There is no denying this is the Easiest Lasagna recipe! With only 6 simple ingredients this easy lasagna recipe is a delicious family staple.
One of my favorite things to make for my family is homemade lasagna. I’ll take a Sunday afternoon and make homemade sauce, the whole deal. But that’s the thing… it takes all afternoon. Sometimes we want to eat it on a Tuesday night, and with work and extra curricular activities for Jack, I simply don’t have the time to dedicate a whole afternoon to lasagna.
Enter this simple lasagna recipe! Seriously. Only 6 ingredients! And you don’t even have to boil the lasagna noodles. It all cooks right together. While it does take an hour to bake, the prep is super easy. You can throw it together, pop it in the oven, and forget about it for an hour.
And, don’t let the simplicity fool yall! This lasagna is delicious and super filling! Enjoy!
What is lasagna?
Lasagna is a popular Italian dish, but let’s be honest… There are probably not a whole lot of true Italian roots in this simple lasagna recipe. This is most likely what I would refer to as easy lasagna recipe… simple, filling, flavorful, and, you guessed it, simple! Traditionally, lasagna consists of layers of flat lasagna noodles, a meat and marinara sauce mixture, and a cheesy, ricotta-based mixture. Typically, the final, top layer is a thick spread with shredded mozzarella cheese. Finally, lasagna is usually baked in an oven for a varied amount of time and at a varied temperature, depending on the recipe you choose to follow. A popular dish of choice for a gathering of family and friends, lasagna is usually paired with a simple side salad and breadsticks. Yummy and oh so filling!
How do I store lasagna?
Lasagna is delicious when reheated as leftovers. Here are two ways you can store lasagna:
- Freeze – When tightly wrapped lasagna can be kept in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. You just want to make sure you seal it in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – You may store cooked lasagna in a tightly sealed container in your refrigerator for up to five days.
How do I reheat lasagna in the oven?
Lasagna makes for great leftovers! Just remember, we can’t put a cold dish in a hot oven. It could shatter. I usually place the cold dish and a cold oven and turn the oven on to 350°F. Allowing the dish to warm gradually with the oven helps to prevent this. Cover your pan with a tightly-sealed layer of aluminum foil. Allow it to heat for about 25-30 minutes or until warmed through. The exact reheating time will depend on the thickness of your layers and how much you have left in your baking dish, but I recommend just checking to see if it is heated through every 5 minutes after about 20 minutes of reheating.
Ingredient FAQ
Lean Ground Beef – You will need one pound of lean ground beef.
Jarred Marinara – Grab a (24 to 26-ounce) jar of your favorite marinara. I’m sure some food bloggers could sit here and tell you what brand is best, but I’m all about ease and accessibility, so I say any brand will do. Whatever works best for you, your tastebuds, and your wallet… is what you should use.
Water – Yes, please! And a cup for the lasagna too! This water will be absorbed by the pasta as it cooks in the oven.
Lasagna Noodles – You need to make sure when you purchase lasagna noodles, you get a 12-ounce pack labeled “no boil” and/or “oven ready.”
Ricotta Cheese – Some folks have strong opinions on brands when it comes to ricotta cheese. I am not one of those folks. Just be sure to get 1 (15-ounce) container. Some folks use cottage cheese here, like this baked spaghetti, and that works, too.
Mozzarella Cheese – This recipe calls for two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. I always prefer full fat or whole milk mozzarella cheese for the texture and rich flavor, but I’m sure the other kinds will do just fine.
Recipe Card
Easiest Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 (24 to 26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 (12-ounce) package no-boil, oven ready lasagna noodles
- 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly spray an 11×7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat and drain the excess grease away. Return the meat to the skillet over medium-low heat and add the marinara and 1 cup water. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Layer about 1/4 of the meat sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover with a layer of the uncooked pasta. Add about half of the ricotta cheese and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Top with and 1/4 of the sauce, then more pasta, the remaining ricotta, and 1/3 more of the mozzarella cheese. Add another 1/4 of the sauce, then another layer of pasta. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Wrap the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for a hour or until the pasta is tender. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Desire
The bottom burned at 425 for an hour! An hour recommended is way too long
Oh no! What kind dish did you bake this in, Desire?
Heather
So good!!! I used a 9×13 inch pan and added oregano, garlic powder and salt to the sauce. It’s nice to have a lasagna recipe that uses six ingredients instead of sixteen and tastes just as good.
So glad to hear it turned out perfect for you, Heather!
Frances Dale
You sent me the wrong recipe.
What recipe were you looking for, Frances?
Lincoln
Sorry this seemed to post weird, but for my hard noodles on top, I am covering with foil and it’s the whole top layer that gets a little wavy and it’s a harder top not just edges
What size dish are you using? It just seems like the most likely culprit would be the top layer not having enough sauce on it to cook through.
