When it comes to comfort food, Italian-American Lasagna is at the top of the list. Beneath the crispy, melty top lie layers of cheesy, saucy goodness. The creamy ricotta and herb mixture is the perfect match to the sheets of pasta and hearty ragu, while the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano on top seal the deal, culminating in one of the most iconic and beloved baked pasta dishes.
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Lasagna – a holiday classic
Italian-American lasagna is a classic comfort food that is found at many pizzerias and Italian eateries in the New York area where I live.
But, it is best known in my home as the must-have for holidays, especially Thanksgiving! I’ll usually make a lasagna, or sometimes manicotti (the recipe for which can be found in my cookbook), as a first course on Thanksgiving to have before the turkey.
I know what you’re thinking – isn’t making lasagna a lot of work for a holiday? While there is some work involved in making it, one of the reasons I love this dish for a holiday is that it can be made ahead of time, even a few weeks in advance, and frozen.
Oh, and if you’re craving the flavors of lasagna but want something far easier, try my lasagna soup, which is ready in about 45 minutes!
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Pasta. I’m using store-bought lasagna sheets, and I do pre-cook them. I don’t really recommend using no-cook lasagna sheets for this recipe, as you’ll likely need to increase the liquid in the recipe since the no-cook pasta will absorb more sauce.
- Cheese. I’m using whole milk ricotta cheese (you can also use skim), block mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. You can use Parmigiano Reggiano or domestic Parmesan in place of the Pecorino, if desired.
- Sauce. Italian-American lasagna is made with a tomato-based sauce, which sets it apart from the Italian version, which most often uses a Bolognese ragu and a bechamel. I add ground beef and ground pork to my sauce, but you can omit it to make it vegetarian, or use all ground beef, or all ground pork.
- Egg. This serves as a binder and helps to hold the cheese filling together.
- Herbs. I love to add fresh parsley and basil to the cheese filling as it adds some brightness to the dish and helps balance out the flavors.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown the ground chuck and pork in the olive oil. Once brown, use a spoon or meat masher to break it up, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, saute the onions adding more olive oil if needed, and a pinch of salt. Once soft, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the meat back to the pot along with the red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly cracked. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Bring a large pot of salted water (along with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil) to a boil. BCook the lasagna sheets in batches to very al dente (about 3-4 minutes less than box instructions), then use a mesh strainer to remove them and place in ice water to shock and stop the cooking process. Note: this is one of the only pasta recipes I recommend adding olive oil to the pasta water. This is to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other, since they are so large.
- Lay the noodles flat on parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ricotta mixture ingredients except the egg. Taste test, season with salt and pepper, then add the egg and mix until combined.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, place a drop of olive oil and spread it around the bottom and sides of the dish. Add a thick layer of sauce to completely coat the bottom of the dish.
- Place 6 lasagna noodles on the first level, slightly overlapping, then spread half the ricotta mixture, followed by 1/3 of the mozzarella.
- Add another layer of meat sauce followed by the Pecorino, and repeat the process with the noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meat sauce, and Pecorino to the next two layers. On the final top layer, just add the sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino (no ricotta mixture).
- Cover the lasagna with parchment paper followed by foil and bake in a 375°F oven on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
- Remove the parchment paper and foil covering and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the side noodles are crisp and the cheese is bubbly. If a crispier, browner top is desired, broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully to prevent burning. Allow the lasagna to sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Baking the lasagna. I strongly recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper between the lasagna and the foil before baking. Doing this will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil.
- Let it settle. There is no better tip for lasagna! More so than any other baked pasta, it needs time to settle after it bakes. At a minimum, 30 minutes, but allowing it to settle for 45 minutes will help the cheese filling to firm up, allowing you to get cleaner slices of the lasagna.
- Making ahead. You can choose to assemble lasagna a day before you serve it, then bake it the day of. You can also assemble and bake the day before and then rewarm it in the oven. You can also freeze the lasagna for up to 3 months.
More baked pastas
If you love the combo of crispy pasta and cheese, give these other baked pasta recipes a try!
If you’ve enjoyed this Italian-American Lasagna recipe, give it a 5-star rating.
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Italian-American Lasagna
Italian-American Lasagna is the iconic baked pasta that combines layers of curly lasagna noodles, herbed ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and a rich tomato ragu. Baked until the cheese is bubbly and the noodles are perfectly crisp, this pasta is perfect for holidays and gatherings.
