30 Must-Know Tips For Cooking The Tastiest Lasagna At Home

Tips for lasagna perfection

One of the most comforting meals to grace our plates – and famously the favorite meal of cartoon cat, Garfield – everyone has their own way of making lasagna. Meaty, cheesy and carby, it’s downright irresistible when made right. Whether you prefer the classic or want to try veggie, vegan or low-carb options, these tips and recipe ideas will inspire you for when you next make this wonderful dish.

Click or scroll our gallery to discover the tastiest tips for cooking lasagna at home. 

Meat: buy the best you can

Unless you’re making a ragù from leftover meat, most people make lasagna with ground meat, which is affordable and easy to cook. If you can, stretch to grass-fed or organic meat, which is tastier and more sustainable too. Alternatively, as a treat, buy a cut of meat such as chuck or sirloin and ask the butcher to grind it for you – or you can finely dice it at home for a chunkier sauce.

Meat: use the 50/50 method

For an especially flavorsome bolognese, try the Italians approach and mix your meats. A well-known method is mixing 50% ground beef with 50% ground pork. The extra fat in the pork will lend the sauce more moisture and a luscious flavor, too.

Meat: add extras for a richer sauce

Streaky bacon, pancetta, chicken livers, and full-bodied red wines all add extra flavor and richness to the sauce. If you’re aiming for a more indulgent dish, find a recipe that incorporates some of these ingredients. If using wine, make sure you let the sauce simmer long enough to reduce the alcohol, otherwise you'll be left with a slightly bitter sauce.

Red sauce: use a large pan

This might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many of us try to cook in pots and pans that are way too small. You want all the ingredients to brown nicely before sautéing rather them boiling in their own juices so use a pan large enough to prevent overcrowding.

Red sauce: ragù

Used in lasagna al forno, ragù differs from bolognese sauce in that it's a meat sauce with little or no tomatoes, depending on the Italian region it’s cooked in. Ragù starts with il soffritto – a mix of chopped carrot, celery, and white onion that's sautéed slowly in olive oil before the meat is added. After browning the meat, the sauce is made with stock, sometimes wine and tomato paste. 

Red sauce: bolognese

Customarily, a lasagna made with the tomato-based meat sauce is called lasagna bolognese. In this version, there is no veg added at all apart from diced onion and garlic, as it can water down the meaty sauce. Which sauce you choose for your lasagna is a matter of personal preference.

Red sauce: opt for passata

If you're making your lasagna with bolognese, passata is by far the superior choice. Made from uncooked, puréed tomatoes, it's flavorful but doesn’t have the aggressive acidity of tomato paste or the lumps of chopped tomatoes. If you don't have passata at home, simply sieve or purée tinned tomatoes instead.

Red sauce: don't forget herbs and spices

Both ragù and bolognese need a lot of help and time to reach that rich, comforting flavor you want in a lasagna. Add bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, or thyme while your sauce is simmering, and don't skimp on salt and pepper, constantly seasoning throughout cooking. If using fresh herbs, don't forget to discard larger leaves or stalks before building your lasagna.

Red sauce: take your time

Once you've nailed your seasonings, the other crucial component to a good red sauce is time. As a rule, you'll need around a minimum of two hours to let the sauce simmer. As it reduces, it will become richer and more flavorful and, if you've added wine, the alcohol will have had enough time to evaporate. These sauces can also be made in a slow-cooker – allow at least three hours on high for this method.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveFOOD

White sauce: béchamel is best

It’s possible to make a lasagna without a white sauce – this works for people avoiding dairy (vegan cheese can be used as a topping), though it may result in a drier dish. However, if you want a classic lasagna, you can’t beat béchamel. Make a flour and butter roux, then gradually whisk in milk, a little nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Make sure the white sauce is thick enough before using – if it’s too runny it will seep through the layers.

Cheese: which is best?

If you’re a traditionalist, you’ll use Parmesan, but many people prefer mozzarella or ricotta (a combination of the two is particularly popular here in the US). While using mozzarella means lots of lovely, stringy melted cheese and ricotta adds creaminess, some people find these types of cheese can make lasagna soggy. Try whisking ricotta with an egg and seasoning to prevent it cracking when baked.

Pasta: dried or fresh?

The jury is out on this one – some cooks favor fresh pasta, others dried. Fresh pasta is softer so there’s a risk it will cook to the point of mushiness, so if you like your pasta al dente opt for dried. For a richer lasagna, egg pasta will offer more flavor than the wheat-and-water variety.

Pasta: should I cook it first?

Cooking pasta before layering is also a matter of opinion, but the general consensus is that blanching (rather than boiling) dried pasta makes a better dish. Overcooked pasta sheets tend to clump together or become mushy so your lasagna won't hold shape, while if it’s not cooked the pasta absorbs the sauce which can make a lasagna dry. Once blanched, lay the sheets out separately so they don’t stick together.

Layering: choose the right dish

To start, make sure the dish is deep enough. Ideally you want a glass or ceramic casserole dish at least three inches (7.5cm) deep, 13 inches (33cm) long, and nine inches (23cm) wide – this gives plenty of room for the lasagna sheets without overlapping and is enough for at least three layers and cheese and sauce on top. There's nothing worse than the sauce and cheese bubbling over and burning on the bottom of your oven.

Layering: what's the right order?