Donna Strabala
No Italian flavor at all and burnt on the bottom 😞
Oh no, I hate that it disappointed you 😞 With an easy lasagna that uses just a handful of ingredients, most of the “Italian flavor” really comes from the marinara sauce, so it may be worth trying a different brand next time (some are a lot more seasoned than others).
On the burning issue, can I ask where your dish was sitting in the oven? If it was too close to the bottom, the bottom of the pan can get blasted with heat and brown way too fast. I usually have the rack in the middle of the oven so everything bakes nice and even. Also, what kind of dish did you use? Glass? Ceramic? Metal?
Lincoln
I’ve made this twice now, tasty and simple. But both times my top noodle layer becomes wavy and a bit hard. I tried adding more sauce/cheese on top the second time and that didn’t help. I’d love to keep this simple recipe in my arsenal… Anyone have any suggestions?
Is the entire top hard or just the edges? Also, are you wrapping it tightly with the foil?
Karisa
My favorite sauce is from Mid’s, they have the most amazing meat Bolognese or a sausage pasta sauce. I make this recipe even easier by just using their meaty sauce and not adding any ground beef. Tastes delicious and even faster.
I’ve seen it in the store, but have never tried it! I guess I need to!
Amanda A Twentyfive
I used what I had to hand – ground pork, 1/2 container ricotta, plus mozz and Parmesan cheese. Also added a tablespoon of Italian seasoning and Rao’s for the sauce. Yum!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Eugene Martian
I absolutely loved this recipe the only thing I did differently was I added an egg, 3 tablespoons of the sauce and some parmesan cheese to the ricotta and mixed it all together not only does it taste wonderful it’s extremely easy to spread. I will definitely be making this recipe again.
Thanks, Eugene! That tweaks sounds like a great way to make it more spreadable! Thanks for sharing!
Jim
Delicious! But……I used a 11.5×8.5 and could not get the last layer of pasta, sauce, and cheese. Not sure how you used a 11×7 dish. But was yummy!
I’ve never had trouble, so I’m just not sure. So glad you enjoyed it, Jim!
Jess
Made this last night for my family and it came out perfect! This is by far the easiest lasagna to make and it tastes sooo good. Thank you so much for sharing!
That makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad it was a hit with your family and that you found it easy, too. Thanks for giving it a try!
Roberta
Have the ingredients to make the easy lasagna but I do not have an 11×7 pan. What size pan and cooking time would you recommend instead? I have 9×13 (glass or metal) and glass pans that are 8×8 and 9×9. Thank you
The 9×13 would probably be your best bet. Hope you enjoy!
sv
yes and it was wonderful…then i got stupid lazy and purchased and used 2 pack of Costco’s tortellni or other fresh pasta stuffed w spinach or whatever instead of noodles and continued using your recipe ….so good …love me some lazy
I love that you made it work with the Costco tortellini! Sometimes, a little shortcut is just what we need to keep things easy and delicious. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Kerri Maddox
I normally make my sauce from scratch; therefore, I’m unfamiliar with premade marinara sauces. Would you mind sharing which premade one that you use for this, please? Thank you
Kathi Wright
So easy and so delicious. I added 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach to the meat sauce. I also used 1/2 # each of ground beef and ground Italian sweet sausage because I had it in my freezer. I also mixed in 1 teaspoon of dry Italian seasoning into the ricotta. The noodles were perfect. Boxes now have 9 oz…shrinkflation. I bought 2 but one was perfect for a11x 7 pan. I covered it with non-stick aluminum foil. It cut perfectly!
That sounds fantastic! I love the addition of spinach and the mix of ground beef and sausage—great way to use up what you have.
I totally understand! For premade marinara, I usually go for brands like Rao’s or Carbone. They have a great flavor and can save some time. Give them a try, and let me know what you think!
Diana
Rao’s is my go to jar sauce. Pricey but worth it IMO
Lizzie
The BEST lasagna recipe, thank you! How long should I cook it if I freeze it?
So glad you loved the lasagna—thanks for the sweet comment! If you’re baking it from frozen, keep it covered with foil and bake at 375°F for about 60 to 75 minutes. Then uncover it and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s hot and bubbly in the center. If you’ve thawed it in the fridge overnight, it usually just needs about 45 minutes covered, then 10 to 15 uncovered. Hope that helps—and thanks again for trying the recipe!
Stacie
I made this two nights ago and it was fantastic. I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta , it was wonderful
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Tish
I was looking for an easy, yet tasty, lasagna recipe and yours did not fail. The 6 ingredients was what caught my eye and I just made this today 3-9-2025, a spinach salad with Panera Balsamic Dressing, and of course garlic bread. I will absolutely make again and sharing with my friends and family members. Bravo to the cook and recipe provider Stacey 👏
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Thanks so much for the kind words! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the lasagna!
