Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
There’s something quietly joy-giving about a lasagna that’s been made with time and attention. This version leans on a slow-simmered tomato sauce with Italian sausage and a generous layer of ricotta — comforting, sturdy, and exactly the kind of dinner that feeds a family and leaves the kitchen smelling like the best parts of Sunday.
I write recipes that I actually make, so this one includes practical steps and honest tips for assembly, baking, and storage. If you want a deep, gently sweet tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella, you’ll appreciate the long simmer. If you’re short on time, I’ll point out where you can save a little while keeping the core flavors intact.
Below you’ll find the ingredients, exact step-by-step directions, gear notes, common pitfalls and fixes, and storage guidance. Read through once, then follow the steps in order — especially the sauce simmer and the assembly. Let’s get to it.
What’s in the Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion — builds savory sweetness in the sauce; don’t skip browning for depth.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil — for sautéing the onion and garlic; use extra-virgin for flavor if you like.
- 2 cloves minced garlic — adds aromatic bite; mince fresh for best flavor.
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes — the backbone of the sauce; gives body and texture.
- 1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes — adds chunky tomato texture and brightness.
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste — concentrates tomato flavor and helps thicken the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar — balances acidity from the tomatoes; adjust to taste.
- 1 teaspoon salt — seasoning; you may need a touch more at the end depending on your sausage.
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano — classic Italian herb note for the sauce.
- ¼ teaspoon thyme — supports the oregano with subtle earthiness.
- 1 bay leaf — infuses slow-simmered depth; remove before layering.
- 1 stalk of celery, cut in half — adds background aromatic and subtle vegetal sweetness; remove before assembling.
- 2 cups water — adjusts sauce consistency for long simmering.
- 4 links Italian sausage (1½-2 pounds), sliced and cooked — main protein and seasoning source; use mild or hot to taste.
- 1 pound ricotta cheese — creamy, mild layer that keeps the bake moist and tender.
- 1 ½ pounds mozzarella, grated — melts into the top and between layers; whole-milk mozzarella gives better melt.
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles, soaked in warm water for about an hour or no boil lasagna noodles — the structural layers; if using dried noodles, follow the soaking note before assembling.
Directions: Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
- If using dried lasagna noodles: soak the 8 ounces of noodles in warm water for about an hour; drain and lay them flat or pat dry before assembling. If using no‑boil lasagna noodles, skip soaking.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Stir in the 28‑ounce can crushed tomatoes, 16‑ounce can diced tomatoes, 6‑ounce can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons oregano, ¼ teaspoon thyme, 1 bay leaf, the 1 stalk of celery (cut in half), and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce, partially covered, for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Near the end of the simmer, remove and discard the celery pieces and the bay leaf.
- Before adding the sausage to the sauce, spoon out a small amount of sauce (without sausage) and spread it across the bottom of a greased 9 x 13‑inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the sausage: if your 4 links Italian sausage (1½–2 pounds) are not already sliced and cooked, slice them and cook in a sauté pan over medium heat until browned and cooked through. If the sausage is already sliced and cooked, simply have it ready.
- Add the sliced, cooked sausage to the remaining sauce and stir to combine; simmer a few minutes to meld flavors.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Assemble the lasagna in the greased 9 x 13‑inch pan: start with a single layer of noodles covering the bottom (use about half the noodles for the first layer). Spoon and spread about half of the sauce (now containing the sausage) over the noodles. Dollop and spread about half of the 1 pound ricotta cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle about half of the 1 ½ pounds grated mozzarella over the ricotta.
- Repeat the layer: remaining noodles, the remaining sauce with sausage, the remaining ricotta, and the remaining mozzarella so you have two noodle layers and two cheese layers.
- Cover the assembled pan with a piece of foil that has been lightly greased on the side that will touch the cheese (or use non‑stick foil). Place the covered pan in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. If you want more browning on the top, remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
- After baking, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
What Sets This Recipe Apart
This lasagna emphasizes a long-simmered tomato sauce and a full pound of ricotta, which keeps the layers tender and creamy instead of dry. The combination of crushed and diced tomatoes gives a sauce that’s both thick-bodied and pleasantly textured — not a flat puree. The sausage serves as both flavor and seasoning, meaning you can be lighter-handed with added salt.
One practical point: the recipe explicitly calls for spooning a little plain sauce into the pan before layering. It’s a tiny step that prevents the bottom noodles from sticking and becoming gummy — a simple trick that keeps serving neat slices instead of a pan of torn noodles.
Quick Replacement Ideas
- Sausage — substitute cooked ground beef, turkey, or a plant-based Italian sausage if you prefer; note that the seasoning profile will change.
- Ricotta — if you don’t have ricotta, blend cottage cheese briefly to mimic the texture; the flavor will be slightly different but still creamy.
- Mozzarella — part-skim works, but whole-milk gives better melt and creaminess; you can combine mozzarella with a little provolone for more complex flavor.
- Noodles — use no‑boil noodles straight from the box or soaked dried noodles as instructed; fresh lasagna sheets can be used but will alter liquid needs slightly.
What You’ll Need (Gear)
Gear is straightforward and mostly standard kitchen tools. You’ll need a large saucepan for the sauce, a sauté pan for browning sausage (if uncooked), a 9 x 13‑inch baking pan, a piece of foil, and basic utensils: a wooden spoon, a knife and cutting board, a can opener, and a grater for the mozzarella. An oven thermometer is helpful if your oven runs hot or cool.
