Recipe updated: April 25th, 2024
With plenty of lean ground beef, onions, minced garlic, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and just the right amount of spices, this homemade ricotta cheese lasagna is, for sure, the best lasagna recipe around town! And, we have this classic lasagna recipe right here for you to make for dinner tonight.
We will tell you how to make this easy lasagna recipe with simple ingredients that the whole family will love. It’s also very simple to make, too. Garlic bread, a side salad or veggies, and hot buttered green beans with lots of ground black pepper are our favorite side dishes.
🍽️ Lasagna Ingredients
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- 1 container of Ricotta cheese – 15 ounces
- 1 can of tomato sauce – 15 ounces
- 14 ½ ounces of whole tomatoes – do not drain
- 1/2 cup of chopped onions (1 medium-sized onion)
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley – one of the tablespoons will be used later
- 1 ½ teaspoons of dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 8 lasagna noodles (oven-ready noodles)
👩🍳 How to Make Homemade Ricotta Cheese Lasagna
These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.
Step 1. Preheat the Oven
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2. Chop the Onions
To begin with, chop 1 medium onion, about 1/2 cup. Depending on how big or small you like your onions to be, you can use your discretion whether to chop the onions or dice the onions. At least, in my opinion, it won’t make that much of a difference in the lasagna.
Step 3. Put Lean Ground Beef and Onions in Skillet
In a large skillet, add 1 pound of lean ground beef together with 1 medium chopped onion and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.
Step 4. Brown the Ground Beef Mixture
Then, brown the ground beef mixture over medium heat. As the ground beef is cooking, turn it over, mix it up, and chop it up while it cooks.
Step 5. Drain and Discard Grease
Keep browning the ground beef until there is no longer any pink showing. It usually takes about 20 minutes of cooking time, but that depends on the level of heat you are using compared to us. After the ground beef is brown, drain and discard any accumulated grease from the pan that you don’t want.
Step 6. Add the Seasonings
Next, add 2 tablespoons of parsley out of the 3 listed in the ingredients (we are saving 1 tablespoon for later) together with 1 teaspoon of basil, and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the ground beef mixture.
Step 7. Mix the Seasonings with the Ground Beef
Mix thoroughly while the ground beef mixture is still frying on the stove on medium heat.
Step 8. Add in the Tomato Ingredients
Then, add the 14 ½ ounce can of whole tomatoes, but do not drain them, and 1 can of tomato sauce – 15 ounces – to the ground beef mixture. Break up the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces with your spatula. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients we have in the frying pan so far.
Step 9. Bring to a Boil then Simmer
Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Then reduce the heat to simmer. Let the ground beef mixture simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until you can see it has slightly thickened.
Step 10. Prepare the Cheese Mixture
While the ground beef mixture is simmering on the stove, in a separate medium-sized bowl, put one 15 ounce size container of Ricotta cheese together with 1/4 cup (save the other 1/4 cup for later) of Parmesan cheese, 1 ½ teaspoon of dried oregano leaves, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley we saved earlier.
Step 11. Combine the Cheese Mixture
Mix the ricotta cheese mixture together until thoroughly blended.
Step 12. Remove the Ground Beef from Heat
In the meantime, the ground beef mixture has thickened, so remove the frying pan from the burner. In the next steps below, we are going to layer all the ingredients in a baking dish.
Step 13. Spread a Layer of Ground Beef
For the first layer, put “half” of the homemade meat sauce mixture in a 9×13 inch casserole dish, then spread it evenly in the bottom of the pan.
Note: You don’t need to spray the baking dish with cooking oil.
Step 14. Place a Layer of Lasagna Noodles
The second layer will be placing 4 (of the 8) oven-ready lasagna noodles on top of the ground beef mixture.
Note: If you prefer, you can use the traditional lasagna noodles that need to be boiled on the stove in hot water. Boil lasagna noodles according to the full instructions on the back of the package if you choose this option.
Step 15. Spread Half of the Ricotta Cheese Mixture
The third layer is the cheese layer. Using a spoon or spatula, spread “half” of the ricotta cheese filling mixture on top of the lasagna noodles.
Step 16. Toss on Half of the Mozzarella Cheese
The last layer will be the fourth layer (before we repeat the layers), is the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle “half” of the mozzarella cheese on the top of the ricotta cheese mixture.
Step 17. Repeat the Layers Again
We are now going to repeat all the layers, starting with the ground beef mixture. Spread the remaining ground beef mixture on top of the mozzarella cheese.