Kathie Bracy
Can I use regular lasagna noodles? I’m afraid to use the no-boil ones after reading one of the reviews on a store-brand (where I shop) that told about weevils crawling out of the noodles when the package was opened. How should I adjust the recipe using regular noodles? Thanks! It looks great!
Weevils can actually happen in any pasta product, not just the no-boil versions. However, you can use the regular pasta. Just cook it according to the package instructions until al dente before layering them in your dish. This way, they’ll hold up well in the final bake.
Jeanie
This is similar to my favorite oven lasagna recipe (a compilation of several recipes). I don’t use no-boil lasagna, however, and the noodles still get cooked.
Thanks, Jeanie!
Judy
My family has made Lasagna without boiling the noodles for years I’m guessing 30 to 40 years, we have akways used regular lasagna noodles, not the no boil (they didn’t make the no boil when my Mom started making Lasagna without boiling the noodles), also she never added any water either ans the Lasagna was never dry. We bake it at 350 not 425.
That’s awesome to hear! It sounds like your family has a great method that works well for you. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sal
If you know so much then why are you looking at this page ? Tell Granny to stay in her own kitchen .. Great recipe to me works every time.. 🎤
becca
My husband and I love to cook, and we haven’t branched out a whole lot until this year; we are settling into our first home together. This is our first recipe for lasagna we have ever made and it came out so good!! We cut the recipe in half, used the “no bake” noodles, and adjusted our time due to pan size. I personally would have liked more filling (meat and ricotta specifically) than the “half recipe” we did called for, but my husband was super pleased. Thank you for providing so much detail and assistance through your recipe posts. We are making your No Cutter Buttermilk Biscuits and Easy Sausage Gravy this morning, too. You’ve got us on a roll, Stacey! 🙂 Be well and God bless!
Hey there! I’m so glad to hear that y’all enjoyed making lasagna together—congrats on your first home! It’s great to know the adjustments worked for you, and I totally get wanting more filling; it adds so much flavor. I hope you love the biscuits and gravy as much as the lasagna! Thanks for your kind words, and happy cooking!
Chester
Followed the recipe to a T, with the exception of the marinara. That I added a bit extra.
It was essentially dry meat and noodles. The cheese was insufficient, and the sauce seemed to vanish into the noodles? It wasn’t flavorful in the least. I had high hopes because I need simple and easy recipes in my life, but if I were to make this again, I would probably at least double the ricotta.
Sorry to hear it didn’t meet your expectations. Different pastas will likely absorb different amounts of liquid from the sauce which might be why it seemed dry. Do you happen to remember what brand you used? Also, was it the “no-boil” noodles?
Jean Eiler
Do you mean 11 x 17 instead of 11x 7?
No. I use an 11×7-inch pan, but a 9×13 should work as well.
Samantha
My town only had the pre boiled pasta. So would I just reduce the cooking time?
I’m not familiar with lasagna that’s been preboiled. If I were to guess, I’d say that reducing the cook time is correct. Check the packaging, too, as it might give you a cooking time and temp recommendation.
Connie Orr
Excellent and easy for
Lasagna!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ada Clark
Easy, I doubled the recipe and made a 9X13 and a 8X8, awesome sauce,
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!!
katty
I made the lasagna. It was good. I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta.
I will make again sometime. This was My first time to make lasagna .
Turned out much better than expected.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
Norma Hyde
What if you don’t like ricotta cheese, what other cheese can u use,? Also can you make a shrimp lasagna? If so I need a recipe for a shrimp lasagna please. Thanks for your help.
You could use cottage cheese as well.
Cathie Whelan
Our favorite lasagna! Only change I make is to substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese, hubby doesn’t like ricotta. So easy and tastes awesome!!
So glad y’all have enjoyed it!
FRANKIE
This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve found. I freeze half of it after it is cooked because it’s just the two of us.
So glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Barbara
Watch you on tv Guy’s Grocery last night! You were great! Love the porcupine balls I make them all the time.
Thank you so, so much!
Melissa Slayton
Stacey – do you think this could be frozen after it’s made?
I do! Tightly wrapped in in a layer of foil and plastic wrap it should last several months.
Robert Boone
I’m definitely going to make this! The lasagna recipe my other half uses calls for the meat sauce cooking overnight in the slow cooker! I’ll just add Italian herbs to the jarred sauce to give that authentic flavor (so mine would be 7 instead of 6 ingredients)! Thank you for making this dish easier to make!
Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!
Susan Wilder
All these year’s I had been using so many different ingredients & spending time mixing it until I made this quick recipe that turned out even better. I was doubting not using egg, but found it wasn’t necessary.
Thank you for saving me money on ingredients I didn’t need and saving me time plus the best Lasagna I have ever made!
Wonderful, Susan! Glad you found this one delicious!
