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This lasagna recipe takes a little work, but it is so satisfying and filling that it’s worth it!
When John Chandler submitted this lasagna recipe to Cookdap more than 20 years ago, he had no idea how successful it would become. One of our top-performing recipes of all time, World’s Best Lasagna racks up more than 7 million views per year and has ranked among the most popular lasagna recipes on the internet for two decades. Unfortunately, John unexpectedly passed away at 53 years old — read all about his life and legacy here.
Make our most popular lasagna today to find out what all the fuss is about!
How to Make Lasagna
Making lasagna can be time-consuming, but the results are well worth the wait. You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:
Lasagna Ingredients
The Cookdap community adores this lasagna recipe because it's incredibly customizable, so you can easily alter the ingredient list to suit your needs. If you want to stay true to the original recipe, though, these are the ingredients you'll need to add to your grocery list:
- Meat: This super meaty lasagna has sweet Italian sausage and lean ground beef.
- Onion and garlic: An onion and two cloves of garlic are cooked with the meat to add tons of flavor.
- Tomato products: You’ll need a can of crushed tomatoes, two cans of tomato sauce, and two cans of tomato paste.
- Sugar: Two tablespoons of white sugar add subtle sweetness and enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Spices and seasonings: This lasagna recipe is flavored with fresh parsley, dried basil leaves, salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper.
- Lasagna noodles: Use store-bought or homemade lasagna noodles.
- Cheeses: Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese make this lasagna extra decadent.
- Egg: An egg helps bind the ricotta so it doesn’t ooze out of the lasagna when you cut into it.
How to Make Lasagna Step-By-Step
Here's a very brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade lasagna:
- Make the meat sauce.
- Cook the noodles.
- Make the ricotta mixture.
- Layer the lasagna according to the recipe instructions.
- Cover with foil and bake.
- Let the lasagna rest before serving.
How to Layer Lasagna
The detailed layering instructions can be found in the recipe below, but this is the order you'll follow:
- Meat sauce
- Noodles
- Ricotta mixture
- Mozzarella slices
- Meat sauce
- Parmesan cheese
- Repeat the layers, then top with the remaining Parmesan.
How Long to Cook Lasagna
The assembled lasagna should take about 50 minutes to cook in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F. Cover it with foil for the first 25 minutes, then let it cook uncovered for the final 25 minutes. Also, it's important to let the lasagna rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you cut into it.
What to Serve With Lasagna
Wondering what goes with lasagna? We’ve got you covered. Check out our collection of 12 Easy Side Dishes for Lasagna for delicious serving inspiration. These are a few of the recipes you’ll find:
How to Reheat Lasagna
You can use the microwave to reheat lasagna if you're in a pinch or short on time, but be aware that it will change the texture of the noodles. The best way to reheat lasagna is in the oven. Simply cover the leftovers with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about half an hour, or until it's heated through and the sauce is bubbly.
How to Freeze Lasagna
If you're planning to freeze lasagna, it's best to cook it in a foil baking dish. Allow the casserole to cool, then cover the whole thing in at least one layer of storage wrap. Wrap it again in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to three months.
How to Reheat Frozen Lasagna
Thaw the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator overnight, then follow the reheating instructions above. If you don't have time to thaw in the fridge, you can reheat it from frozen — just make sure to add a few minutes to the cook time to ensure the dish is heated through.
Learn more: How to Freeze the 10 Most Common Leftovers
Cookdap Community Tips and Praise
“We live in St. Louis where we have fabulous Italian food,” says meyerrachelle. “This lasagna could’ve come from any of the well-known restaurants in our area. My family was raving about it! The sauce is absolutely amazing! This is definitely a keeper! It lives up to its name.”
“The sweet Italian sausage and ground beef combo along with the sauce were very flavorful,” says one Cookdap community member. “Yeah it may take a while but it is so worth it. Team it with garlic bread and a salad and you’ll be very satisfied.”
“Absolutely phenomenal,” raves Amanda Simopoulos. “Fair warning: once you’ve made this, going back to a frozen lasagna will be impossible. It is somewhat time consuming but not difficult. My house smells delectable every time I make it!
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Step 1
Gather all your ingredients.
Step 2
Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.
Step 3
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
Step 5
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Step 7
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Step 8
Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Step 9
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
Step 10
Rest lasagna for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 12 | |
| Calories 448 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat21g | 27% |
| Saturated Fat10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol82mg | 27% |
| Sodium1400mg | 61% |
| Total Carbohydrate37g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars9g | |
| Protein30g | |
| Vitamin C17mg | 84% |
| Calcium442mg | 34% |
| Iron4mg | 23% |
| Potassium876mg | 19% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
Powered by the ESHA Research Database ? 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved
source by allrecipe
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Really the best!!! The only one that is truly like my grandmother’s. The combination of ground beef AND sausage can’t be beat!
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Not easy, not quick. But oh, it is sooooo worth the wait and the work. I used turkey Italian sausage to cut out some fat, and it was great.
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Not easy, not quick. But oh, it is sooooo worth the wait and the work. I used turkey Italian sausage to cut out some fat, and it was great.
