My lasagna is very simple. Perhaps too simple for most people, but here goes.

First of all I use lasagna noodles that you don't have to boil.

For my sauce I use 1 big can of crushed tomatoes and 1 large jar of Ragu (plain). I fry 1 pack of ground beef (don't know the pounds, just an average pack from the grocery store) and add it to the sauce. I also add spices like garlic powder, onion powder, basil and oregano. In my ground beef I add a bit of salt (probably don't need it) and a chopped onion.

I use a glass lasagna dish. Not the 9x13 but a smaller one. If you want to use a 9x13 you'd probably need to double the sauce recipe.

Put a bit of sauce on the bottom of the dish (I don't grease the dish or anything). Then a layer of uncooked noodles and sprinkle with grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat until you come to the top of your dish, making sure to have a thick layer of grated mozzarella on top.

Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let stand about 1/2 hour before serving (I recover it with foil when I am letting it sit on the counter).

On www.allrecipes.com. The Worlds Best Lasagna. It is a traditional meat/cheese recipe but it is the sauce that makes it so good. It is their #1 rated recipe and has thousands of reviews.

Mine is very similar to caseynfl except, I use a jar of salsa to the Ragu. I don't use canned tomatoes anymore, I substitute salsa. I add Italian sausage to the ground beef (just squeeze it out of the casing), cook the ground beef and sausage mixture with garlic to taste, I always have a jar of garlic and use it a lot. Add mayonaise to the mixture(lets say a cup of mayo) and incorporate it well. How much depends really on how big a pan of lasagne you are making, I just eyeball it. The more filling the more mayo you need,, you want it moist. Layer of sauce, layer of meat, layer of cheese, repeat. Then I add more sauce over the last layer of meat, making sure all the lasagne is covered. For a large pan it's 2 jars of sauce and 2 of salsa. Then the last layer of cheese. Bake at 425 for approx 45 mins or until lasagne is done. I use regular lasagne and have for years. HTH

Everyone of these sound so good....Don't you usually sue ricotta cheese in lasagna?

I would be more inclined to use ricotta than mayo.

I use ricotta mixed with an egg in the layering. Noodles, ricotta mixture, meat sauce, parmesean, etc. My mom uses cottage cheese.

Sorry but like a good wine, cheap and easy lasagna doesn't always carry the day!! I would defy anyone to produce a better lasagna than in the attached link. Pasta & Co. is a wildly popular boutique deli here in Seattle and the owner has published a cookbook of some of the most popular recipes ('By Request' - available on Amazon). I pretty much grew up with this lasagna recipe - it was our family's go-to dinner for Christmas eve. A bit complicated and time consuming but so worth the effort!!

Pasta & Co lasagna

I use the no cook lasagna noodles. Cook and drain 1# ground beef. Ground beef can be fried with garlic salt and pepper, a chopped onion, 3-4 cloves of garlic and chopped bell pepper if desired. I mix a jar of purchased spaghetti sauce, 16 oz cottage cheese and two eggs into meat mixture. Layer, noodles, ground beef mixture, shredded mozzarella and repeat. Top layer is cheese. Sprinkle on a little parmesan on top of that. Cover with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, uncover and bake another 15 minutes until top cheese is bubbly and a little toasty looking. Let set for 10 minutes or so and serve. I actually prefer the lasagna the next day when the flavors have all melded and the liquids are more absorbed.

Edited: I forgot the spaghetti sauce.

Home made marinara is better but jarred sauce is okay too. I also add ground beef and/or sausage. I think it's really important to add a couple of eggs to the ricotta along with salt and pepper and parsley. Don't skimp on the sauce.

If you are using a jarred sauce, do as Casey says and add a can of crushed tomatoes. That will give you enough sauce to cover all the layers and make it taste more homemade. Of the brands my supermarket carries, I like Bertolli Tomato and Basil. I use a pound of sweet Italian sausage. It doesn't need ground beef. I like the no boil lasagna, either Barilla or Trader Joe's. I use ricotta and drain it so it's not watery. I mix the ricotta with grated fresh Parmesan and an egg and spread that on the pasta, then I top with mozzarella sliced from the ball and meat sauce.

Stouffers. Is the best for those of us who don't make it from scratch.

I can't stand cottage or ricotta cheese that's why I don't use it in my lasagna. My SIL puts spinach in hers but I don't like spinach either.

Go to FoodNetwork Official site....search lasagna and check out Anne Burrell's recipe. I have made it following it exactly and I've also made it leaving out the zucchini and mushrooms and adding ground chuck to the sausage instead. Both VERY good, Like the original but in case someone doesn't like mushrooms or zucchini you can replace. I make the sauce the day before. Also can make the whole dish ahead of time and freeze until you're ready to use.

What do you like? That's the big question. There's unlimited recipes but I don't follow one and haven't for decades. So, for the guideline to my lasagna:

You don't need no-boil noodles. Use good quality regular noodles. If you're fussy about having it fit perfectly, soak them a few minutes in hot water (tap is fine) to soften them enough to form, cut or tear.

What kind of meat do you like? Veggies? I'm a carnivore so I like a lot of meat and not just hamburger. Ground beef for starters. Pork sausage. I used to use Jimmy Dean but it's gone downhill so I use either bulk Italian (temp range you like) or Farmland bacon & pork. Some pepperoni goes in it. Sometimes bacon goes in it too. And of course, I like to add pepperoni. I usually render the pepperoni to get rid of some grease, and the microwave works well for that. When the meats are pretty much cooked and drained I put in the onion. If you want other veggies, go ahead. Seasonings? What do you like? I like a lot of Italian seasoning in there, parsley, garlic, lemon pepper and whatever else I feel like adding.