Judy
Hi Stacey, this will be perfect to make for our son and daughter in law who had their baby boy 3 weeks early! What brand of no boil noodles do you use? Thanks!
It really doesn’t matter. Honestly, I use whatever brand is on sale!
Ronnie
Just wondering if you can make this meatless.
I suppose you can simply leave the meat out.
LaFondia D Freeman
To give it a kick to my taste buds …
Sorry about typos
Good day
LaFondia D Freeman
Hi I am trying your ease Lasagna recipe, now. It’s for my cousin’s birthday; today. I really hope it doesn’t BURN…yikes! Baking as instructed on 425 degrees…
I will contact you later with an update on the turnout and I also added my own favoring or seasoning to give a kick my taste buds love. ????
Hope it turns out great for you! Tell your cousin we said Happy Birthday!
Laura
I’ve made lasagna with regular noodles that haven’t been preboiled. Make your lasagna as usual and carefully pour one cup of water around the edges of the pan before baking. The noodles soak up the extra liquid and cook themselves.
Thanks for the tips, Laura!
Memie
I make a quick “lasagna” using the spinach & ricotta ravioli that I get from Sam’s and Costco. I layer the ravioli instead of lasagna noodles.
That sounds AMAZING!!
Karen
I have never used the NO BOIL Noodles.
Are they as good as the Boil To Prepare Noodles. ?
Appreciate your Site Very Much.
Keep up the GREAT WORK !!!
Thanks so much, Karen! I really like the no-boil pasta. It makes the process so much easier.
Julie Pollitt
I love lasagna and this is such a great recipe!
Thanks!!
Ivy
Can you substitute the ricotta cheese for something else? If so, what do you recommend?
You can always just leave it out. The only substitution I could recommend would be cottage cheese.
NiKay
I was wondering could you mix all of this up and freeze it? Or should you bake it then freeze it? I love to make up a bunch when I do it.
You can do it either way. If you decide to fix it and freeze it before baking, pop it in the fridge overnight the day before you want to bake it to allow it to thaw for best results.
Sandi Pettenger
I have made this several times!! It’s absolutely delicious and the only way my daughter will eat Lasagna. My only issue is it gets watery. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you for sharing.
So glad you’ve enjoyed it! Let’s see… Are you using the no boil pasta?
JoAnn
I just made this and it burned on the bottom ???? I believe 425 is too hot for lasagna. I should have followed my gut feeling and stuck to 350.
Was it on the center rack of your oven?
Karla smith
Can I freeze this before baking?
Sure!
Sarbear
Second time making this! Very delicious and super easy. I always keep a box of no boil lasagna noodles in my cabinet so I can make this recipe at least once a week! It’s my family’s new favorite:) thanks for posting this recipe Stacey! Soooeasy:)
Awesome! So glad you all have enjoyed it!
Michelle
Hi, did I miss it? I don’t see the baking temperature.
It’s 425°F. Enjoy!
Jessica
What would you suggest for the ingredients for this recipe in a larger pan like 9 x 13 or cake pan?
They should stay roughly the same, the lasagna just might be a bit thinner.
Heather
Can I use regular lasagna noodles?? Husband didnt buy the no boil ones
You can, but you run the risk of them not cooking all the way through and the dish drying out.
Esther
Have you ever put this together the night before then bake it when u get home the next day? Just wondering if it would be ok after sitting all night & day.
I haven’t, but I would imagine it would be just fine.
Vonne
Hi Stacey,
Which marinara sauce do you recommend?
I really like Prego and the Classico brand.
Patsy
Hi Stacey – love this lasagna method…I’ve used it for years but I don’t buy the “no boil” noodles (they used to be really hard to find!). I use the regular lasagna noodles and just add a little bit of extra water to the sauce (basically rinse out the jar). It comes out perfect every time!!! Thanks so much for sharing your version.
You are so welcome! The no boil noodles are certainly easier to find these days.
Rose
We enjoyed this at Wednesday night Bible Study
So happy y’all enjoyed it!!
Laurel McGilvery
I usually cook the noodles while browning the meat but this is easier and saves some trouble.
Every little bit helps in my world! Enjoy!
Aileen
I have a similar easy lasagna recipe, Stacey, but yours looks better and easier! I’m going to try it!
Hope you’ll enjoy!!
kay fowler
What kind of spices do you use?
I don’t use anything additional.
Kari
I had no idea that no boil pasta strips were a thing!
Kari
https://sweetteasweetie.com/passion-fruit-colada/
Sandy
I’ve never tried them, in fact, haven’t seen them in the grocery store, but I’ve not looked either.
Totally! They just save an extra step.
Nana
I think this is similar to a lasagna recipe made in the same manner and cooked in the slow cooker/crock pot. so great to come home and find supper ready.
That is SO true! There’s nothing quite like coming home to supper being ready!