My standard lasagna is a much more plebian effort, but it does fill bellies quite nicely. Quantities can be adjusted as needed or available. It has the advantage of being able to have a lasagna dinner on the table within an hour and a half.

1 box curly (or straight) lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 jar approx. 28 oz. favorite marinara sauce, of garlic basil tomato sauce - add approx 14 oz. water - set aside

1 pint container ricotta - part skim, full fat, live dangerously, mix in 1 egg and parsley fresh or dry

8 oz mozzarella cheese (again part skim or full fat), shredded

garlic powder and dried basil (or fresh basil prepped as desired)

grated parmesan chees, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

In a greased ”lasagna” pan pan (mine is approximately 12x13x3) spread approximately 1/3 of the sauce water mixture.

Cover the sauce with layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, trimming where needed to fit the pan.

Using approximately 1/2 the ricotta egg mixture, dollop and spread over the noodles, then spread approximately 1/2 the mozzarella. Sprinkle garlic powder and basil.

Pour another 1/3 of the sauce over all this and then place another layer of uncooked noodles. (yes, this is the correct sequence)

Repeat ricotta and mozzarella layer with garlic and basil. cCover this layer with another layer of uncooked noodles.

Pour the remainder of the sauce making sure to cover all the noodles. if you'd like, shake some grated parm over the top. I also add additional parsley.

Tightly cover with heavy duty foil, place in oven. Time - 60 minutes. To check for doneness, plunge knife right through the foil in the center of the pan If the knife slides easily to the bottom, you're done. Let sit for about 15 minutes before cutting, Makes 6-8 servings.

Thank you, thank you.

Lars, that recipe scares me. Food processor? Homemade pasta? Sounds incredible though.

Sue, you are not alone. I have made fresh pasta, but never for lasagna. That is the total opposite of my uncooked dried pasta -- I'd definitely have an adjustment.

Salonva, like many of the others, this is recipe that can be a guide. The only time I followed it as written (a little different then than it is now) was the first time I made it for that school event. We've grated zucchini into the sauce, carrots and spinach too (when the boys were young and picky about veggies). But this is where we start -- be sure to note that I ALWAYS at least double the sauce.

Lasagna

This recipe was originally written for 2 13x9 pans or one large pan. I found that I wanted more sauce. Most recently, I doubled and made 2 13x9s without left over sauce. Tripled sauce recipe and 2 boxes of pasta made one large, deep roasting/lasagna pan. You might want to make note of the double or triple measurements in the margin so you don’t forget.

Saute until soft

1-2 T olive oil

1 medium to large red bell pepper, sliced very thin (cross cut if desired)

Add 1 lb ground beef (can use turkey Italian sausage – when I double, I use a lb or so of each)

Saute until browned

Pour in 3 15 oz cans tomato sauce

2 15 oz cans crushed tomatoes

(add a can of petite diced tomatoes if you like)

1 can water (use about ¼ to rinse out each tomato can)

¾ c red wine (1/3 can – you might add a little more)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

¼ tsp thyme

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 cloves pressed garlic

Salt and pepper to taste (about ½ tsp each)

Simmer ½ hour, stirring occasionally and adjusting spices if needed.

While simmering, stir 1 egg into 1 lb ricotta (add parsley if desired)

Have ready

1 ½ to 2 lbs grated mozerella

Wedge of parmesan and a grate (the good stuff on the block is so much better)

1 lb box uncooked lasagna noodles (or more, traditional, not the no-cook type)

To assemble: Put a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the pan – just enough to cover

Top with uncooked pasta

Spread pasta with ricotta mixture

Sprinkle with grated mozzarella

Grate parmesan over (a little goes a long way – just an even, light layer)

Top with sauce – just enough to cover

Repeat with pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and sauce.

Repeat once or twice more as the pan permits, then sprinkle with mozzarella only on top.

Bake at 350 until bubbly and a knife inserted in center shows pasta is tender -- generally about an hour, but more or less depending on the size and how warm it is when it goes in the oven.

I'm not sure I have ever made lasagna. Italian food is my least fave. However, this picture in today's NYT caught my eye!

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna

I can post it if someone wants.

Great thread! I'm one who "wings it" when it comes to lasagna, but I want to try something more specific like these recipes above.

The only tip I have is emphasizing drain the ricotta, if your recipe calls for ricotta. Watery lasagna is terrible, IMO. Also, a few seconds under the broiler before removing from oven is important. That top crispy layer of cheese and noodles is key.

Michael Symon made a version of his mom's lasagna on a recent show. I'm not a big lasagna fan, but it's a dish I don't think you can go wrong with no matter how you make it.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/moms-lasagna-fall-version-11957227

Another anti-nutmeg person here. In fact, I don’t like any ”pie-spices” (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, etc) in savory dishes.