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Absolutely the best. Used Italian tomatoes, paste & sauce & fresh lasagna. Everyone loved it!
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Delicious! I used 1 lb beef, 1 lb sausage filling (casings removed) and colby jack cheese as well as mozzarella.
It is better the next day, and the meat sauce is just as good on its own, on spaghetti, etc. Wonderful recipe. -
Delicious! I used 1 lb beef, 1 lb sausage filling (casings removed) and colby jack cheese as well as mozzarella.
It is better the next day, and the meat sauce is just as good on its own, on spaghetti, etc. Wonderful recipe. -
I make this sauce by itself all the time to use with spaghetti. I also use ground turkey breast and turkey sausage to cut down on the fat and it’s really, really good. Everyone who has tried it loves it!
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I make this sauce by itself all the time to use with spaghetti. I also use ground turkey breast and turkey sausage to cut down on the fat and it’s really, really good. Everyone who has tried it loves it!
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This is almost my exact recipe for lasagne – except I like to use hot italian sausage and add some chopped mushrooms to the sauce while it is simmering. A dash or two of a good red wine to the sauce isn’t a bad addition either. This is an absolutely wonderful dish – a little time consuming, but worth every minute!!
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This recipie was time consuming but easy enough. I was so pleased with it – my husband and I were so busy gobbling it up that I forgot to serve the garlic bread that I had made. My 14 month old was just shoveling it in, going “yum, yum.” 🙂 Somewhere along the line, it ended up too salty, so I would adjust that. I used the oven ready lasagna noodles. Sauce would be excellent just over pasta. Couldn’t stop stealing some as it was simmering! Am afraid to make this for my Mom – don’t want to hurt her feelings – she’s worked a long time perfecting hers, but WOW this one was better than Mom’s. Thanks for the recipie!
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THIS IS THE MOST DELICIOUS LASAGNA I HAVE EVER EATEN…TIME CONSUMING BUT WORTH IT !!!
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This Lasanga is delicious. I used this recipe the first time I made lasanga, and I will probably never try another recipe. People beg for me to make it…
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Yummy! Takes some time to prepare but it’s worth the effort. The only change I’ll make next time is to reduce the salt by about 1/2 and throw in some other veggies like celery, mushrooms or maybe some red or green peppers. This will be a regular in our home!
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Very, very good lasagna. My husband and daughter truly loved this recipe, but my picky eater son did not. His loss! This recipe does take some time to assemble, but is worth the effort if you’re craving a good lasagna. We made the sauce the day before and that seemed to help.
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I usually throw a lasagne together but decided to try this one. We thought it was excellent, and I used a soy-based sausage and didn’t have quite enough mozzaarella so used colby. I’d recommend following the recipe closely; I think it is how it is put together that makes it good. I had more than enough sauce so set some aside for baked eggplant later.
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This is really a finger licking World’s best Lasagna !!
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Now I am not a cook but this impressed everyone! The only thing I added was marinated mushrooms. My husband, who is an excellant cook, really loved it. It did take a little time and made a mess in my kitchen but was well worth it.
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I made this for my boyfriend on his birthday, He loved it. I thought it was wonderful also.
The best I have ever made. -
I made this for my boyfriend on his birthday, He loved it. I thought it was wonderful also.
The best I have ever made. -
Absolutely the world’s best. I have made this with beef, and also with ground turkey and turkey sausage… it is equally as good as my dad’s world’s famous lasagna (which is saying a lot)
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Absolutely the world’s best. I have made this with beef, and also with ground turkey and turkey sausage… it is equally as good as my dad’s world’s famous lasagna (which is saying a lot)
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Good stuff! A bit too sweet & a bit too salty — I would cut both the sugar & salt in half. Otherwise very good though, will replace my other lasagna recipes for this one. It is essential to simmer the sauce for at least an hour and a half, more if you have time.
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Good stuff! A bit too sweet & a bit too salty — I would cut both the sugar & salt in half. Otherwise very good though, will replace my other lasagna recipes for this one. It is essential to simmer the sauce for at least an hour and a half, more if you have time.
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This was a great lasagna. I especially like the sauce – wonderful flavor. I would cut the amount of meat & sausage to 1# total, however. It seemed like too much meat to me. I will keep this recipe & make again.
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This was a great lasagna. I especially like the sauce – wonderful flavor. I would cut the amount of meat & sausage to 1# total, however. It seemed like too much meat to me. I will keep this recipe & make again.
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This lasagna was so good. I will continue to make it. It was a big hit with all who ate it. I would not change anything about it. The sauce was excellent!
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The sausage adds a nice bite to traditional lasagna. The best I have made or tasted so far.
Thanks for posting it. -
John Chandler is THE MAN!!! This is the best lasagna I have ever made!! It’s totally worth the extra work. The seasoning is perfect and it’s very meaty. I could go on and on about how great this recipe is but I won’t…I made this recipe as a “first dinner” date recipe and let’s just say I fooled my new beau into thinking I’m an excellent cook!! John, you rule!!!
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This must be one of the best recipes for Lasagna, Robust, Full of flavor and hearty, Great With Garlic Bread.Husband loves it, Grandchildren loves it,Takes time to fix but worth it,Thank you John for sharing it!
