have three layers of pasta with two layers of the three kinds of cheese. Sauce covers the bottom of the pan and the top of the lasagna, and it is finished with a final sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake the lasagna
- Cover with foil and bake at 375°F.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Tips and Variation Ideas
- Wants to use a different kind of meat? You can use turkey sausage instead of Italian sausage made with pork, which is actually my preference.
- Sweeter isn’t always better: While the recipe lists the addition of sugar, because some insist on it to balance the acidity of the tomatoes in the sauce, I always leave it out.
- Skip the boiling: You can (and dare I say even should) use no-boil noodles. They make the layering easier, and absorb some excess moisture, creating nice slices.
- Make the sauce a day or two before: This is especially good to do on a day when you have time to let it simmer for as long as possible. But even if you don’t simmer it longer, you still allow the flavors to blend together and develop in the fridge overnight. This also saves time the day you plan to assemble, bake, and serve the lasagna.
- Double it up: Trust me, it’s worth it to make two. It doesn’t take much more effort, and then you have one on standby. Keep reading for how to freeze it before or after you bake it.
- And here is a reader tip – “One tip I learned years ago when using regular noodles is to boil some water, pour them over your noodles & let them sit in a pan for an hour or so. No more broken noodles.”
Can I Make Lasagna in Advance?
Yes, you have a few options to make this recipe ahead of time.
- Prepare the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to layer and bake the lasagna. In fact, I think the sauce is even better when made at least a day in advance.
- Prepare the entire lasagna but don’t bake it. Then store it in the refrigerator or freezer. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator, then, in either case, bring it to room temperature before baking.
- Prepare and bake it. If you do this, I’d suggest only baking for the first 25 minutes. You can then bring it to room temperature and complete the baking process uncovered for about 30-35 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Store in the fridge: Let your homemade lasagna cool and then store it in the fridge. You can either cover the dish it baked in with aluminum foil and store it in the baking pan, or you can cut the lasagna into slices and transfer it to smaller air-tight containers. The lasagna will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- To reheat: When you are ready to eat some leftovers, simply place the desired amount of lasagna on a plate and heat it in the microwave for a few minutes.
Pro Reheating Tip: If I’m reheating a large slice I will usually cut it into smaller pieces so that the inside of the lasagna can warm through. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a very hot outside of your slice and a cold inside. Cutting the slice into smaller pieces solves this problem!
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few of my favorite sides to serve with my favorite tried-and true pasta dishes, like my Beefaroni, this Chicken Spaghetti recipe, or homemade lasagna:
- Salad with Caesar Dressing or Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- Have a side of Balsamic Roasted Vegetables or Air Fryer Broccoli.
- Sop up the sauce with Texas Toast or Garlic Bread.
More pasta dinner ideas
Everyone loves noodles, and there are endless dishes to satisfy that craving!
World’s Best Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 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
- two 6 ounce cans tomato paste
- two 6.5 ounce cans canned tomato sauce (or one 15 oz. can)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 12 lasagna noodles, regular or no cook. I usually use no cook noodles.
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce
- In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and browned.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water, and stir everything together.
- Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds (if using), 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.
Assemble Lasagna and Bake
- If using regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package instructions and drain.
- In a bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- To layer the lasagna, spread 1½ cups of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Spoon another 1½ cups meat sauce over the cheese.
- Add another layer of noodles, the rest of the ricotta mixture, half of the remaining mozzarella, and another 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Add another layer of 1 1/2 cups of sauce and a final layer of noodles.
- Top with another 1 1/2 cups sauce and the 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
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I made the sauce yesterday and finished making the lasagna today and let’s just say it was a Big Hit!! Thank you!!
I made this today. Definitely looking forward to eating it later!
I so hope you enjoyed it! Let us know what you thought!
It was so amazing! Will definitely be making it again for sure!
Tomato acidity = heartburn for others so sugar will help to reduce acidity in the lasagna. 😉
So I prepared this yesterday for Father’s Day today and I’m confused on the cooking time. So today i need to sit it out until it gets to room temp before baking? And then 25 covered and 25 uncovered?
I’m sorry, we were away on vacation. I hope you were able to cook it as needed!
I’m confused too. It says 2 hours cook time but in the instructions it’s 25 and 25, which is 50
That includes the time it takes to cook the sauce. The recipe card template doesn’t make it easy to separate that out. Sorry!