No Greek food for you. 😉

If you're expecting vegetarians, this is my favorite lasagna, butternut squash and spinach. I use regular ol' store bought marinara with mushrooms, and then smoky provolone or gouda cheese as part of the filling. I love lasagna at Christmas time, have been to many great parties where it was served!

https://momfoodie.com/butternut-squash-lasagna/

I have a life. Costco, frozen.

sushipup2,

You don't cook?

We cook a lot in this house, but some things are just are not worth it.

I just wing it when I make it. Look at this short rib one a friend had in DC recently recently, something like 50 layers.

oh my TexanJana!

I like the Alison Roman video. Not really very hard, but really good tips. I just might make one.

Finally! My sister and her husband decided they are coming to town for a few days between Christmas and New Years. We will have an "after Christmas celebration" one night that week and I have pretty well decided on Baked Ziti or Lasagna. Really, lasagna is not hard at all. Your family will love that you made it for them!

I prefer baked ziti - it's easier than lasagna - same flavors. I've been using this recipe from Chef John with Rao's Marinara. It never fails

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/281646/the-best-baked-ziti/

I'm not a big lasagna fan, but it's a dish I don't think you can go wrong with no matter how you make it.

Unfortunately, not true. I had a lasagna in Spain that had layers of ham in addition to all the regular ingredients. It was very wrong!

I'm surprised traditional lasagna is considered uber time consuming, I can think of a lot of other things that are more.

I really like fresh mozzarella in lasagna and it's easier to slice fresh than grate regular.

I really like fresh mozzarella in lasagna and it's easier to slice fresh than grate regular.

I didn't understand why Allison Roman grated, rather than sliced, her fresh mozzarella.

Loving all these ideas. I’ve always just used the recipe on the lasagna noodles box (but added a ton of mushrooms and spinach).

I always make the sauce ahead of time, blanch and chop the spinach, grate or slice the cheese. Then it's just assembling the parts. And it's always better the second day and beyond, so I really should make it the day before.

BTW, last Christmas as a change to my traditional lasagna, I made Mexican "lasagna," and it's one of the easiest, most satisfying dishes for which you don't even need a recipe.

I didn't understand why Allison Roman grated, rather than sliced, her fresh mozzarella.

I guess to distribute it better. But I think even dicing would've been easier;fresh mozzarella is not really gratable IME.

Wanted to share an update. My grandmother was from Northern Italy, but, while she was an excellent cook, she never prepared traditional Italian dishes. I decided to try a combo of Zalco and Beagles' recipes (much the same) to see what I'd been missing.

I was preparing it for 2 different meals, so I made the Bolognese sauce a day early. Confession: I drained about 3/4 of the fat after browning the meats.

After the sauce was done, it sat overnight in the fridge. I prepared the first round of lasagna using flat store-bought noodles, and followed the rest of the recipe. It was good, but salty.

The next day, after testing the leftover sauce--which was seasoned perfectly--I figured out the culprit was the parmesan cheese. With the second lasagna (same sauce), I used a different brand of parmesan cheese that wasn't as salty. It turned out well, and my family ate the entire pan.

As recommended above, I served with a bit of extra sauce over the top of each portion to counter any dryness that may have occurred due to draining the fat. I'd do this again. One of my kids especially liked it because he's not a fan of ricotta and other cheeses that go into the other types of lasagna.

Thank you to everyone who shared recipes!

I made kswl’s recipe, and it was a big hit!

I did baked ziti earlier this week when my sister and BIL were here. it was sooo good, but makes a ton!

Oh I am so happy you and your family liked it SueB! It’s one of those pre-foodie recipes from the 70’s or 80’s that somehow is just perfect despite—or maybe because of—the homely ingredients. Leftovers don’t last very long either 🙂

As it turns out, DS’ girlfriend had only had (wait, what?) FROZEN lasagna before. So she was very impressed and had leftover for lunch for the next 2-3 days. (I made a double batch.)

Lol, Sue! 😉

Someone mentioned that you don't have to boil the noodles and I decided to try a version of it. I put them in the baking dish, poured boiling water over them, and let them sit 20 minutes. You have to move them around with tongs or they can stick together. I used my standard 3 quarts of sauce (28 oz. can San Marzano whole tomatoes, chopped, 28 oz. can tomato sauce, half can of tomato paste) and nine noodles. I increased the baking time to 45 minutes, then uncovered it, topped with provolone, and baked just until the cheese started to brown. The noodles were perfect and it was very saucy.

@Eileen you can buy no-boil noodles.

Am i the only one that cannot see KSWL, recipe

I do mine like Eileen. I think the no-boil noodles taste funny. I wish I knew why because they would be so convenient to use. Several years ago, I did 3 huge pans of lasagna for a group. I had questions about getting such a large quantity assembled. Someone in the Cooking Forum told me how to soak the regular noodles in hot water. There were others who agreed that the no-boil just taste off.