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Very good,the longer the sauce cooks the better!!
I made half with ricotta mixture and the other half with cottage cheese,eggs and mozzarella, just because my husband doesn’t like ricotta, I took the left overs to the office and it was a hit! thanx for a good recipe -
This sauce for this lasagna was the best I’ve ever tasted. (I also reduced the amount of sugar and salt.) For my son’s birthday party, I was looking for the best lasagna recipe. I’ve found it!
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This sauce for this lasagna was the best I’ve ever tasted. (I also reduced the amount of sugar and salt.) For my son’s birthday party, I was looking for the best lasagna recipe. I’ve found it!
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Well, my husband still likes mine that I make with sauce from a jar better. Oh well, it’s easier for me!
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Well, my husband still likes mine that I make with sauce from a jar better. Oh well, it’s easier for me!
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Well, I’m from singapore and putting together this dish set me back by at least US$12 which i think is a lot of money for a lasanga. I made some changes like using fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones, adding some diced celery n a lot more pepper. This is dish is good, very good but it is not excellent. I’d possibly continue using this for the lack of a better one.
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Well, I’m from singapore and putting together this dish set me back by at least US$12 which i think is a lot of money for a lasanga. I made some changes like using fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones, adding some diced celery n a lot more pepper. This is dish is good, very good but it is not excellent. I’d possibly continue using this for the lack of a better one.
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This recipe was scrumptious!! I will definitely be making it again. My husband loved it!!I cut back on the sugar and salt just a little. From now on this will be my lasagna recipe!!
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This recipe was scrumptious!! I will definitely be making it again. My husband loved it!!I cut back on the sugar and salt just a little. From now on this will be my lasagna recipe!!
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WE LOVED IT! Took half the afternoon to prepare, but well worth it. Can’t wait to have the leftovers tonight!
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WE LOVED IT! Took half the afternoon to prepare, but well worth it. Can’t wait to have the leftovers tonight!
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Although we found this recipe is good tasting, it took a lot longer to make than what was posted on the recipe, but it might be faster with a food processor.
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AWESOME recipe!!!!!
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I have never made my own lasagna before and I was very excited to try this one. I recently had stomach surgery so I can’t eat big chunks of meat so what I did was cook both the sausage and ground beef until browned and then put them into my food processor and then they came out with the texture of fine ground meat. My family raved about my meat sauce and said they had never had anything like that. It was SOOOO good! I recommend you don’t try and grind up the meat until it is cooked, it will stick to the blade. Also I would not add the salt next time, this dish was too salty. I also would not add quite that much sausage. I would only add 1/2 pound sausage as it was salty due to too much sausage really. You can up the beef to 1 pound then. Those changes made, this is an ideal family homestyle recipe that I will now use as my own. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Great find!
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I loved the sausage in this recipe, however the recipe wasn’t worth the amount of time I spent preparing this lasagna. Will try something quicker next time.
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Excellent! some of the best lasagna we’ve had. I did cut the sugar in half as suggested & it was perfect. Didn’t find it to be that much work.
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Excellent! some of the best lasagna we’ve had. I did cut the sugar in half as suggested & it was perfect. Didn’t find it to be that much work.
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This is truly the best! I made it for a group of friends and they have been talking about it for MONTHS. The sausage really makes it according to everyone. It give this lasagna a new texture and really tickles the taste buds. I also had a friend that couldn’t make it and the leftovers were just a great.
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This is by far the best lasagna recipe I have tried and I have been making lasagna for years. Thanks, John.
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This is the GREATEST Lasagna EVER. Thank you for the recipe. IT is just like grandma makes. After it was all gone we wanted more.
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Wonderful. I haven’t made it in a while because it does take a while, but it has been requested again by my family. I do recommend going lighter on the salt and adding brown sugar to cut down on the salt produced by the tomatoes, but it is well worth it. Do not do it unless you have time to let the sauce simmer and don’t rush it because you will burn it if you try. I use a crock pot and let it simmer there. It is absolutely superb.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I don’t eat a lot of meat so I removed all the meat and replaced it with spinach, mushrooms, and zuchinni (all fresh), but this time I will try it with meat.
Enjoy.
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I think the best part of this recipe is how your house smells while the sauce is simmering. Delicious!!! The lasagna is very good; it might need a little bit more sauce. Good recipe for a lasagna that tastes like Grandma’s. Thanks!
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I think the best part of this recipe is how your house smells while the sauce is simmering. Delicious!!! The lasagna is very good; it might need a little bit more sauce. Good recipe for a lasagna that tastes like Grandma’s. Thanks!
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Whooo! Whooo! This was my first-ever attempt at lasagna of any kind & my boyfriend went CRAZY for it!!
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This recipe kicks lasagna butt. It has officially replaced any other lasagna recipe I have used or would even consider using in the future.
I cooked the sauce for 4 hours, and will cook it even longer next time – it just gets better and better. My suggestions: no sugar, no salt, hot italian sausages. I made Terri McCarrell’s “Foccaccia Bread” recipe, and came up with my new most FAVORITE meal. -
This recipe kicks lasagna butt. It has officially replaced any other lasagna recipe I have used or would even consider using in the future.
