Easy Homemade Lasagna {with from-scratch sauce}
This easy homemade lasagna is so simple, but so so flavorful!! The sauce is made from scratch, but takes just minutes to throw together. Noodles are put straight into the dish without boiling for a truly fuss-free homemade lasagna recipe.
I tested a whole bunch of lasagna recipes trying to find the perfect one to share with ya’ll. I’m talking white sauce, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, the works.
Sadly, none of them really “wowed” me.
Then one day my sister made a lasagna that blew my socks off. Soooo tasty!!! So I had to ask her about it, here’s what she said.
Sissy: “Oh, that!? I LITERALLY googled easiest lasagna recipe ever and I picked the one with the fewest ingredients.”
Score! I tend to be the type of person that overcomplicates things just a little. Sissy…not so much. Sometimes for the better. So with a few adjustments to make it more “from-scratchy, (you know me..)) I give you
Easy Homemade Lasagna (With from-scratch sauce)
While you totally can use a storebought sauce for this easy homemade lasagna (I do when I’m super crunched for time) this homemade sauce literally could not be easier. Open up a couple cans, add some seasoning, let it simmer, and voila! You are done!
I like experimenting with from-scratch sauces because I am able to customize the flavor profile to be exactly as I want it, plus you are able to control additives like sugar. You can add sugar to the sauce if it needs it, but often times I’ll leave it out.
Can I use fresh tomatoes for the scratch-made sauce?
This recipe uses canned tomatoes, but use whole if you have them/want to. Whole tomatoes have more water in them so you will definitely need to invest the time to cook it down longer. When I use canned tomatoes, the texture is right from the getgo…but I do like to simmer it for close to an hour for the flavor to really come together.
Don’t have an hour? no worries just simmer it for 20-ish minutes and it will turn out just fine!
How can I make this easy homemade lasagna without boiling the noodles?
To make sure that the noodles cook just pour some hot water around the edges of the lasagna after you put it all together. The extra moisture will ensure that the noodles get fully cooked in the hour it is sitting in the oven. Also, cover it tightly with tin foil so all the moisture doesn’t escape!!
What kind of meat should I use for this easy homemade lasagna?
I really like a combination of italian sausage and ground beef for lasagna. All ground beef tends to be a bit bland, all sausage tends to have a chewy texture, so half and half is the perfect combo for me! You can cook them in the same pan at the same time so it’s not really adding to prep time at all (bonus!)
Can I use pre-shredded cheese for this easy homemade lasagna?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: I wouldn’t. Your lasagna will turn out fine with pre-shredded cheese, but I find the 3 minutes it takes to grate your own cheese is totally worth it. The coating they put on pre-shredded cheese to keep it from caking makes it so it doesn’t melt as well as cheese you grate yourself.
For an extra special treat, try fresh mozzarella. It doesn’t grate well so instead of grating just slice it as thinly as you can and lay it over the noodles. Yum!!
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Do I need any special equipment for easy homemade lasagna?
This recipe is about as basic as they come. All you need is a casserole dish to bake it in, some tin foil to cover it, and a pot/pan for cooking meat and sauce, and a wooden spoon/rubber spatula. I do sometimes use an immersion blender on my sauce to make it a little more smooth, but it’s totally not necessary!
What should I serve with easy homemade lasagna?
It wouldn’t be lasagna without garlic bread amiright? I also like to add something green to the mix. This asparagus or pear and apple salad would both be perfect for night of entertaining centered around this star lasagna!
Do you have any recipes that are so simple but SOOO good? Let me know in the comments below!
Easy Homemade Lasagna (with from-scratch sauce)
Easy Homemade Lasagna (With from-scratch sauce)
Though this lasagna is simple, it does not lack in flavor. The homemade pasta sauce comes together quickly, and this dish is easy enough for a weeknight but also sure to impress for company.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 Large Can (29 oz Tomato Puree)
- 1 Can (15 oz Petite Diced Tomatoes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
For the Lasagna
- 9 Lasagna Noodles, I used whole wheat
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
- 2 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 C HOT water
- Fresh Parsley (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for a sauce in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for as long as you have time (ideally about 1 hour).
- While the sauce is simmering, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add italian sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to bread up the pieces until browned and cooked through.
- Drain sausage and add it to the sauce.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread ~1 C sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer 3 UNCOOKED lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. (This may not seem like enough pasta, but it will spread as it cookSpread 2/3 C ricotta cheese on top of lasagna noodles (ricotta layer will be a little thiand sprinkle with 1/2 C mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat this process 2 more times.
- On the last layer, add remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese to the top of the lasagna. You may also garnish with fresh parsley before cooking.
- Next, pour the hot water slowly around the very edges of the pan, this added liquid helps ensure that the uncooked pasta gets nice and tender and not chewy.
- Cover the pan tightly with tin foil, bake for ~1 hr until the sauce and cheese are bubbly and the lasagna noodles are tender.
Notes
Adapted from myrecipes.com
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 slicesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 696Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1223mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 40g
Hi Amanda, Just found your blog and it’s great, Love the concept of made from scratch! Also, love the lasagna story, sometimes simple is better, haha. Also, that is so cool that you don’t have to precook the lasagna noodles, I have never done it that way before.
Thanks for the comment Heather, and seriously, not cooking the noodles is a huge time saver AND it solves the problem of soggy noodles that can sometimes happen!
I just realized that the Mozzarella cheese I have is not enough. Can I substitute Monterey cheese instead?
Sorry for the late response, any hard cheese will work but the mozzarella is lightest on flavor and will make for the most expected flavor in your lasagna
How much hot water do you pour along the edges?
Hey there, I updated the recipe 🙂 The 1/2 Cup was mentioned under “ingredients” but not under directoins, now it’s listed under both! Cheers!