I usually use 5 or 7 cheeses at least. Sometimes ricotta, never cottage, lotza mozzarella, some swiss, provalone, romano and maybe some cheddar, jack, smoked gouda, a "Mexican" blend or something. Whatever looks and sounds good. Sometimes I mix in some sour cream.

Sauce? I usually cheat and use a store sauce. I'm not real fussy on them so I get something I like and use it. To use regular noodles, use a little extra sauce and/or add a little water to help the noodles cook. Usually you'll need to cook it a little longer but I never pay too much attention to it.

Put it together in the Nesco and let it go. Garlic bread is mandatory for me.

I make my own sauce. For mine I use ground beef saute with onions, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. The cheeses are mozzarella, brick, provolone, and munster. I process these all together. Layer sauce, noodles, meat, cheeses, repeat. I cover with more sauce, wrap in foil and bake for 1 hr.

My goodness. Lasagna (or is it lasagne?) is almost as contentious as cornbread. So many takes on it. I bet they're all good.

My 3 cheese Lasagne:

In skillet, after meat is cooked and drained, mix meat and sauce:

1 lb bulk breakfast sausage or sweet Italian is better(brown and dice into small bits) or hamburger, ground buffalo, ground pork, ground turkey

1 28 oz can Hunts spaghetti sauce(or make your own)

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1 bunch fresh spinach(wash really well and pat dry) Optional

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In a bowl, mix these 4 ingredients:

2 eggs

2 lbs Ricotta(cottage cheese will work)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dash of sea salt

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3/4 lb grated mozzarella

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9 lasagna noodles cooked al dente

In a 9x13 baking dish, mine is metal, lay 3 cooked lasagna noodles side by side. Then spread the egg and cheese mixture, add 3 more noodles on top, then spread half the meat and sauce mixture, then the spinach(it will be fluffy now, but after it's cooked it lays down), then 3 more noodles, the rest of the meat and sauce, then cheese. Cover with foil, shiny side down. Bake 375F for 40 minutes.

Cynic, you said "You don't need no-boil noodles. Use good quality regular noodles. If you're fussy about having it fit perfectly, soak them a few minutes in hot water (tap is fine) to soften them enough to form, cut or tear."

Could you please explain what you mean? If "regular", not no-boil, noodles are used, aren't they already soft from boiling/cooking them?

Thanks!

JMO but the secret to a great lasagna is not in the layering. It is in the sauce. If you don't have a good sauce, you will never have a good lasagna.

If using regular noodles (which I do) when making your sauce, don't cook it as long so it's not too thick. The noodles cook in the sauce.

You do not have to precook your lasagna noodles if you put plenty of sauce in the dish as you bake your lasagna. They cook as you bake it.

Sue

I use the regular noodles & never boil them. I just make my sauce a little more saucy & just run tap water of the noodles & layer as usual.

If you don't precook the noodles...they taste like meat juice..and tomatoes. YUCK!

JMO please no one take offense...

I agree with Linda about using homemade sauce. My lasagna is not quite as reliant on meat and cheeses as some of these so I use less than I have in the past. You can buy Cento San Marzano tomatoes at Trader Joe's for $4 for a 28 oz. can, and using that as a base along with a can of tomato paste, you'll have a rich red sauce with the fresh taste of tomatoes.

Yikes mayflowers, I hope that sauce is worth it. $4 a can is quite expensive. I use Tutoruosso crushed usually .99 a can.

We lucked out at Costco *once* and found San Marzano tomatoes. We immediately bought a case of 8 cans. We keep checking and they haven't carried them since. we Canadians don't have the choices of canned tomatoes as you lucky dogs do. They're all plain and only come in diced, whole or crushed. You have so many flavours to choose from

I did see a can of San Marzano tomatoes at one of our grocery stores, on the bottom shelf and it was almost $5/can. No tomatoes are worth that, and it was just a marketing ploy, I'm sure.

My favorite is the one on the Prince Lasagna box.

16 oz Prince® Lasagna

3 each bulk Italian sausage

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 each garlic clove, chopped

1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup dry red wine

24 oz pasta sauce

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 each eggs

2 Tbsps parsley sprigs, finely chopped

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

3. In large skillet, over medium heat, brown sausage and beef; pour off fat.

4. Add garlic, oregano, salt and wine; cook and stir 5 minutes.

5. Stir in pasta sauce; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley and pepper; mix well.

7. On bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spread 3/4 cup meat sauce.

8. Top with half each the pasta strips, ricotta cheese mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella.

9. Repeat layering.

10. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly.

11. Let stand 10 minutes.

Prince lasagna? Anthony!

Another recommendation for all recipes.com Worlds Best Lasagne! I've served it many times to company, and taken to several pot lucks. People RAVE about it an always ask for the recipe! If it's not the World;s Best, it surely is in the top 10!

Thank you for sharing these recipes and tips! Sun hasn't come out here in days - with none in sight. So a lasagna is in order this weekend.

May - I agree than San Marzano's do make a difference. Whenever they are on sale at my market, I buy a bunch. I rarely use jar sauce. Homemade is so easy and I can control the spices.