I cooked the sauce for 4 hours, and will cook it even longer next time – it just gets better and better. My suggestions: no sugar, no salt, hot italian sausages. I made Terri McCarrell’s “Foccaccia Bread” recipe, and came up with my new most FAVORITE meal. -
John, thanks. I had to prove to my husband that his mother’s lasagna recipe wasn’t “all that.” I used your recipe as a starting point. He will never ask me to make hers again. Thank you. I added some veggies and used hot sausage. You have a superb recipe.
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This was absolutely *perfect* lasagna! It didn’t matter that the filling needed to simmer for as long as it did because it made my Italian husband drool for hours. Thanks for a wonderful meal!
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This was absolutely *perfect* lasagna! It didn’t matter that the filling needed to simmer for as long as it did because it made my Italian husband drool for hours. Thanks for a wonderful meal!
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This dish lived up to its name – I received so many compiments when I served this for friends.
I did add about 2 tbsp red wine vinegar as the dish was a trifle too sweet for me.
If you don’t have all the ingredients listed you can fool around a little by making some changes: substituting some of the sweet sausage with more beef; replacing the tomato paste and sauce with marinara sauce. The quality of the recipe is not compromised.
This recipe has replaced my old standard. -
The absolute best! Made for a dinner party and it was fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
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The absolute best! Made for a dinner party and it was fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
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This was the most amazing lasagna I’ve EVER had!!! And I made it myself – on my first attempt at making lasagna no less!! 🙂 I’m not a big fan of ricotta cheese, so I used considerably less than was called for – and added grated romano. I also used less salt. Took a long time to prepare (probably more to do with my inexperience)- but my guests were truly wow’d!! Had very little leftover – but microwaved it the next day and was still amazing!! I’ve e-mailed it to everyone I know!
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This was the most amazing lasagna I’ve EVER had!!! And I made it myself – on my first attempt at making lasagna no less!! 🙂 I’m not a big fan of ricotta cheese, so I used considerably less than was called for – and added grated romano. I also used less salt. Took a long time to prepare (probably more to do with my inexperience)- but my guests were truly wow’d!! Had very little leftover – but microwaved it the next day and was still amazing!! I’ve e-mailed it to everyone I know!
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I have to constantly share this recipe with my family, they love it! I also tried to make the sauce a day or two before to ease prep time and it works wonderfullY!
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This lasagna lives up to its reputation! Everyone kept saying that it was the best lasagna they’d ever tasted, and there was none left at the end of the evening. The Italian sweet sausage makes the difference, in my opinion (I’ll never make a lasagna with just ground beef again), although I did follow some of the other reviewers’ suggestions and cut back on the salt. I didn’t find it difficult to cook at all; about as hard as cooking a pot roast.
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this is the best i’ve ever tried, my husband says it’s resturant quality… we did double the amount of ricotta and add a little shreaded motzerella to it, i just wasn’t gonna have enough to spred for 2 layers with the original amount. It is the best lasagna ever!!THANK YOU!
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this is the best i’ve ever tried, my husband says it’s resturant quality… we did double the amount of ricotta and add a little shreaded motzerella to it, i just wasn’t gonna have enough to spred for 2 layers with the original amount. It is the best lasagna ever!!THANK YOU!
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My wife was knocked-out by this one. I followed John’s instructions to the letter, except for adding 1 TBS of dried hot-chili peppers, and this was by far the best lasagna either of us has ever had. Thank you for sharing.
David
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My wife was knocked-out by this one. I followed John’s instructions to the letter, except for adding 1 TBS of dried hot-chili peppers, and this was by far the best lasagna either of us has ever had. Thank you for sharing.
David
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This lasagne was okay, but way too much work. I’ve made simpler versions that tasted better.
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This lasagne was okay, but way too much work. I’ve made simpler versions that tasted better.
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I’ve been meaning to make this for a while, & finally got around to it. It was a last minute decision, so I didn’t have time to make the sauce from scratch. Instead, I used 1 1/2 jars of Barilla tomato-basil sauce in lieu of all the other tomato ingredients, while including all herbs and onions in the recipe. Also used fresh ground pork instead of the sweet Italian sausage, since that was what I had on hand, and the instand Lasagne noodles (so much easier!). My 20 mo. old daughter and 3 1/2 yr. old son inhaled it, as did DH and myself. Will def make again.
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I’ve been meaning to make this for a while, & finally got around to it. It was a last minute decision, so I didn’t have time to make the sauce from scratch. Instead, I used 1 1/2 jars of Barilla tomato-basil sauce in lieu of all the other tomato ingredients, while including all herbs and onions in the recipe. Also used fresh ground pork instead of the sweet Italian sausage, since that was what I had on hand, and the instand Lasagne noodles (so much easier!). My 20 mo. old daughter and 3 1/2 yr. old son inhaled it, as did DH and myself. Will def make again.
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I don’t even like lasagna, and this is EXCELLENT!!! It truly is the “world’s best!!” I will make this one again & again.
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I don’t even like lasagna, and this is EXCELLENT!!! It truly is the “world’s best!!” I will make this one again & again.
