Make the best gluten-free lasagna with this ultimate recipe! Layers of homemade meat sauce, ricotta filling, and lots of gooey cheese make this a comforting dish with plenty of pro tips for perfectly cooked noodles!
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saute pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is browned and no longer pink.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ricotta Filling
Meanwhile, make the ricotta cheese mixture by lightly beating the egg in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
Layering Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a 9X13 baking pan spread 2 ½ cups tomato meat sauce. Top with 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (if using Barilla, for larger noodles 3 will cover the dish). TIP: Avoid overlapping noodles as much as possible. Stacked noodles will glue themselves together during baking and become chewy, instead of tender.
Evenly dollop half the ricotta mixture over the noodles and spread evenly. Top with 1 cup grated mozzarella.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, remaining ricotta, 1 cup cheese, and then 2 cups sauce.
Place on the remaining lasagne sheets, sauce, and finish with remaining mozzarella cheese. Make sure all the noodles are covered in sauce so they don’t become hard during baking.
Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover securely and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for 15-20 minutes longer, or until noodles are soft throughout.
If desired, broil 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Notes
modifications and shortcuts
Use turkey sausage or ground turkey, part skim ricotta, and less mozzarella cheese to make a healthier recipe.
For a spicier recipe, use hot Italian sausage and add a pinch of crushed red pepper to the sauce.
Instead of making a homemade sauce, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef and mix with two jars of marinara sauce.
If you don't care for ricotta, substitute 16 ounces cottage cheese. At least 4% milk fat works best.
make-ahead, reheating, & freezing tips
Make-Ahead:Lasagna makes a great make-ahead meal for holidays, such as Christmas, or when expecting company. The sauce may be prepared up to three days ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container. Alternatively, freeze up to 3 months.Assemble the lasagna up to a day ahead of time, covering securely with foil. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature up to an hour, then bake according to the directions.
Freezing Lasagna:Another make-ahead option is to assemble the lasagna, and freeze it unbaked. Be sure to wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn and ice crystals forming.Thaw the frozen lasagna overnight in the fridge and then let it sit at room temperature for one hour before baking according to directions.
Reheating:Refrigerate leftover lasagna in an airtight container up to three days. To reheat in the microwave, heat individual slices at a time. Microwave at 50% power until almost heated through, and then finish at full power to warm completely.Leftover lasagna may also be frozen in serving-size slices. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.Thaw slices overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave at 50% power until almost heated through, and then finish at full power to warm completely.If you have a lot of leftovers to reheat at once, place in an oven-proof baking dish. Cover securely with foil and warm in a 325ºF oven until hot throughout.