Classic Lasagna

thetipsyhousewife
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Delicious Lasagna Made Easy

Classic lasagna in a baking dish

This recipe is for when you want to make Classic Lasagna for a crowd. I make one tray with meat and one with cheese to accommodate everyone.

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be frozen unbaked or baked and it makes even better leftovers.

It is a labor of love that yields a creamy and delicious lasagna bursting with marinara, sausage crumbles, ricotta, cottage cheese, and mozzarella.

For Big Appetites or Leftovers

The full and detailed recipe card is at the end of this post, but first I’ve got some tips you’ll want to see.

This recipe is for two, 9 x 13 trays of lasagna. It’s a labor of love that will take a little extra time, which is why I always make two trays.

I either freeze one uncooked or I cook booth and freeze smaller portions to take out and reheat for quick dinners. I sometimes also give a tray to a friend.

It’s a perfect option to help someone you know who is dealing with a hardship or has just welcomed a new baby or anything else that would keep them from being able to cook for themselves.

Let’s be honest though, is there a time you wouldn’t want to receive the gift of delicious lasagna?

Now let me guide you through the ingredients so you know you’ll be making the best lasagna possible.

Two containers of ricotta cheese stacked on top of each other and a container of cottage cheese next to them

Cottage and Ricotta

The cheeses I use for the lasagna filling are cottage and ricotta along with mozzarella . I use three of the ricotta, the extra one is not pictured.

Wait, cottage cheese?! Yes!

The cottage cheese adds moisture and keeps the creamy ricotta from drying out. It is a game changer for lasagna.

Even if you do not like cottage cheese, you will not mind this.

Trust me and try it!

As you can see I used Friendly Farms brand cottage cheese but feel free to use your favorite or find a new favorite if you don’t have one yet.

Lasagna noodles laid out on a kitchen towel

The Noodles

I use exactly 24 noodles for this recipe as I ROLL up my noodles. This leads to a beautiful presentation that does not leak out the cheese and filling when it is baked.

I pack the rolls snugly into the trays and after the lasagna rests, I still cut it in squares as normal.

I cook and drain the noodles then let them dry out on towels to make it easier to spread the cheese on and roll.

The cheese mixture spread out on a lasagna noodle on a white cutting board
Crumbled sausage on top of the cheese mixture on a lasagna noodle
This is the about the average amount of filling I use.
A station set up on the kitchen counter with everything needed to prepare the lasagna, including a bowl of cheese mixture, a bowl of shredded cheese, and aluminum tins with tomato sauce and basil, one with sausage and one without
This is how my trays look before adding the rolls
The lasagna noodle rolls arranged in tomato sauce in the baking tin
The rolls are snug and bake up beautifully.
The lasagnas, one with sausage and one without, topped with tomato sauce before being put in the oven
The two lasagnas topped with shredded cheese and basil before being put in the oven
Yield: 2 9 x 13 Trays of Lasagna

Classic Lasagna

A slice of Classic Lasagna being lifted out of the dish

This recipe is for when you want to make Classic Lasagna for a crowd. I make one tray with meat and one with cheese only. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be frozen unbaked or baked. It is a labor of love that yields a creamy and delicious lasagna that makes even better leftovers. Marinara, sausage crumbles, ricotta, cottage cheese and mozzarella.

Ingredients

  • *pictures of all the ingredients are IN the post above, please read beyond this card
  • 1 box + 1 half of a box of Lasagna Noodles ( I use Barilla each box is 1lb)
  • *all together you need 24 cooked lasagna noodles
  • 3 24 ounce jars of your favorite Marinara (I use the one from Aldi) approximately, you can use as much sauce or as little as you prefer
  • 2 lbs ground mild Italian Sausage
  • 1 24 ounce container of small curd cottage cheese (4% milkfat)
  • 3 15 ounce containers of ricotta cheese
  • 3 8 ounce packages of mozzarella (buy the brick and grate yourself)
  • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon of white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • Garlic salt to taste, I use 1/4 teaspoon
  • A sprinkle of black pepper or more if you like it