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I have made this recipe 3 times in the last year for parties of at least 40 people. It is always a hit. What amazes me is when I had the recipe enlarged for that many people it came out to the exact amount I needed. The first time I made it I did add cream cheese to the filling mixure-it was to die for. I never cook my noodles first, so I added red wine to the sauce so that there would be enought moisture for the noodles. I always cook it once either the day before or earlier in the day, and then reheat and let it rest. It is the best-Had to use my Turkey deep fry pan to make all that sauce in though. Will make this again and again. Thanks.
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This is good but, allot of work. I have had other recipes that are just as good and not as time consuming. I will probably just stick to my old recipe the next time. The original says it serves 8 and it is more like 10 or 12. There is no way to get this into a 9 x 13 dish and I had to use a large roasting pan which it almost didn’t fit and it still bubbled over.
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Great on taste! I followed this recipe exactly. My only (big) dilema was that the top layer of cheeses stuck to the foil. You really Have to use a bigger pan than called for or tent/omit the foil.
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Great on taste! I followed this recipe exactly. My only (big) dilema was that the top layer of cheeses stuck to the foil. You really Have to use a bigger pan than called for or tent/omit the foil.
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Wonderful! The blend of the ground beef and Italian sausage was good. I did use the Barilla Lasagna noodles, that don’t have to be boiled first, an no one knew. I did use my own sauce recipe only because my family won’t eart anything with chunks of tomatoes in it. All in all it was a great recipe and will make it again.
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Wonderful! The blend of the ground beef and Italian sausage was good. I did use the Barilla Lasagna noodles, that don’t have to be boiled first, an no one knew. I did use my own sauce recipe only because my family won’t eart anything with chunks of tomatoes in it. All in all it was a great recipe and will make it again.
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Finally found an excellent recipe for lasagna. The only changes I did was to use 1# gr. beef, 1/2# sausage which is what I had on hand, also only used one can of tomato paste (my sauce was plenty thick) and as with other reviewers did cut the salt down (1 Tsp.) But still had a bit of a saltiness to it, don’t know why. But today I reheated a piece and it had no saltiness at all. Only 9 of 12 noodles would fit in my lasagna pan. Will pitch my other lasagna recipes and stick with this one…Thank you John for sharing this wonderful recipe. Carrie
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Finally found an excellent recipe for lasagna. The only changes I did was to use 1# gr. beef, 1/2# sausage which is what I had on hand, also only used one can of tomato paste (my sauce was plenty thick) and as with other reviewers did cut the salt down (1 Tsp.) But still had a bit of a saltiness to it, don’t know why. But today I reheated a piece and it had no saltiness at all. Only 9 of 12 noodles would fit in my lasagna pan. Will pitch my other lasagna recipes and stick with this one…Thank you John for sharing this wonderful recipe. Carrie
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My husband says this is the best lasagna ever! I omitted the onion though.
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My husband says this is the best lasagna ever! I omitted the onion though.
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The Best Lasagna…bar none.
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The Best Lasagna…bar none.
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The lasagna was dry and hard to make. I’m not sure if I did something wrong! I would definately used grated cheese next time!
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The taste was pretty good however it was too “meaty” for me. My husband LOVED IT!!!!!! This recipe takes work and I asked him if it was worth the wait and he nodded and grunted a “yes”. This is extremely satisfying and HEAVY. Literally HEAVY. I do have to admit it is the best lasagne I have ever used.
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The taste was pretty good however it was too “meaty” for me. My husband LOVED IT!!!!!! This recipe takes work and I asked him if it was worth the wait and he nodded and grunted a “yes”. This is extremely satisfying and HEAVY. Literally HEAVY. I do have to admit it is the best lasagne I have ever used.
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I have taken it to work and everyone wanted the recipe including the Italians!! Now once I got my daughter to make it and it turned out dry like one of the other reviews mentioned and I think she over cooked it. Mine is never dry. It is moist, meaty, the right amount of tomato sauce and cheese. It is the best recipe I have ever found.
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this lasagna is great, it is well worth the effort!
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The very best I’ve ever made . . . with a few changes to the sauce – red wine instead of water, omit the sugar & salt & add 1/2 tsp cinnamon (from my Italian Nona). Save time & energy by replacing the cooked lasagna noodles with layers of uncooked won ton wrappers which are basically an uncooked noodle. No one will know the difference except to say how great it is because the noodles are not so thick.
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The very best I’ve ever made . . . with a few changes to the sauce – red wine instead of water, omit the sugar & salt & add 1/2 tsp cinnamon (from my Italian Nona). Save time & energy by replacing the cooked lasagna noodles with layers of uncooked won ton wrappers which are basically an uncooked noodle. No one will know the difference except to say how great it is because the noodles are not so thick.
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Incredible. I even use the recipe for just the sauce, but only use half the meat, and then toss in my meatballs.
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Incredible. I even use the recipe for just the sauce, but only use half the meat, and then toss in my meatballs.
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The best lasagna we have ever made!!!!!!!!!
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The best lasagna we have ever made!!!!!!!!!
