The BEST Easy Lasagna Recipe Without Ricotta Cheese

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This easy lasagna recipe without ricotta cheese has been a family favorite for decades – and it really is so simple! It only requires a few simple ingredients, and for those looking for a lasagna without ricotta, this recipe uses mozzarella and Colby-Jack cheese. It freezes beautifully, too!

Below, you will find the step-by-step ingredients for this crowd-pleasing, simple lasagna. This is my mom’s famous lasagna, which has been known to please the tastebuds of even the most picky lasagna eater. Most of our family doesn’t like ricotta, and it definitely isn’t missed in this easy recipe, which is filled with ground beef and sausage.

Ingredients

• 16 oz can spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 pound Italian sausage, any variety
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups Colby jack cheese
• 15 lasagna noodles
• Several tablespoons of powdered Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Fill a pot with water and boil, then cook lasagna noodles until al dente.
3. While noodles are cooking, heat a tablespoon of oil in a deep skillet and cook until tender.
4. Add uncooked sausage and ground beef. Brown the meats and drain excess grease. Then add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and water to the mixture. Add in all the spices and let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. When lasagna noodles are done cooking, drain excess water and put off to the side.
6. Get out a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle parmesan cheese on the bottom. Layer four lasagna noodles on the bottom of the dish. Then layer 1/3 of the sauce and about 1/2 cup Colby jack cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan.
7. Repeat this layering two more times. On the last layer, use mozzarella instead of Colby jack.
8. Cover with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes. Then remove tin foil and let bake for 10 more minutes. If cheese is not melted to your liking, put on low broil for 2-3 minutes (watching carefully!)

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Layering is Key:

Ensure even distribution of your ingredients across every layer for consistent flavor in every bite. I always do 3 layers.

Prevent a Soggy Bottom:

Drain your meat mixture thoroughly to avoid excess moisture, ensuring the base remains firm.

Rest After Baking:

Allow the lasagna to sit for 15-20 minutes post-baking. This rest time helps the layers set and makes slicing much easier.

Golden Crust:

Brush the top layer with a mixture of melted butter and grated Parmesan cheese to achieve a crispy, golden crust on top.

Noodle Choice:

Opt for no-boil lasagna noodles for convenience, however, make sure they are completely covered in sauce for best results. If using regular noodles, slightly undercook them as they’ll continue cooking while baking.

Substitutions and Variations

This recipe can be adapted for various tastes and needs:

• To make this recipe healthier, you could use a lower-sugar pasta sauce, ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef, and turkey sausage instead of pork sausage.
• You can make this gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles and ensuring the meats you use are gluten-free.
• Some people prefer to use slices of mozzarella cheese rather than grated cheese.
• Although this is a meat lasagna, you could omit the meat and double up on the cheese!

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat

Storing Freshly Made Lasagna

Once your lasagna has cooled to room temperature, cover the baking dish with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also place extra slices in an airtight container. Properly stored, your lasagna should stay fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

The Freezing Process

Freezing is an excellent option if you’ve prepared more lasagna than you can eat in a few days. You can also freeze it before cooking as well.

Before freezing a cooked lasagna, let it cool completely. Then, wrap the whole dish first in plastic wrap, ensuring no gaps or openings. Finally, add an outer layer of aluminum foil. This dual layering minimizes the risk of freezer burn.

If you aren’t cooking it first, prepare the lasagna as directed in an aluminum pan—skip the baking step. Cover it double with plastic wrap and then tin foil.

However, if you enjoy grabbing a slice of lasagna now and then, it’s better to pre-portion it. First, freeze individual slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer them to airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.

Always label with the date and contents whether to store whole or in portions. Frozen lasagna can last up to 3 months without significantly losing quality.

Reheating Your Lasagna

If your lasagna is in the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Use fresh aluminum foil to cover the dish, which prevents the top from getting too crispy or burnt. A 25-30 minute stint in the oven should suffice for a bubbly and heated-through dish. For a crispier top, consider uncovering for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

However, if you’re pulling the lasagna straight from the freezer, the process requires more patience. Keeping the original aluminum foil covering, bake the whole lasagna for about 1 hour at 375°F (190°C). Then, for that golden finish, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes. For individual frozen portions, bake them for 30-40 minutes, using the same uncovering technique for the crispy finish.

In all reheating scenarios, ensure the lasagna reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), signifying it’s safe and ready for consumption.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe has so many great things you can serve with it!

• Moms Easy Parmesan Breadsticks
• Garden Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Green beans
• Asparagus
• Garlic Bread

Continue to Content

Ingredients

• 16 oz can spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 pound Italian sausage, any variety
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups Colby jack cheese
• 15 lasagna noodles *oven ready make this recipe even easier*
• Several tablespoons of powder Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil, then cook lasagna noodles until al dente.
3. In the meantime, dice onions, and then put them in a deep skillet with the sausage and ground beef.
4. Brown the meats. Add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and water to the meat and onion mixture. Add in all the spices, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. When lasagna noodles are done, drain excess water, and put off to the side.
6. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Layer four lasagna noodles on the bottom of the dish. Then layer 1/3 of the sauce, ½ cup of Colby, and jack cheese 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
7. Repeat noodles, sauces, and cheeses two more times. Make sure the top layer of the lasagna is mozzarella cheese. If there are any gaps at the ends of pans where there are no noodles, put a noodle there as well. Cover with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes. Then remove the tin foil and let bake for about 10 more minutes.
8. If the cheese is still not melted completely, put on broil for about two minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 795Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 1225mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 52g

More Lasagna-Themed Recipes

We have TONS of lasagna-themed recipes on Clarks Condensed. You can click here for our lasagna ideas post, but here are a few of our favorites:

• Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
• Lasagna Rolls
• Mexican Lasagna Recipe

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