Ingredients
For the meat sauce
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- salt and pepper to taste
For the ricotta mixture
- 1 1/2 pounds ricotta drained overnight
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 1 egg beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
For the lasagna
- 5 cups meat sauce plus more as needed
- 1 pound lasagna noodles see notes below
- 1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
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Instructions
For the meat sauce
- Heat a large pot to medium heat with the olive oil. Add the ground chuck and pork. Once the meat is brown, break it up with a wooden spoon or meat masher then remove it to a plate.
- Add the onions and a pinch of salt. If the pot is dry add a bit more olive oil. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add the hot red pepper flakes and the meat back to the pot and stir to combine. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly cracked. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if required.
For the lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set the rack to the middle level.
- Bring a large pot of salted water (along with a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil) to boil. Boil the lasagna noodles (work in batches and stir well to avoid sticking) to very al dente (about 3-4 minutes less than box instructions). Scoop out sheets with a mesh strainer or pasta spider and shock in ice water. Lay flat the lasagna noodles on parchment paper or clean dish towels.
- In a large bowl combine all the ricotta mixture ingredients except the egg. Taste test the mixture and season with salt and pepper then mix in the egg.
- In a 9×13 baking dish place a drop of olive oil and wipe the bottom and sides. Next add a thick layer of meat sauce, completely coating the bottom of the baking dish.
- Place 6 lasagna noodles on the first level (they should slightly overlap). Spread half of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles, then layer 1/3 of the mozzarella, another thick layer of meat sauce, and finally 1/3 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Repeat the process on the next two layers. On the top layer just add the sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Cover the lasagna with parchment paper then foil to prevent sticking.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the covering and bake for 15-20 minutes more until the side noodles are crispy and the cheese is bubbly. If a crisper top is desired, broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully. Let the lasagna sit for at least 30 minutes to settle before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lasagna sheets. I recommend De Cecco brand lasagna. One box will yield approximately 22 sheets leaving a few left over in case they break. Any broken lasagna noodles can still be used. They work best in the middle, reserving the good pieces for the outside edge. Make sure to cook the lasagna noodles to very al dente (4 minutes) in batches. Lay out the noodles on clean kitchen towels or parchment paper to make an easy assembly process.
- Avoid sticking. Cover the lasagna with parchment paper, then foil to prevent sticking. Remove the paper and foil for the last 15 minutes to get the noodles nice and crispy. Broiling for 2 minutes right at the end works great but watch carefully!
- Resting time. After removing the lasagna from the oven, allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the lasagna to settle and will help prevent it from collapsing once you’ve sliced it.
- Make ahead. You can choose to assemble lasagna a day before you serve it, then bake it the day of. You can also assemble and bake the day before and then rewarm it in the oven. You can also freeze the lasagna for up to 3 months.
- Leftovers. Lasagna can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. It can be reheated in a 350°F or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.2g | Protein: 48.9g | Fat: 44.7g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 539mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7.5g | Calcium: 454mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on November 11, 2020. It was completely updated on October 31, 2025.
Made this last night. The best lasagna I’ve made. It’s the sauce. Can’t wait for leftovers tonight.
Hi Erika, we’re so happy you enjoyed the lasagna and really appreciate your comment!
Do you have a recipe for your meat sauce you could put online to print?
Hi Judith, if you’re looking for meat sauce with ground beef, check out our sauce recipe we use for our pasta al forno. https://www.sipandfeast.com/pasta-al-forno/
I have been making lasagna for many years and didn’t think it could be improved, but your recipe changed my mind! The parchment paper to lay out the par-cooked noodles made it SO much easier. Also the parchment paper over the top kept the cheese in place perfectly! The only thing I’d suggest is let the ice bath be just cool water. The ice water tended to bend the hot noodles and then they sometimes cracked when straightening them. I will never make lasagna any other way, but the Sip and Feast way. Kudos, Chef!
Hi Ellen, thank you so much for the comment and for sharing your experience with the ice water. I appreciate your feedback and the rating!
This recipe is amazing and so much easier than the one I’ve been using. Everyone absolutely loved it and, almost unanimously, everyone at my table agreed that it was better than my previous recipe (which I got from my Italian Mother-in-Law!) Thank you for posting this recipe. I’ve already had several requests to make it again next week and, even though you said it’s for special occasions, I have a feeling that this will be on my regular rotation now.