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I haven’t made this but it sounds almost exactly like a recipe I’ve been making for 25 years. It an old McCall’s Cooking School recipe I received in the mail. I make it in my regular Lasagne pan and my husband won’t share with anybody. He will eat this stuff for days until it’s all gone. Excellent recipe!
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I haven’t made this but it sounds almost exactly like a recipe I’ve been making for 25 years. It an old McCall’s Cooking School recipe I received in the mail. I make it in my regular Lasagne pan and my husband won’t share with anybody. He will eat this stuff for days until it’s all gone. Excellent recipe!
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Excellent Recipe! Made this for a group of people yesterday and got 2 thumbs up. The only thing I would try next time is to cut down on the Italian sausage and use more ground beef.
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Excellent Recipe! Made this for a group of people yesterday and got 2 thumbs up. The only thing I would try next time is to cut down on the Italian sausage and use more ground beef.
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This is a great recipe for lasagna. I wouldn’t say it is the best in the world, but it may be the best I’ve made. it’s pretty meaty with a great long cooked sauce taste. The filling is delicious. I do think that the extra work is worth the effort, but there are some excellent jarred sauces out there that you could substitute with good results. It makes a lot of lasagna. I needed to use two pans (an 9 1/2″ by 11″ and and 8″ by 8″) and shared with our neighbors. I tasted an excellent lasagna in a local restaurant and I was hoping that this would compare to that experience. I think we would like it a little bit spicier. I plan to try this recipe again and will either use spicy sausage or add cayenne pepper.
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This is a great recipe for lasagna. I wouldn’t say it is the best in the world, but it may be the best I’ve made. it’s pretty meaty with a great long cooked sauce taste. The filling is delicious. I do think that the extra work is worth the effort, but there are some excellent jarred sauces out there that you could substitute with good results. It makes a lot of lasagna. I needed to use two pans (an 9 1/2″ by 11″ and and 8″ by 8″) and shared with our neighbors. I tasted an excellent lasagna in a local restaurant and I was hoping that this would compare to that experience. I think we would like it a little bit spicier. I plan to try this recipe again and will either use spicy sausage or add cayenne pepper.
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This was very good despite my attempt to make it healthy. Here’s my changes — used sweet Italian turkey sausage; used Boca crumbles instead of ground beef; used 1 15 oz. can diced tomato instead of tomato sauce because that’s all I had; used red wine instead of water; added a scant 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon (which I later regretted as that was all I could taste–had to add a LOT more salt and Italian seasoning to remove the taste); used a mixture of tofu Italian shredded cheese and shredded mozzarella; didn’t bother with the parsley. I wouldn’t bother with the fennel seeds either as they could not be tasted. I made the sauce in advance and froze it until I had time to put together the lasagna. My husband wasn’t too thrilled with it but he’s pretty picky so I wouldn’t go by his taste buds. I’ll make it again when I have time though.
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This was very good despite my attempt to make it healthy. Here’s my changes — used sweet Italian turkey sausage; used Boca crumbles instead of ground beef; used 1 15 oz. can diced tomato instead of tomato sauce because that’s all I had; used red wine instead of water; added a scant 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon (which I later regretted as that was all I could taste–had to add a LOT more salt and Italian seasoning to remove the taste); used a mixture of tofu Italian shredded cheese and shredded mozzarella; didn’t bother with the parsley. I wouldn’t bother with the fennel seeds either as they could not be tasted. I made the sauce in advance and froze it until I had time to put together the lasagna. My husband wasn’t too thrilled with it but he’s pretty picky so I wouldn’t go by his taste buds. I’ll make it again when I have time though.
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This is comfort food at its best! I made it for my mom’s birthday party, and the entire family loved it – it’s a very hearty and satisfying dish. Everyone kept having seconds! We did have extra sauce leftover when we were finished assembling it – we’ll have that served over pasta tomorrow night. I did reduce the salt by half as other reviewers suggested and did not miss it one bit. Next time I’ll add some mushrooms to the sauce mixture. I did turn the oven on broil for the last minute of cooking time – just enough to get the cheese on top bubbling. This recipe is a definite keeper!
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This is comfort food at its best! I made it for my mom’s birthday party, and the entire family loved it – it’s a very hearty and satisfying dish. Everyone kept having seconds! We did have extra sauce leftover when we were finished assembling it – we’ll have that served over pasta tomorrow night. I did reduce the salt by half as other reviewers suggested and did not miss it one bit. Next time I’ll add some mushrooms to the sauce mixture. I did turn the oven on broil for the last minute of cooking time – just enough to get the cheese on top bubbling. This recipe is a definite keeper!
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All I can say is thank you! I was cooking for my boyfriend for the first time when I asked him what he would like for dinner. His response was lasagna but he also added in that his mom makes it for him and he LOVES his mom’s lasagna. Well, let’s just say this recipe gave his mom a run for her money! It did take a little time to prepare but with the response I got from making this dish it was well worth it!
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This was excellent! My husband liked it but wished I would have left out the fennel. Next time I think I’ll do that and add some oregano instead.
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This was excellent! My husband liked it but wished I would have left out the fennel. Next time I think I’ll do that and add some oregano instead.