Instructions

  • Cook your Italian sausage, make sure to break up the sausage into a very fine crumble as it cooks, you don't want large chunks. Drain the oil and let cool.
  • Boil your lasagna noodles, drain, and let cool and dry on paper towels or a clean dish towel, I spread them out when they are cool enough to touch.
  • Grate all your mozzarella cheese. Reserve the equivalent of one brick to top the lasagna with. You will add the other two, to the ricotta/cottage cheese mixture.
  • I use two 9x13 trays for the two lasagnas. *I make one with meat and one with just cheese but you can do them both meat.
  • Add a jar of the marinara to each tray. I add a little water to each jar, and shake to get the rest of the sauce out, and add that to each tray. If I have fresh basil, I add a few leaves to the bottom of each tray. To one tray, if doing meat and cheese separately, I add a few tablespoons of the crumbled, cooked sausage to the bottom of one tray as well.
  • Mix your ricotta, cottage cheese (this adds moisture and creaminess), mozzarella (remember to save some for the top) add the nutmeg, white sugar, garlic salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and if you have fresh basil, mince it and add it as well. Add your three eggs after whisking them. Stir this and combine well.
  • I set up a work station with the ricotta mix, sausage, cooked noodles, the two trays with the sauces in the bottom. And a cutting board.
  • I start with the meat lasagna. I spread out the noodles and add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the ricotta down the length of each noodle. (picture in post) then I add a couple of tablespoons of the cooked sausage. Then starting from one end I roll the noodle up on itself and place it in the pan with the sauce and sausage. I repeat this until I have 12 roll ups snug in the tray. (picture in post). Rolling the noodles helps keep the filling IN the layers while baking. I still cut the lasagna as you would if you prepare it the non rolled up way. You will see your fillings don't leak out. **You do not have to roll the noodles super tight. Some of the filling will come out while rolling. Do not fret. I just add the extra to the next roll.
  • Repeat this process with the next pan, of all cheese. If doing a cheese and meat version.
  • I top the two trays with the third jar of marinara. I add about 1/2 tablespoon to the top of each roll. If I have extra sausage left, i add that to the top of the meat tray. If you have extra ricotta left, I also top the rolls with a little bit of that on each roll. Depending how much ricotta you use in each roll, you shouldnét have much left.
  • I use the rest of the mozzarella across the top of both trays. I also add some fresh basil. Cover with foil, spray the side that will touch the lasagna with non stick spray and bake at 375 degrees for an hour. Then uncovered for 30 minutes. Keep and eye so the cheese isn't getting too brown. If using foil pans, I suggest baking them on a cookie tray and the trays can bend when trying to take it out of oven. *Please see note about baking at the end.
  • You know your lasagna is done when it is bubbling, the center is semi firm, and the cheese is bubble brown. The LASAGNA MUST REST at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares or it will be watery.
    • © thetipsyhousewife
    A close up of a finished lasagna
    A piece of sausage lasagna being lifted out of the baking tin
    A piece of lasagna on a blue plate
    I add a little extra sauce on the side.
    Italian Salad with Sweet Basil and Onion Dressing

    Salad For Lasagna

    I have a perfect salad to make this dish a great party menu. It’s my Italian Salad with Basil and Onion Dressing and I know you’re gonna love it.

    2 Comments

    • Kim Wagner

      December 16, 2024 at 1:08 pm

      Hi April,
      I just made this yesterday to serve all my kids during Christmas. I stuck it into the freezer unbaked. Should I thaw in the fridge or set it on the kitchen counter to thaw when I’m ready to bake it?
      Thanks much!!

      Reply

      1. thetipsyhousewife

        December 16, 2024 at 1:15 pm

        Thaw in fridge for a couple days

        Reply

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