Cheese Lasagna
Published 9/26/2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This classic cheese lasagna recipe is made with 3 different cheeses: ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese making it the ultimate cheese lasagna! It’s made with a red sauce and truly a great basic lasagna.
When it comes to lasagna, we like to think of ourselves as connoisseurs. Rosie, our in-house classically trained chef and cheesemonger, developed this recipe and she swears by the simplicity of ingredients and the fact that it uses 3 different cheeses!
Simply layer your cooked lasagna noodles with a ricotta layer, mozzarella layer, and marinara sauce layer. Bake for 45 minutes and serve!
What You Need for Cheese Lasagna
- Lasagna noodles: make sure to use basic lasagna noodles for this recipe, not the no-cook kind!
- Eggs: eggs are used in the ricotta cheese sauce to bind everything together.
- Marinara sauce: we’re keeping things simple with marinara sauce instead of simmering your own homemade tomato sauce.
- 3 types of cheese: cheeses needed for cheese lasagna include: ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.
- Spices: the spices needed for this recipe are simple — Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
What is the best cheese for lasagna?
The most common types of cheese used in lasagna are ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Other types of cheese that can be used include:
- cottage cheese
- asiago
- romano
Variations for Cheese Lasagna
Make it g/f: use a gluten-free lasagna noodle instead.
Add a ground meat: quickly sautee a ground meat such as beef or pork and mix it into the marinara layer.
FAQ
The most popular kinds of cheese that go in lasagna are ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.
Typically lasagna has at least 3 layers of noodles, but depending on the size of your pan you can layer as many as you want.
Eggs are used in most lasagna cheese mixtures to bind them together.
Ricotta cheese is more common than cottage cheese in lasagna, but both are delicious and can be subbed for one another.
Storage
Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
How to Freeze Lasagna
If you’re planning to freeze your lasagna for later, we recommend baking it in a disposable dish.
- Cook lasagna as directed in the recipe card.
- Let the lasagna cool completely.
- Cover it with a piece of tin foil and seal tightly.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: thaw lasagna completely overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until hot in the center.
How to Serve Cheese Lasagna
We love eating this cheese lasagna topped with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. It’s delicious with a simple parmesan knot and lemon orzo salad on the side.
Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 15 oz. whole milk ricotta, ~2 cups
- 2 large eggs
- 3 oz. grated parmesan, divided (~1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning, we used this one
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 24 oz. marinara sauce or favorite pasta sauce, divided
- 12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (~3 cups)
Instructions
- Prepare the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Run the cooked noodles under cold water when done. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the ricotta cheese, eggs, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper into a medium size bowl and mix until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare lasagna by layering noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, and sauce. You should end with a layer of noodles, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Tips & Notes
- The Italian seasoning we use has salt in it. If you use one without, increase the salt in the ricotta mixture by 1 teaspoon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #cheeseknees, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Hello from Waupaca Wisconsin!!! I see you are from Wisconsin as well. I am making this for dinner tonight and I can’t wait to eat it!
Hi Shannon from Waupaca! Hope you loved this lasagna 🙂