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I’ve convinced 3 (now-ex) boyfriends, my husband, and even a couple Italian friends at school that I make the most incredible lasagna they’ve ever tasted with this recipe. I make it pretty much as shown, except if I have the time, I let the sauce simmer on the stove as long as possible. I also add a bit of whatever red wine I have on hand to the sauce. And I try to make a double recipe, so I can use the sauce for other things – it works wonderfully for Chicken Parmesan, plain ol’ spaghetti, and anywhere else you’d use a red sauce.
Everything tastes better the second day, too. Oh, one more thing – I never boil my noodles. I simply buy regular dried noodles, and make sure I have plenty of sauce in the lasagna. It cooks long enough that the noodles boil in the oven, and you end up with a lasagna that isn’t runny and holds its shape well.
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I’ve convinced 3 (now-ex) boyfriends, my husband, and even a couple Italian friends at school that I make the most incredible lasagna they’ve ever tasted with this recipe. I make it pretty much as shown, except if I have the time, I let the sauce simmer on the stove as long as possible. I also add a bit of whatever red wine I have on hand to the sauce. And I try to make a double recipe, so I can use the sauce for other things – it works wonderfully for Chicken Parmesan, plain ol’ spaghetti, and anywhere else you’d use a red sauce.
Everything tastes better the second day, too. Oh, one more thing – I never boil my noodles. I simply buy regular dried noodles, and make sure I have plenty of sauce in the lasagna. It cooks long enough that the noodles boil in the oven, and you end up with a lasagna that isn’t runny and holds its shape well.
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This is the WORLDS best lasagna. I made this for my husbands birthday dinner (lasagna is his favorite) and even he said it was the best lasagna he’d ever tasted. I served the leftovers last night for my husband and I and my mom and dad and they all RAVED. I slightly altered the recipe : used hot sausage instead of sweet, used 3/4 lb sausage and 1 1/4 lb lean ground sirlion, used only one can of tomato paste (it looked thick enough after 1) added a dash of red wine to the sauce, and added 8 oz of cream cheese to the ricotta mixture ( I am not a big ricotta fan). This was amazing. I let the sauce simmer for about 2 hours and I layered it exactly like the directions. I think it would be just as awesome without these changes, mostly family taste preferences. Though it took awhile for the sauce to simmer I found it to be very easy and wonderful! THanks so much for my new lasagna recipe! Im sure i will make it often!
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This is the WORLDS best lasagna. I made this for my husbands birthday dinner (lasagna is his favorite) and even he said it was the best lasagna he’d ever tasted. I served the leftovers last night for my husband and I and my mom and dad and they all RAVED. I slightly altered the recipe : used hot sausage instead of sweet, used 3/4 lb sausage and 1 1/4 lb lean ground sirlion, used only one can of tomato paste (it looked thick enough after 1) added a dash of red wine to the sauce, and added 8 oz of cream cheese to the ricotta mixture ( I am not a big ricotta fan). This was amazing. I let the sauce simmer for about 2 hours and I layered it exactly like the directions. I think it would be just as awesome without these changes, mostly family taste preferences. Though it took awhile for the sauce to simmer I found it to be very easy and wonderful! THanks so much for my new lasagna recipe! Im sure i will make it often!
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Excellent lasagna. I used hot italian sausage plus ground beef; 2 large cans of tomato puree; substituted the water with about 1/4 c. red wine, and added extra of all the spices. Have enough extra sauce to use on another pasta dish.
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WOW this was great my wife could not believe her husband could make this. I loved this recipe spending the afternoon in the kitchen was great.
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WOW this was great my wife could not believe her husband could make this. I loved this recipe spending the afternoon in the kitchen was great.
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By far my favorite lasagna, I even use the sauce recipe now for my spaghetti sauce. Love it
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By far my favorite lasagna, I even use the sauce recipe now for my spaghetti sauce. Love it
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This is THE lasagna recipe I’ve been looking for. I used to make this years ago but lost the recipe in a fire. I used hot Italian sausage instead of the sweet, and a little extra mozzarella cheese. I divided it this time too–a 9×9 pan for hubby & me to share and 2 smaller pans (7-1/2×4) to give away (one to a family friend going through a rough time and one to my mother-in-law). This is truly the best lasagna recipe. I’m so glad I found it again!
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This is THE lasagna recipe I’ve been looking for. I used to make this years ago but lost the recipe in a fire. I used hot Italian sausage instead of the sweet, and a little extra mozzarella cheese. I divided it this time too–a 9×9 pan for hubby & me to share and 2 smaller pans (7-1/2×4) to give away (one to a family friend going through a rough time and one to my mother-in-law). This is truly the best lasagna recipe. I’m so glad I found it again!
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Great recipe. I used a spicy sausage with Gourmet mozzarella, and parmesean. Heavy on the cheese. Was a hit with the crowd. It even had compliments like, “better than mom’s.”
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I’ve always made good lasagna but this is the best recipe I’ve ever tried. The sauce is awesome — not too sweet, not too tart. I used my home canned chunky spaghetti sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes. This was a real hit at our house.
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I’ve always made good lasagna but this is the best recipe I’ve ever tried. The sauce is awesome — not too sweet, not too tart. I used my home canned chunky spaghetti sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes. This was a real hit at our house.
