This easy Lasagna recipe is completely elevated, with a flavorful red sauce, béchamel white sauce, and ground beef and sausage. It's the only recipe you need!

Looking for more Italian recipes? Try this Tomato Basil Pasta, Manicotti, or Calzones!

An easy Lasagna recipe with a square being lifted from the pan to show the cheesy layers.

Not your average Lasagna recipe.

Can I tell you what makes this Italian lasagna recipe so special? It's the easy béchamel sauce (just a fancy name for a white sauce made from flour, butter and milk), that makes it SO much tastier and more authentic (at least in Northern Italy), than using ricotta. I'm convinced it's the best way to make homemade lasagna!

I always double the recipe when making lasagna, so I can freeze a second pan for another day, or give the meal to a friend with homemade breadsticks and a salad.

How to make Lasagna:

Cook Meat: Brown the ground beef and sausage, using a meat chopper or spatula. Drain grease then transfer meat to a food processor and pulse only 3-4 times to chop it into very small pieces (I love this step because it makes the sauce more smooth and delicious). Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Two images of ground beef and sausage browned in a pan, then after it's pulsed in a food processor to small pieces for a homemade lasagna recipe.

Make Red Sauce: Add olive oil in the same skillet and add garlic, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add onion, spinach, and bell pepper and cook on medium high until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Pulse in the food processor until almost puréed then pour back in pan. Add canned tomatoes and sauce, squishy the tomatoes to break them down and stir to combine. Add Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in meat and fresh basil.

Two images showing vegetables being sautéed, then after those vegetables are puréed and added to a homemade lasagna sauce

Cook Lasagna Noodles: Reduce noodle cooking time by half what the box says, then drain and lay on a greased baking sheet so they don't stick together. Or, if you're using no-boil noodles, don't cook them.

Make Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat then add the flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Season with salt and pepper then cook over medium heat, stirring regularly so it doesn't burn. Cook until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes.

Two images showing how to make a bechamel sauce to use as a lasagna white sauce.

How to Layer Lasagna: There will be 3 layers of lasagna, so mentally split the sauces into thirds as you layer them to make sure you have enough at the end. Lightly grease a 9×13 dish then layer 3 lasagna noodles in the bottom. Spoon ⅓ of the red sauce over the noodles, followed by ⅓ of the white sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all the way to the edge. Repeat with another layer of noodles, red sauce, white sauce, then cheeses. Finish the lasagna layers with the final layer of noodles, red sauce, white sauce, and cheeses.

Four images showing how to layer lasagna by starting with three lasagna noodles, then red sauce, white sauce, and cheese.

Bake: Cook lasagna uncovered at 350°F for at least 40 minutes, or longer, until golden at the edges and bubbly. It's important to let the lasagna cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

Two images showing the best Italian lasagna recipe freshly baked until bubbly, then with one piece on a plate to show the layers.

Serve this traditional lasagna recipe with homemade breadsticks or Artisan bread and a green salad like this pomegranate and pear one!

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Both the white and red sauces can be made in advance. You can also assemble the entire lasagna and cover it with plastic wrap then tinfoil and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bake as directed.

To Freeze Lasagna: Freeze the lasagna before or after baking (if freezing an unbaked lasagna, you don't need to pre-cook the noodles. Just add them dry). Cover pan with plastic wrap and a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw lasagna in the fridge before removing covering and baking as directed. Or, bake lasanga from frozen (if in an aluminum disposable pan) for 1 ½ hours, just keep it covered with foil, but remove the plastic wrap. Uncover and bake for another 45 minutes, or until it's hot and bubbly.

Recipe Variations:

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Recipe

An easy Lasagna recipe with a square being lifted from the pan to show the cheesy layers.
Prep 35 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 1 hour 20 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Lasagna:

Red Sauce:*

White Sauce (béchamel sauce):

Instructions
 

  • Brown meat: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and sausage over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon. When cooked through, remove the grease. (Optional) Add meat to a food processor and pulse just 3-4 times until it’s broken up into very small pieces. Remove to a bowl.
  • Sauté Veggies: In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add the onion, spinach and bell pepper. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are softened –about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer them to the same food processor. Pulse several times until they’re nearly pureed. Return mixture to the skillet.
  • Finish red sauce: Add whole peeled tomatoes, squishing them into the sauce, and tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cover and allow the sauce to simmer for about 20-30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved crumbled ground beef and sausage, and fresh basil. 
  • Cook Pasta: While the red sauce simmers boil the lasagna noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Drain into a large colander and sprinkle them with a tiny bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. (You can skip this step if you are using no-boil noodles).
  • Béchamel white sauce: Add the butter to a medium size saucepan or large skillet. Over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine 2 minutes. Gradually add in the milk, whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, whisking often so it doesn’t burn on the bottom, until it thickens– about 5-7 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Keep in mind that there will be 3 layers of lasagna, so mentally split the sauces into thirds as you layer them to make sure you have enough at the end.
  • Assemble: Start by layering the bottom of your greased pan with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread the red sauce over the noodles, followed by the white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges. Top with another layer of noodles, then red sauce, white sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Add the final layer of noodles, then red sauce, white sauce and cheeses.
  • Bake for at least 40-50 minutes, or until lasagna is hot and bubbling. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes or longer, before serving, so it can set up to slice.
  • Serve with garlic bread or homemade breadsticks and a green salad.