Hi Karen, thanks for the great comment and I’m so happy you all enjoyed the lasagna!
Love, love, love your recipes!
About how much of the meat sauce from the Pasta Al Forno recipe would equal 5 cups? About half? Thanks!
Hi Barbara, so happy you’re enjoying the recipe. The al forno uses 3 28-ounce cans of tomatoes and after a few hours of cooking will probably reduce down to about 8 cups, so maybe a little more than half. But keep in mind this is an estimate and would depend on how long it cooks/reduces, etc.
I love your recipes and can count on them to turn out as they should!
When you prepare the lasagna from the day before, do you cook it or leave it ready to bake the next day? I’m worried about the noodles soaking up all the liquid.
Hi Lucy, you’d likely be fine either way, but it’s probably best for you to assemble it and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake and serve. You may need to bake a little longer than noted here since the lasagna will be cold from the refrigerator.
My family said this was the best lasagna they ever had! It was awesome!
Hi Lynn, thanks for the comment and so happy you and the family enjoyed!
I made this with marinara sauce and it was perfect! Fairly easy and my guests truly enjoyed it. A taste of NY Italian in Los Angeles. Thank you!
Hi Natalie, I’m so happy you enjoyed the lasagna and appreciate the comment!
To drain the ricotta do you just put in a sieve over a bowl or should you put cheesecloth in the sieve then over a bowl
Hi Irv, you can do either but a cheesecloth/sieve combo will be even better than just the sieve.
Hi, I have a question. Can I make this in a 8 x 8 inch, 2 qt dish? I know you specifically want a 9 x 13 or 10 x 15, but I’m making this for myself and my partner.
Hi Natasha, yes you can make it in an 8×8. You may just need less of it.
k, thank you.
This is the best lasagna I have ever tried. This meat sauce is my absolute favorite. Thank you so much for these delicious recipes
Hi Teresa, so happy you liked the lasagna as well! Thanks for the comment!
Did you use a smaller lasagna noodle? Looks like they were cut in half.
Hi Patricia, I used DeCecco brand lasagna. Some noodles are longer depending on the brand.
will definitely be following this recipe.
Thanks, Jan! We hope you like it!
Just a heads-up, when you click on the link for the meat sauce it takes you to the Pasta Al Forno recipe.
Hi Norma, I know it’s not the most straightforward but that’s where the meat sauce recipe currently resides. We plan to update this in the near future. Sorry for the confusion.
I only make one change to your lasagna. And I will bettcha that if you try this, you’ll be amazed..
Do not cook the lasagna noodles before you layer them. You use the stiff, uncooked regular noodles and use six per layer in your 9×13 dish.
Layer cheese and sauce and everything the same. Then just before cooking, pour one cup on water around the edge of the dish before you put the foil on top. Really make sure the foil is tucked on tightly.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 and then remove foil and allow to rest for about 10-15 minutes. Viola! Lasagna is SO much easier. And no one is the wiser except the cook. 🤗
Thank you for the comment, Tey!
Made this recipe and it tasted awesome, but was very soupy. How do I reduce the amount of liquid in the sauce?
Hi Tom, sorry it was soupy for you. Did you drain the ricotta? That can make it soupy. The other thing that’s important is to let the lasagna settle for 30 minutes before serving after it comes out of the oven. Anytime I’ve had soupy lasagna it’s been because it didn’t settle long enough. Glad it tasted good though!
Hi, the recipe says 1lb ricotta, but the video looks like you’re using a 2 lb container? Is 1 lb correct? Thanks, Julie
Hi Julie. It is 1 pound. I used half of a 2-pound container. I should have made that more clear.
Loving your lasagne recipe
Thanks very much!
I want to make this lasagna in advance. Can it be frozen prior to cooking? Does it freeze well? How long would it take to defrost in the refrigerator?
Hey MJ. You can absolutely freeze it before cooking. It’s best to thaw it in the fridge the night before, but it can be baked frozen. Either way, just bake it until hot in the middle. The exact time will vary depending on how thawed it is. As far as thawing time, it will take about 24 hours. Enjoy!
Making the sauce now for This lasagna. Can this dish be prepared a day ahead?
Thanks!
Absolutely. I often prepare it the day before and just bake until hot the next day. Enjoy!
The sauce is coming along nicely!!! Taste is yummy! Thanks for quick reply!!