Step 18. Lay the Last Layer of Lasagna Noodles
Place the last 4 lasagna noodles on top of the ground beef mixture.
Step 19. Spread the Remaining Ricotta Cheese Mixture
Again, with a spoon or spatula, spread the last of the ricotta mixture on top of the lasagna noodles.
Step 20. Toss on the Rest of the Mozzarella Cheese
Then, sprinkle the last remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the ricotta cheese mixture.
Step 21. Sprinkle on the Parmesan Cheese
The final layer, or top layer, will be the rest of the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese that we saved earlier. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella cheese.
Step 22. Get the Lasagna Oven Ready
Place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the baking dish to cover the lasagna. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Step 23. Remove the Aluminum Foil and Bake Additional Minutes
After baking for 30 minutes, take the aluminum foil off of the baking dish and bake the lasagna for another 15 minutes until it is golden brown to your liking. After the lasagna has finished baking in the oven, it is now ready to serve.
⭐️ Recipe Variations for Homemade Ricotta Cheese Lasagna
- You can use cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese.
- Try using some fresh basil instead of the dried basil.
- Add some chopped sweet Italian sausage to the ground beef mixture, or use ground sausage instead of the ground beef.
❓ FAQs for Ricotta Cheese Lasagna
Put any leftover ricotta cheese lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, if you prefer, and you are going to eat it within a couple of days, you can leave it in the baking dish you used to bake it in, then cover it with the same aluminum foil you used.
You can also put it into a smaller baking dish and cover it with the lid that belongs to the dish or the same aluminum foil. The next night for dinner, reheat it in the microwave or the oven until hot. Do not store on the countertop at room temperature. Bad things can start to grow in it that can make you sick.
Yes, you can put leftover baked homemade ricotta cheese lasagna, or unbaked lasagna, in the freezer. Make sure to use a freezer-safe container. It should last in the freezer for about five months.
The best way to freeze baked lasagna, and also the easiest way to reheat frozen lasagna, is to cut individual slices before freezing it.
✏️ Final Thoughts
Experience our hot out of the oven delicious lasagna, with tender noodles, savory meat sauce and seasonings. The fresh mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese make it a classic recipe at its best!
This easy homemade lasagna is the perfect casserole dish to serve at weddings, funerals, and potlucks. It is also a great option to provide to families that are on meal train!
🗂️ Recipe Card
Homemade Ricotta Cheese Lasagna
🫕 Equipment
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 tub Ricotta cheese (15 ounces)
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
- 1 can whole tomatoes (14.5 ounces – do not drain)
- 1/2 cup medium-sized onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1 tsp minced garlic in water
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 8 lasagna noodles (oven-ready)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Preparing the Ground Beef Mixture
- Brown the ground beef, chopped onions, and garlic over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Browning takes approximately 20 minutes.
- Add two-thirds of the chopped parsley (save the other for later) to the ground beef mixture. Keep browning the ground beef until it is no longer pink.
- Drain to remove any accumulated fat.
- Add the basil, sugar, whole tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Break up the whole tomatoes with a fork.
- Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until slightly thickened.
Preparing the Cheese Mixture
- Mix the ricotta cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese (save the other half for later), oregano, and the rest of the chopped parsley we saved earlier.
Layering the Lasagna
- Use an ungreased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- First layer – half of the ground beef mixture.
- Second layer – half of the lasagna noodles.
- Third layer – half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
- Fourth layer – half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the four layers, ending with mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese we saved earlier.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.
*️⃣ Recipe Notes
- Garlic bread and buttered green beans with lots of ground black pepper are great side dishes.
- This lasagna recipe uses oven-ready lasagna noodles. If you prefer, you can use the lasagna noodles that are boiled in water. There is no difference in taste, just more work in the kitchen using the lasagna noodles that need to be boiled.
- Unbaked lasagna, covered with aluminum foil, can be put into the freezer for up to two months.
💑 More Recipes You Will Love
- A delightful chicken and broccoli lasagna that’s big on taste and flavor.
- When you are in a hurry, this is the best frozen lasagna I have ever eaten. Just pop it in the oven until it is done, and you will be surprised how good it is.
A wife, a mother to a son and a daughter, and a grandmother to three granddaughters. Flo loves sharing recipes passed down from her own mother, her mother-in-law, and her grandmother as well as new recipes created with her daughter, Tamara Ray.
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