Notes

Tomatoes*: If you can't find whole canned San Marzano tomatoes, you could substitute 14oz can diced tomatoes and 6oz can tomato paste.
Mozzarella: Could also use thin layers of fresh mozzarella cheese instead of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Red Sauce: You can use a 48oz jar of pasta sauce instead of making it from scratch. Warm sauce in a large skillet and stir in cooked meat and fresh basil.
Make Ahead Instructions: Both the white and red sauces can be made in advance. You can also assemble the entire lasagna and cover it with plastic wrap then tinfoil and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bake as directed.
To Freeze Lasagna: Freeze the lasagna before or after baking (if freezing an unbaked lasagna, you don't need to pre-cook the noodles. Just add them dry). Cover pan with plastic wrap and a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw lasagna in the fridge before removing covering and baking as directed. Or, bake lasanga from frozen (if in an aluminum disposable pan) for 1 ½ hours, just keep it covered with foil, but remove the plastic wrap. Uncover and bake for another 45 minutes, or until it's hot and bubbly.

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 19gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 838mgPotassium: 494mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1255IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 368mgIron: 2mg

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I originally shared this recipe in February 2016. Updated December 2017, September 2022 and September 2024.

 

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Shelley Kolman Smith
5 years ago

5 stars
Holy moly! Best lasagna I’ve ever had! Thank you!

Shar
8 years ago

This recipe was heaps of fun to make, I loved that the red and white sauces are made from scratch. To make it extra special, I used fresh herbs from our herb garden instead of dry Italian spices (I picked some basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme and parsley). My husband (who isn’t a huge lasagna fan) had two helpings and said he thinks it may be the best lasagna he has ever had! The recipe itself is a bit fiddley, but I think making a double batch of red and white sauce to freeze goes a long way to making this a quick dinner. I just loved how involved the whole process was. Thanks so much! This one is going in the recipe book.

Ciel
8 years ago

This reminds me of the authentic lasagna I tasted while living in Italy when I was a kid. I actually was always in search of the recipe that would come close and now that you mention it, it didn’t have ricotta in it.
Next time I make lasagna, I will be making your version!!

Rachel
9 years ago

Absolutely the BEST lasagna EVER! I followed the recipe step-by-step, and it was perfect! My family loved it, and this will be my go-to for company. My 12 yr old commented about how he doesn’t like the “chunks” in the other lasagna I usually buy, so now that I’ve raised the bar with this homemade version, I can never go back (not that I would want to)!!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂

Hollie McQueen
9 years ago

Could i freeze this? If so would i do it before i bake it or after?

Peyerson
6 years ago
Reply to  Hollie McQueen

Could I prepare refrigerate, and cook later?

Mary Jane
9 years ago

I made this last night for Mother’s Day dinner. It was a hit! My boyfriend even said it was one of the best lasagnas he’s ever eaten. I’ve never made a bechamel sauce before, let alone used it in lasagna, so I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t turn out. I was wrong! It was fabulous! Thanks for the recipe. I’m never going back to the ricotta/cottage cheese versions.

Kitchen Gear
9 years ago

Nothing beats the classic! Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian foods. I love eating this dish especially with my loved ones during special occasions! It’s quite some time since I last made a Lasagna. I think it’s time to make one again!

Melanie
9 years ago

My husband isn’t a lasagna person. I made this on Tuesday for a guest and he asked me to make it again tonight (Sunday.) This is absolutely the best lasagna I have ever made!

Pam S.
9 years ago

This is an amazing recipe! Made it exactly as written (used spicy turkey sausage and ground turkey) – lots of steps, but if you make the red sauce ahead of time it goes together quickly. My husband RAVED about this, said it was the Best lasagna I’ve ever made. I’ll never go back to cottage cheese/ricotta again! I love your website, Lauren!

Andrea
9 years ago

Made this tonight and it was delicious!!

Cecile@My Yellow Farmhouse
9 years ago

When we lived in Malta bechamel sauce was sold in the grocery stores, although like you, I always make my bechamel sauce from scratch. I also learned in Malta how to add some bechamel sauce to left-over pasta and sauce, and then bake it in the oven – which made a whole new ‘taste sensation’ from leftovers. My Italian-American neighbor, who showed me how to make lasagna, used ricotta. I ADORED her lasagna, so I also add ricotta. I don’t use bechamel sauce in my lasagna simply because its not usually prepared that way where I live in Massachusetts. (I’ve eaten lasagna made by my husband’s French Canadian family in Quebec… it was lasagna in name only!! )

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