This lasagna is made with a delicious and rich meat sauce for an easy, traditional and comforting main meal. This Italian layered pasta dish is loaded with flavor and only takes 20 minute prep time. Perfect for a weeknight meal and fancy enough to serve to guests.
- Cheesy Lasagna
- How to Make The Best Lasagna with Meat Sauce
- Can you make lasagna ahead of time?
- Why is this the best lasagna recipe?
- What to serve with lasagna
- Pair this Lasagna with:
- Tips!
- Be sure to check out these other pasta recipes:
- Homemade Lasagna with Meat Sauce Recipe
- Ingredients
- Recommended Equipment
- Instructions
- Becky’s tips
- Nutrition Information
Cheesy Lasagna
I honestly don’t think there’s a better comfort food than a cheesy lasagna layered with a rich and flavorsome meat sauce.
It’s one of my favorite ground beef recipes for dinner. It’s so hearty and filling and it’s a dish the whole family will love!
How to Make The Best Lasagna with Meat Sauce
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Layer the ingredients in the baking dish, repeating the process for all the layers.
- Sprinkle with lots of cheese.
- Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes.
- Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Can you make lasagna ahead of time?
Lasagna with meat sauce is a great dish for meal prep and make ahead meals, and you have several options:
- Assemble and bake the lasagna, let it cool to room temperature, cover and place in the fridge. It will keep well for around three days.
- You can freeze the baked lasagna and it will keep for several months. Wrap the whole dish in plastic wrap and foil and place in a freezer bag. Thaw the dish in the fridge over night and reheat in the oven. Here are some more tips for freezing meals.
- You can assemble the lasagna the day before and keep covered in the fridge to bake the next day.
Why is this the best lasagna recipe?
This lasagna recipe is incredibly cheesy, as any lasagna should be. Just like the traditional Italian recipe, ricotta cheese is layered with the meat sauce, rather than béchamel which is often used.
The meat sauce is incredibly rich, but it doesn’t take hours of cooking to achieve the flavor, so it’s great for a weeknight meal.
What to serve with lasagna
This pasta dish is honestly pretty perfect on its own, but I do like to serve it with a simple side salad, vegetables or garlic bread.
Any of these side dishes will be perfect to serve alongside this lasagna with meat sauce:
Tips!
- Use the freshest ingredients and whole milk rather than light cheeses for the most flavorful dish.
- Be sure to spray your dish with cooking oil so for easy removal.
- Cook the lasagna in a pre-heated oven for the best results.
- Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to three days and reheat in the oven.
Be sure to check out these other pasta recipes:
- Pasta Pomodoro Recipe
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Vegetarian Pasta Bake
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
If pre-making and freezing, how would you go about reheating?
If frozen before baking, bake directly from frozen at 375°F for 70-90 minutes, until cooked through!
Could you pre make this and freeze it?
I imagine so!
so so so good!
Thank you, Rachael!!!
Just bought all the ingredients to make this tonight! Love that it’s easy and hearty!
Let me know what you think once you’ve tried it!
This was so good! It was a huge hit at my house!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear you all loved it!
Delicious!! This is so hearty and I love the homemade sauce made right along with it! Yum!
I’m glad you think so, Sara!
I’ve always been too intimidated to make homemade lasagna but it was a lot easier than I thought. Turned out perfectly and was 10x better than a frozen one!
I’s so happy to hear you loved the recipe!