Easy-to-Miss Gotchas
There are a few small things that commonly trip people up:
- Soaking noodles — if you’re using dried noodles, don’t skip the hour soak unless they’re labeled “no‑boil.” Unsoaked dried noodles will remain stiff and won’t layer properly.
- Sauce thickness — after 2–3 hours simmer, the sauce should be thickened and flavorful. If it’s too watery, simmer a bit longer uncovered before assembling.
- Removing aromatics — don’t forget to take out the bay leaf and celery; they’ll make bites unpleasant if left in.
- Greasing foil — grease the foil (or use non-stick foil) to prevent cheese from pulling when you remove the cover during the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Resting time — cutting too soon makes the lasagna fall apart. Let it rest 15 minutes after baking so layers set for clean slices.
Make It Fit Your Plan
Meal prep: Make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. It continues to taste better the next day and speeds assembly. Cook and slice the sausage in advance so the final assembly is mostly layering and baking.
Make-ahead bake: You can assemble the lasagna in the 9 x 13 pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. If refrigerated, add about 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time to account for the cold interior.
To freeze: Bake fully, cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze. Reheat from frozen at 350°F, covered, until warmed through (this can take an hour or more); uncover for the last 15–20 minutes to crisp the top.
Behind-the-Scenes Notes
I prefer this sausage-forward version because Italian sausage brings seasoning without needing to add a lot of extra salt or dried spices. If your sausage is heavily seasoned or very salty, taste the sauce toward the end of the simmer and adjust salt accordingly.
The long simmer (2–3 hours) is intentional. It lets tomato paste lose any “tinny” edge and allows the herbs and sausage to meld. If you’re in a hurry, you can simmer for less time, but the flavor will be brighter and less integrated.
Save for Later: Storage Tips
Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best texture, reheat single servings in a microwave or in the oven at 350°F covered until warmed through.
Freezing: Wrap cooled lasagna tightly with plastic wrap and foil or place individual portions in freezer-safe containers. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
Reheating: Oven reheating preserves texture better than microwave reheating. Cover and heat at 350°F until warmed through, then remove the cover for a few minutes if you want the top to re-brown. If reheating slices in a skillet, add a splash of water and cover for a few minutes to gently steam through without drying.
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes. Replace the sausage with a plant-based Italian sausage or sauté a mix of mushrooms and lentils seasoned with Italian spices to mimic texture and savory depth.
Do I need to drain the sausage fat?
If you use high-fat sausage and there’s excess fat after cooking, drain some from the pan before adding the sausage to the sauce. A little fat adds flavor, but too much will make the sauce greasy.
Can I skip the brown sugar?
You can, but the sugar helps balance tomato acidity. If your tomatoes are very sweet or you prefer no added sugar, taste near the end of simmer and omit if it tastes balanced.
How do I get perfectly even layers?
Use about half the noodles for the first layer as instructed, spread sauce evenly with the back of a spoon, and dollop the ricotta in even spoonfuls before smoothing. Grated mozzarella spreads more evenly than sliced.
Before You Go
This Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese is a make-ahead-friendly, family-pleasing bake that leans on slow-simmered sauce and a generous ricotta layer for texture and moisture. Follow the directions in order—especially the simmer and the resting time—and you’ll get clean slices with rich, harmonized flavor.
If you try this, I’d love to hear what adjustments you made — different sausage, extra herbs, or a shortcut that worked well. Enjoy the comforting rhythm of layering, baking, and sharing. It’s a classic for good reason.
Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If using dried lasagna noodles: soak the 8 ounces of noodles in warm water for about an hour; drain and lay them flat or pat dry before assembling. If using no‑boil lasagna noodles, skip soaking.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Stir in the 28‑ounce can crushed tomatoes, 16‑ounce can diced tomatoes, 6‑ounce can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons oregano, ¼ teaspoon thyme, 1 bay leaf, the 1 stalk of celery (cut in half), and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce, partially covered, for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Near the end of the simmer, remove and discard the celery pieces and the bay leaf.
- Before adding the sausage to the sauce, spoon out a small amount of sauce (without sausage) and spread it across the bottom of a greased 9 x 13‑inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the sausage: if your 4 links Italian sausage (1½–2 pounds) are not already sliced and cooked, slice them and cook in a sauté pan over medium heat until browned and cooked through. If the sausage is already sliced and cooked, simply have it ready.
- Add the sliced, cooked sausage to the remaining sauce and stir to combine; simmer a few minutes to meld flavors.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Assemble the lasagna in the greased 9 x 13‑inch pan: start with a single layer of noodles covering the bottom (use about half the noodles for the first layer). Spoon and spread about half of the sauce (now containing the sausage) over the noodles. Dollop and spread about half of the 1 pound ricotta cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle about half of the 1 ½ pounds grated mozzarella over the ricotta.
- Repeat the layer: remaining noodles, the remaining sauce with sausage, the remaining ricotta, and the remaining mozzarella so you have two noodle layers and two cheese layers.
- Cover the assembled pan with a piece of foil that has been lightly greased on the side that will touch the cheese (or use non‑stick foil). Place the covered pan in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. If you want more browning on the top, remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
- After baking, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
