Meaty, saucy, cheesy Homemade Meat Lasagna has to be at the top of all good Italian dishes. This recipe is the ultimate comfort food and so easy to make! Store-bought quality ingredients help get this prepped in less than 20 minutes then sit back & relax while it bakes. A home cooked dinner better than any restaurant.
I think I must be part Italian! I love making (and eating) Italian dishes like Meatball Casserole and Garlic Chicken with Orzo but my all-time favorite has got to be this easy and delicious homemade meat lasagna.
I debated a long time about posting such an easy recipe but after serving it to guests, who ask for the recipe every time, and to my husband, who raves about it, I decided to go ahead and share it.
It's a super simple recipe to make. It starts with a jarred marinara sauce by Rao's Homemade that I fell in love with after doing an Instagram post for them. It tastes just like the sauce that mama used to make with no GMO or artificial ingredients and marinated for hours just like she would have done.
Just so you know, I'm not being paid to say this, I just love their sauce and commitment to excellence.
Next up is a package of shredded mozzarella cheese. Of course, if you love to shred cheese, by all means, have fun and shred away.
You'll also use a container of ricotta and some oven-ready noodles.
I'm telling you, whoever came up with no-boil noodles was a genius!
Oh, and a little sprinkle of Parmesan to finish it.
How to Make Homemade Meat Lasagna
- Cook the ground beef, drain the fat, and add to the simmering marinara sauce.
- Gather all the ingredients.
Ladle a layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray or a light cover of olive oil.
- Place oven-ready noodles on top of sauce.
- Place dollops of ricotta cheese on top of the sauce and sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese.
Now cover the meat lasagna with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes. Like, browned and crusty cheese on top? Just put under the broiler for about 2 minutes and voila - perfectly browned lasagna!
Let it rest 10 minutes before you serve it so that you get every last bit of saucy goodness.
Looks at all those cheesy, saucy, meaty layers! I'm drooling over here!
Now take a bite. Ohhh, it's so good! I like to serve this meat lasagna dinner with a side salad and a nice glass of red wine.
Wine Pairing: Lasagna with traditional tomato sauce and meat can go with just about any red wine. The favorite has always been a Chianti Reserva or Classico with its smokiness and acidity that enhances the flavors of this great Italian dish. You can also try a Barbera, Borolo, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Merlot, or even a Pinot Noir. If you prefer white, try a Reisling or a White Zinfandel.
Enjoy!
Try my Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore for a classic Italian meal that is quick and easy to make.
Italian Meatloaf made in the crockpot has Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and marinara sauce.
Find lots more Italian food recipes here on 2CM!
Meat Lasagna
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 2-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 jar 24-32 oz your favorite spaghetti sauce (I love Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce)
- 9 lasagna noodles oven-ready
- 8 oz. ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½-3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour a little olive oil in a 8x11-inch baking dish. Coat bottom and sides.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté onion for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and brown for another minute.
- Add ground beef and cook thoroughly. Drain fat.
- Pour marinara sauce into medium saucepan. Add beef and allow to simmer on low.
To assemble
- Ladle a little marinara sauce on bottom of baking dish.
- Place noodles over sauce to cover.
- Ladle more sauce on top of noodles, followed by ⅓ of ricotta and ⅓ of mozzarella.
- Repeat layers twice more, starting with noodles.
- Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.
- Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is browned.
- If you want the top a little browner, place under broiler for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let lasagna sit for 10-15 minutes prior to serving to make it easier to cut.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on November 7, 2018.