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This lasagna is wonderful! I did use the larger container of ricotta and added an additional layer of noodles on top (topped with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan). I will definitely make this again.
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This lasagna is wonderful! I did use the larger container of ricotta and added an additional layer of noodles on top (topped with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan). I will definitely make this again.
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Made this recipe today, it was great! Left out the fennel and added some nutmeg.
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Made this recipe today, it was great! Left out the fennel and added some nutmeg.
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This recipe rocks… Easy to make easy to chow down every last bite.
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This recipe rocks… Easy to make easy to chow down every last bite.
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My in-laws came to visit for the weekend, so I made this recipe. They seemed to like it very much, and I don’t think they were just being polite. I thought the sauce was amazing! I made the entire thing according to the directions and I thought it was fabulous.
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My in-laws came to visit for the weekend, so I made this recipe. They seemed to like it very much, and I don’t think they were just being polite. I thought the sauce was amazing! I made the entire thing according to the directions and I thought it was fabulous.
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this was my first lasagna and it came out wonderful, i added chopped fresh spinach to the cheese mixture and it tasted great…thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
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this was my first lasagna and it came out wonderful, i added chopped fresh spinach to the cheese mixture and it tasted great…thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
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My husband thought this was good, but I didn’t care for it much (perhaps because if I spend three hours cooking something it better be awesome). We both agreed that Costco lasagnas are more worth it considering ease and expense.
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My husband thought this was good, but I didn’t care for it much (perhaps because if I spend three hours cooking something it better be awesome). We both agreed that Costco lasagnas are more worth it considering ease and expense.
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My wife and I had very high hopes for this recipe since it got such good reviews. We thought it was pretty good, but certainly not the best lasagna we’ve tasted.
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My wife and I had very high hopes for this recipe since it got such good reviews. We thought it was pretty good, but certainly not the best lasagna we’ve tasted.
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My family thought that this lasagna was great!!!!! We do not alway agree, but this time we all loved it.
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This was the best lasagna I’ve ever tasted! Even my kids went back for seconds. The only change I made was to cut the ricotta by half and add a layer of provalone cheese. Im done searching for a better recipe!!
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Lives up to it’s name – great lasagna!!
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Lives up to it’s name – great lasagna!!
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Lots of prep time, but so worth it.
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Lots of prep time, but so worth it.
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This really IS the world’s best lasagna! Every person who has sampled this has gone nuts! The only thing I changed is that I cut the salt by half and the sugar by half. The salt/sweetness in the sausage more than makes up for this omission. I also used whole wheat lasagna and you couldn’t even tell the difference (no graininess or chewiness) and it added a lot more fiber (for those of you Atkins/SouthBeach dieters wanting an indulgence). The second time I made it, I added some drained and thawed spinach to the cheese mixture and that made it even better. Thank you for this masterpiece!
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This really IS the world’s best lasagna! Every person who has sampled this has gone nuts! The only thing I changed is that I cut the salt by half and the sugar by half. The salt/sweetness in the sausage more than makes up for this omission. I also used whole wheat lasagna and you couldn’t even tell the difference (no graininess or chewiness) and it added a lot more fiber (for those of you Atkins/SouthBeach dieters wanting an indulgence). The second time I made it, I added some drained and thawed spinach to the cheese mixture and that made it even better. Thank you for this masterpiece!
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I made 2 batches of this for lunch yesterday, and everyone loved it. It made more meatsauce than necessary, and I only used 6 lasagna noodles for each pan. Next time I may cut back on the salt. All in all it was a great recipe.
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Excellent lasagne!!! I read and re-read all the reviews and the only changes I made were to cut the sugar in half, skip the salt and omit the fennel. It came out absolutely perfect!! I would recommend the Barilla lasagna because it fits 12 noodles just right in the pan and you don’t have to cook them ahead of time. Thanks for my permanent lasagne recipe!!!
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What a fabulous recipe! I made two small changes though. We like lots of garlic so I used about 5 or 6 cloves and instead of water I used red wine. Can’t wait to have the leftovers for dinner tonight. This one’s a keeper!
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What a fabulous recipe! I made two small changes though. We like lots of garlic so I used about 5 or 6 cloves and instead of water I used red wine. Can’t wait to have the leftovers for dinner tonight. This one’s a keeper!
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This is the best Lasagna in the World ;-).
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This is the best Lasagna in the World ;-).
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This is the best recipe out there. I agree the only change I would make is not to add salt. Everything else is perfect!!!
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This is the best recipe out there. I agree the only change I would make is not to add salt. Everything else is perfect!!!
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This is an absolutely wonderful dish, and it was a real hit with my company. The only thing I changed was I added more cheese.
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This is an absolutely wonderful dish, and it was a real hit with my company. The only thing I changed was I added more cheese.
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I can’t say enough about this recipe. It is the best. For me, it was enough to make two pans. If you have enough sauce left, freeze it to pour over spaghetti for another meal.
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I can’t say enough about this recipe. It is the best. For me, it was enough to make two pans. If you have enough sauce left, freeze it to pour over spaghetti for another meal.
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