I did buy them for awhile, but when I went back to the regular kind, I realized I preferred the texture of the traditional noodles. This was so easy to soften them right in the pan you plan to cook the lasagna in.

Lyban zone 4,

It's near the beginning of the thread -- Linda's Lasagna.

Kswl

27 days ago

last modified: 27 days ago

I have eaten a lot of lasagna. I have made all kinds of lasagna, adding spinach, precooking noodles, not precooking noodles, from lasagnas with shortcuts to Samin Nosrat’s lasagna (which was no great shakes IMO). This recipe below is THE BEST LASAGNA I have ever eaten. It has all the ingredients most other lasagnas have, but the ingredient amounts are perfect and the blend of flavors is magical. Don’t be tempted to add more of this or that; it is perfection. i don’t know who Linda was, but this recipe is from the 1960’s or 70’s and was passed around my mother’s friend group during that period.

Linda’s Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375

Ingredients

About 10 lasagna noodles

For the meat layer:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground sausage

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon chopped basil

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1.5 tsp anise seeds

1 pound crushed tomatoes (16 oz)

2 x 6 oz cans tomato paste

For the cheese layer

2 lbs ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbls parsley (can use dried)

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

For the top and middle layer:

1 lb mozzarella, sliced to have enough to fit the area of the pan twice

Directions:

Brown the meat and drain

Add other meat sauce ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered

Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente

Combine all ingredients for cheese layer

To assemble:

start with noodles on bottom of casserole (I usually lightly spray with Pam first)

Noodles

Cheese mixture

Meat sauce

Mozzarella

Noodles

Cheese mixture

Meat sauce

Mozzarella

Bake about 35 to 45 min, depending on your oven, til casserole is bubbling and cheese on top is browned. You can cover it and then brown the top under a broiler also.

Let sit about 20 min for layers to set.

God Bless Linda!

Thank you Judi, i copied yours but

i still am not seeing it anywhere in the thread either at beginning or anywhere else.

i wonder how that works that some posts seem to disappear. this is not the first time i have noticed this.

Lyban, Houzz only shows fifty posts per page. You have to go to page one where KSWL's post is by clicking the link "See more comments" under the OP.

Wow…all my years on here and i never knew about that. thank you Eileen i now see the other page.

Kswl: I'm going to try your lasagna recipe. Are you using fresh basil and fresh mozarella?

If i happen to have fresh basil i use it. if not I use dried basil. Sometimes I soak the dried herbs in a teaspoon of hot water to reconstitute them dried herbs before i add them to a dish. I do use fresh mozzarella and layer it in slices instead of shredding it.

I love freeze dried basil in both lasagna and stuffed shells. I add to the ricotta mixture and that seems to give it the moisture it needs to reconstitute. It really gives great flavor and aroma! Much better than the standard dried herbs.

Of course, I love fresh basil.. but i tend not to have it on hand in the fall/winter when I make these dishes.

Dare I say it . . . you can just use regular lasagna noodles and not even soften them. They soften during cooking. A friend let me in on that little secret long ago. I am always scared that they won't soften, but so far it's worked . . .

Yes, lpink, you may say it. My grandparents, father, aunts, etc., and I have never softened store bought dried noodles, and my grandparents emigrated in the 1890s. one aunt made her own pasta like Lars does, but she was the only one who did,

I will add that we all make our own ricotta, though. it is very easy, doesn't take long, never grainy, and delicious! plus, in addition to sliced mozzarella, we make a bechamel and spoon it over the mozz slices.

Interesting Pink! I've seen the no-boil, athough I haven't used them. I just boil mine with a little oil so they don't stick. No biggie.

Tina, pink and I are talking about ordinary dried lasagne noodles, not no-boil.

Plus, I know I sound like an old crank, but one should never add oil to pasta water.

Plus, I know I sound like an old crank, but one should never add oil to pasta water.

Ditto! Never.Ever!!!

@sheesh, yes i knew what you were talking about. thats why i said interesting. 😁

The recipe I shared uses standard dried lasagna noodles. I see no reason to waste time, water cooking and untangling the pasta when it will cook in the sauce as that pan bakes for an hour, give or take. Never bought the no-boil kind but I've heard they are not as good.

thought I posted earlier, but I can't see it...

anyways, fresh pasta sheets work well without boiling as well, as obviously they are still soft. The thin fresh sheets are wonderful in any lasagne, but especially lasagne verdi alla bolognese (the traditional emilio-romagna version with just bechemel, bolognese, parm and fresh spinach pasta sheets) And that is with nutmeg ;)

Gooster, I’ve never had fresh spinach pasta sheets. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen them, either. I have used fresh pasta sheets for the béchamel only version with nutmeg you mention. Isn’t that wonderful?

Spinach and nutmeg are natural allies. I used to make spinach souffle fairly often and nutmeg is an essential ingredient.