So I made the lasagna tonight and it was superb! I ran out of mozzarella, my fault not yours, so I ended up using a cheddar/ monterey jack mix and it was still fantastic! Thank you for posting!
Sugar is not “optional” in homemade sauce. It’s necessary to counter the acidity of all of the tomatoes for a balanced sauce. You’re definitely not Italian! Lol.
And substituting turkey for the pork sausage? Whaaat? Ground turkey is a great sub for ground beef but nothing beats real Italian pork sausage. These things are a pretty big deviation from the original recipe. It still will taste good to non-Italians but definitely isn’t “The Workd’s Best”! My Nonna would roll over in her grave if I made it your way. 😉
Well, I use turkey instead of pork because my husband has diverticulitis and pork irritates it. So I’d rather be able to enjoy lasagna with him than use the pork. But keep making it how your Nonna did. If hers was so good, why were you looking for other recipes on the internet to criticize?
Wow! It appears you were too sensitive in your last comment. I looked at your recipe to compare it to mine and to refresh my memory on cooking time. I started to print. off your recipe, but I think your last comment was tacky, so I’ll rely on my cookbook.
Sorry you feel that way. This recipe has a ton of comments, so I am honestly not sure which one you are referring to. I always try to be kind in my comments so perhaps I had a bad day or had just dealt with a string of rude comments myself and was frustrated. We do tend to get a lot of those and every once in awhile one just hits me the wrong way. Enjoy your lasagna, whatever recipe you use!
To each their own. Feel free to leave it in.
I haven’t made this yet, but have read every word of the post and recipe. Looking forward to trying it! Thanks!
In tomato based sauces, I always add a little brown sugar. Gives it a different flavor than regular granulated sugar. My awesome sister in law taught me that. Just a suggestion 😎
I agree, a little sugar is a must, but I choose brown sugar, gives a different flavor 😎
Please adjust the baking time in the instructions. At the top it bakes for 2 hours but, unless I’m missing something, you bake covered for 25 minutes; bake uncovered for 25 minutes and cool 15.
Sauce tastes delicious … mine is still in the oven. Thanks Rhonda
That is the total cook time, which includes making the sauce and baking the lasagna. Hope you enjoyed it once it was done baking!
Thank you for the clarification…lasagna was a huge hit for my dinner guests and my husband and I have enjoyed leftovers!!! Definitely a keeper in my recipe box ♥️
Awesome!! And yes, I wish the templates did allow for separating the different parts of the cooking time, but it just adds it all up. Maybe someday!
You literally copied food wishes why not be authentic
I have never heard of Food Wishes. I just looked it up, and since that recipe calls for mushrooms, marinara sauce, and completely different amounts of every ingredient, I can guarantee you that it is not copied.
We took your advice and made two at the same time; one to eat immediately and the other to freeze. The first one came out so yummy and I’m excited to dive into the second later this week. Any recommendation on how long it should thaw in the refrigerator after freezing?
So glad you enjoyed the lasagna! They do take quite some time to thaw. You could probably pop it in the fridge a couple days before, or at least the morning of the day before you plan to eat it. Worst case is that it takes a little longer in the oven, just be sure to leave it covered a little longer so it doesn’t brown too much on top.
Goodness, people can be so critical! With that being said, because of all the positive comments and the option to ignore them, I am planning on making this for my extended family today. I AM Italian, and think this looks amazing! Any good cook knows there are many variations of any given recipe, and we have the freedom to customize any way we like. Keep posting yummy food, I will continue to follow😁
Love, love, love this recipe! I use one pound (regular roll) of Jimmy Dean Regular and one pound of Jimmy Dean NOT sausage in place of the turkey or Italian sausage. The sugar helps balance the heat and the tang/acid of the tomato sauces. For some people tomatoes tend to be acidic in their tummy. That is the purpose of the sugar. ?
Thanks for letting us know about your substitution!
I learned from someone who use to cater and they add carrot chunks to the sauce then remove them. Sweetens and reduces the acid. I have since just fine shred carrots into the sauce and it gets a boost of vegetable in there.
Great tip! I love it!
Yes this is the best ever! Yummy.
Made this recipe last night and it turned out great! Used over a lb. of ground beef and reduced italian sausage to .75 lb. Didn’t have crushed tomatoes so used diced instead. And used part provolone in place of some of the mozzarella since that’s what I had on hand. Very tasty! Also, I did need to add about 3/4 cup more water for the no-boil noodles, for fear of the dish coming out too dry, and that seemed to do the trick. 🙂