This no-boil classic lasagna takes a couple shortcuts for an easy weeknight dinner, but still has layers and layers of cheesy goodness!
This lasagna is based on my Mom’s recipe that she served us all growing up! My friend Alli and I have made some tweaks over the years for our meat-loving husbands that are a little less finicky about vegetables than my dear Dad. Every time we made this recipe, it was always a little different, based on what we had on hand, how well we remembered what we did last time, and whether or not anyone was counting macros…
But some things were pretty consistent, which meant they were keepers.. First, while not necessary, combining sausage and beef instead of just beef gives you that extra Italian flavor from the fennel seeds and is just SO good. Second, CHEESE. Ricotta and mozzarella and parmesan, oh my! Every ounce of it is absolutely worth it. And finally… make sure you pick up some garlic bread. 😉
How to Make No-Boil Classic Lasagna
- Brown the meat with mirepoix and spices.
- Stir together tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
- Layer and assemble regular lasagna noodles with sauce, beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Bake the lasagna covered for 60 minutes.
- Uncover, top with extra cheese, and bake until melty and browned.
- Let sit for 5 minutes and then slice and serve!
Why We Love It
This classic lasagna recipe is SO adaptable. Low on time? Great, because this is a no-boil recipe with jarred tomato sauce, and you can use frozen mirepoix (or none at all) and it’ll still taste amazing. Want to go extra? Throw together your own tomato sauce and chop up some fresh mirepoix. For the real deal, splurge on some fresh mozzarella and tear chunks for the top.
No matter which route you choose to take, this lasagna has all the classic comfort food vibes with lots of cheesy string pulls and a filling tomato-y beef/sausage layer.
No-Boil Classic Lasagna FAQ
Yes! In this recipe, the lasagna noodles absorb liquid from the surrounding tomato sauce and soften during the long bake time.
No water necessary in this recipe. There is enough liquid in the tomato sauce.
Once again, no need to soak the noodles for this recipe!
This recipe uses regular lasagna noodles. Some stores carry “no-boil” or “oven-ready” lasagna noodles that are slightly porous to more easily absorb liquids. You could probably substitute these in just fine, but they are not necessary.
If you make this no-boil classic lasagna, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! I love looking through the photos of recipes you all have made!
mom, mikaela, & alli | wyldflour
1 9x13 Lasagna
Serves 6-8
30 minPrep Time
1 hr, 10 Cook Time
1 hr, 40 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 lb ground beef (90/10)
- 1/2 lb ground italian sausage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 cup mirepoix (1/3 cup onion, 1/3 cup carrot, 1/3 cup celery, chopped)
- 1 24 oz jar pasta sauce
- 1 14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 12-15 lasagna noodles
- 4 cups (1 lb) shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella (optional - for topping)
- extra handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional - for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the Meat. Add the ground meat, spices and herbs, and mirepoix to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until browned and the vegetables are fork-tender. Set aside.
- The Tomato Sauce. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes (undrained) and stir together. Set aside.
- Assembly - Layer 1. In the bottom of a 9"x13" casserole dish, use the back of a spoon to spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Cover the sauce with lasagna noodles; make sure the noodles do not overlap. (Typically, for a 9"x13", this means 3 noodles side-by-side lengthwise and 1 noodle broken slightly short across the end. One of my casserole dishes is slightly wider than the other, so I break a 5th noodle in half lengthwise to fill in the extra space.)
- Assembly - Layer 2. Drop dollops of the ricotta cheese all over and then carefully spread evenly over the noodles. Cover the ricotta with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Cover the mozzarella with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, using the back of a spoon to kind of spread the sauce out. (It will seem like a small amount and that's okay.) Cover with another layer of noodles.
- Assembly - Layer 3. Spread a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce over the noodles. Cover the sauce with 1 cup shredded mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Cover the cheese with the meat mixture, spreading evenly across the dish and all the way to the edges. Drop dollops of a 1/2 cup tomato sauce all over the meat mixture and kind of spread the sauce with the back of a spoon. Cover the sauce with a third layer of noodles, pressing the noodles slightly into the saucy meat below it. Cover the noodles with 1 final cup of tomato sauce, spreading evenly.
- Bake. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes.
- Topping. Remove the lasagna from the oven, carefully remove the foil, and top with remaining mozzarella cheese and - if you like - some torn fresh mozzarella. Return to the oven uncovered and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted and just starts to brown. WATCH carefully--the cheese goes from perfectly brown to burnt in a matter of seconds, so I recommend sticking next to the oven with mitts ready.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 mins. Top with some fresh chopped parsley if you like. Slice pieces and serve!
Notes
If you want a shortcut, use frozen mirepoix or substitute a cup of onion only.
Grocery store out of ricotta? For a good substitute, pulse cottage cheese in a food processor until it matches the texture of ricotta cheese.
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