This easy lasagna recipe with Italian sausage and ricotta is made even easier thanks to the no-boil noodles used in this recipe. Leftovers reheat well and can be frozen for later!
Lasagna has always been my number one preferred comfort food dish. It’s also something I love making for others, because eating homemade lasagna is kind of like getting a big, warm hug. For a long time now, my recipe for Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushroom Lasagna has been a secret weapon of mine, and I have another vegetarian version I love — the cheesiest spinach and cheese lasagna. But sometimes I just crave the classic, made with ground beef, sausage, and ricotta. This traditional lasagna recipe is the one I make the most. It’s easy, tried and true, and hits the spot every time.
What’s in This Sausage Lasagna?
To make this homemade lasagna recipe with ricotta cheese, you’ll need:
- Sweet Italian pork sausage
- Ground beef
- Garlic
- Yellow onion
- White wine
- Whole milk
- Diced tomatoes
- Marinara sauce (homemade or your favorite jarred brand works great — my favorite is DeLallo)
- Kosher salt
- Dried basil and oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- No-boil lasagna noodles (makes an already easy recipe even easier)
- Eggs
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Shredded mozzarella
How to Make This Sausage Lasagna
This recipe has quite a few steps, but don’t let that deter you—it’s so easy. Here’s how you make this sausage lasagna:
Brown your meat. In a large pot or dutch oven, cook pork sausage and ground beef over medium high heat just until meat is no longer pink.
Bring the flavor. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add onion with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion becomes translucent.
Deglaze and tenderize. Add wine and cook for 3 minutes or until nearly evaporated, then add milk and cook until absorbed.
Simmer and let the flavors infuse. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and kosher salt, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced.
Make the Bechamel Sauce
(Heidi add instructions here)
Layer the Lasagna
Preheat the oven and prepare the cheese mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl whisk egg and add ricotta cheese, parmesan and parsley and mix well.
Layer it up. Spoon a generous portion of tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish or lasagna pan. Add a single layer of 4 lasagna noodles, spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then ⅓ of the sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
Repeat. Repeat the layering process, with 4 more noodles, remaining cheese mixture, ⅓ sauce mixture and 1 cup cheese. Top with 4 more noodles, the remaining sauce and top with cheese.
Cover and bake. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
Let it rest. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. Add extra parmesan for serving.
How Many Layers is Best for Lasagna?
I like 3 layers for my lasagna, and that’s usually what most recipes instruct. You certainly wouldn’t want to do fewer than 3, but an extra layer would never be a bad thing. Just note my recipe is written to make 3 layers, so if you want a 4th layer, you’ll need to tweak the amounts to make a bit more.
Do You Put Egg in Lasagna?
Most traditional lasagna recipes call for an egg, which is typically whisked in with the ricotta cheese. The egg works as a binder for the cheese and I recommend using it to prevent your lasagna from being runny.
Can I Freeze Lasagna?
Lasagna freezes wonderfully. To freeze leftovers of this sausage lasagna with ricotta cheese: Wrap the slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze.
How to Reheat Frozen Lasagna
To reheat the lasagna from frozen, it’s best to thaw it in the fridge first. I recommend covering it with foil to prevent the noodles from drying out). Place the covered lasagna in a 350°F oven for about 30-45 minutes.
Tips for Making Sausage Lasagna with Ricotta
- If you like a thicker lasagna, bake the day before, refrigerate and reheat in the oven at 350°F for a half an hour.
- No boil noodles need more sauce than cooked noodles since they absorb the moisture from the sauce. Don’t be shy when ladling your portions.
- Add in spinach, kale, or zucchini for an extra veggie vitamin punch and a touch of green.
- If time is an issue, substitute the homemade sauce for a great quality jarred sauce added to the meat mixture. If ricotta is hard to find, my mom always uses creamy cottage cheese instead.
What to Serve With Lasagna
- Roasted Asparagus
- Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
- Italian Chopped Salad with Marinated Chickpeas
- Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
- Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic
- Killer Garlic Knots
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Sausage Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- ¾ pound sweet Italian pork sausage
- ½ pound ground beef
- 3 cloves pressed garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅓ cup white wine
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 28- ounce can diced organic tomatoes
- 1 15- ounce can organic tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
For the lasagna:
- 1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 egg
- 1 15- ounce container ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Make the meat sauce:
- In a large pot or dutch oven, cook pork sausage and ground beef over medium high heat just until meat is no longer pink.
- Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add onion with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion becomes translucent.
- Add wine and cook for 3 minutes or until nearly evaporated, then add milk and cook until absorbed.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano and kosher salt, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced.
Make the lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl whisk egg and add ricotta cheese, parmesan and parsley and mix well.
- Spoon a generous portion of tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish or lasagna pan. Add a single layer of 4 lasagna noodles, spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then ⅓ of the sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Repeat with 4 more noodles, remaining cheese mixture, ⅓ sauce mixture and 1 cup cheese. Top with 4 more noodles, the remaining sauce and top with cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. Add extra parmesan for serving.
Nutrition
More Easy Lasagna Recipes to Make
- The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
- Turkey Bolognese Lasagna Toss
- Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup
- Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash & Shiitakes
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