To make sure nothing sticks to the bottom, start with a layer of red sauce followed by a smaller layer of white sauce, then a layer of pasta. Repeat the process – red sauce, a smaller portion of white sauce, pasta – until the dish is full. Make sure the final layer of pasta is completely covered by either both sauces or just white sauce and top with cheese.

Layering: be generous

If you’d like more pasta layers, you can use the lasagna sheets to separate the red sauce from the white – so, a layer of red sauce, then pasta, white sauce, pasta, then red sauce again, and so on. Always finish with sauce and then top it off with cheese for that signature bubbling, slightly charred top.

Top tips: prevent it from drying out

To avoid lasagna drying out, make sure you’ve used enough sauce and while it’s baking, cover the top with foil, removing halfway through so the top can brown nicely. Refer to your chosen recipe for the right oven temperature for your dish but expect lasagna to be a slow-baked dish that will take at least 40 minutes on a 350°F heat. 

Top tips: let it sit

You may be tempted to tuck in straight away, but you want to let the lasagna settle and cool a little – leave it for at least 10-20 minutes before serving. If you cut the lasagna too soon, the layers will be sloppy when you cut it and it won't hold together at all, plus the molten sauce is too hot to eat anyway. If batch-cooking for the week ahead, let it cool off completely, then cut into portion sizes.

Top tips: what sides to serve with it

This is up to you, but as lasagna is a relatively heavy, rich dish something light is recommended, such as a green salad or a tomato and red onion salad. Alternatively, a plentiful pile of steamed green vegetables such as broccoli or green beans will cut through the richness. Carb lovers can enjoy some garlic bread on the side.

Top tips: freezing lasagna

Lasagna freezes well and can be frozen if it's been cooked (for example, if you have leftovers) or uncooked. Cover the lasagna with foil and freeze flat. If you’re making more than one, it’s a good idea to make them in disposable foil trays so you don’t use up all your oven dishes.

Try it: classic lasagna

You simply can't go wrong with a classic. Layers of silky pasta, creamy white sauce, and rich meat sauce all come together in this tried and tested recipe. While the recipe does require quite a long cooking time, it's mostly hands-off as you're waiting for the sauce to simmer and the lasagna to bake.

Get the recipe for classic lasagna here

Try it: one-pan vegetable lasagna

This is a fab veggie take on the classic that also saves on the washing up as it's all made in one pan. It also needs a lot less cooking time as everything's cooked in an ovenproof pan, so it's ready in under an hour. To make it suitable for vegetarians, just swap mozzarella and Parmesan for rennet-free alternatives.

Get the recipe for one-pan vegetable lasagna here

Try it: open lasagna with mushrooms

A lighter lasagna for when you want comfort food that's a bit healthier, this is a vegan recipe that incorporates lots of nutty flavors like mushrooms, cashew ricotta, and toasted pine nuts. If you don't need the recipe to be vegan, but just want a lighter alternative, you can skip the cashew ricotta and just use regular soft cheese instead.

Get the recipe for open lasagna with mushrooms here

Try it: pasta-free lasagna

If you'd like to avoid the carbs and skip the pasta, you can still enjoy a comforting lasagna. Swap the pasta sheets for butternut squash, zucchini, or eggplant slices – there's no need to pre-cook the butternut squash as it will cook in the oven while eggplant and zucchini slices are best grilled before layering to minimize the moisture and avoid a gummy texture. 

Try it: vegetarian lasagna

If you're not a fan of vegetarian meat substitutes, try making your bolognese with lentils. Add whatever mix of veg you want, like carrot, celery, peas and onions, and assemble exactly like you would a regular lasagna. As the lentil-based bolognese can be quite heavy, you might want to swap the pasta sheets for eggplant. If you skip the béchamel in this recipe or use gluten-free flour, it also makes the lasagna gluten free.

Try it: chicken and mushroom lasagna

Chicken and mushroom is a marriage made in heaven and the combination makes for a more subtle, light but still creamy lasagna. Swap the ground meat for diced chicken or ditch the red sauce altogether and incorporate the chicken and the mushrooms into the béchamel. This lasagna won't be as sturdy as a classic one, but it'll taste divine. 

Try it: Italian sausage lasagna

The preparation of this lasagna is exactly the same as the classic, only ground meat is swapped for sausagemeat from Italian sausages. Use mild or spicy sausage to suit your personal taste and you could sprinkle some sausagemeat bits across the top, to caramelize with the cheese.

Try it: creamy spinach lasagna

To make a great spinach lasagna, you can layer sautéed spinach with the béchamel and pasta, or you can mix cooked spinach into the sauce while the sauce is still warm. We prefer the latter way for more even distribution but make sure you taste the mixture and season as needed before layering. 

Try it: lasagna rolls

Lasagna rolls are a popular take on this dish, where everyone gets their own wrapped portion. Meat sauce, or a ricotta and spinach mixture, is rolled in par-boiled lasagna sheets that are placed in a dish that is sometimes – but not always – spread with béchamel. The rolls are then smothered in red sauce and cheese, before being baked until golden.

Try it: lazy lasagna

Fancy the comforting flavor of lasagna but can't be bothered to cook the real deal? This cheat's skillet lasagna is exactly what you need. Par-boil the pasta sheets, make a simple meat sauce (you could use ready-made sauce to cut even more corners), and mix blanched spinach with ricotta, nutmeg, and seasoning. Layer the meat sauce, the cheese mix, and pasta sheets twice, then finish off with a touch of the meat sauce, some of the spinach mixture, and grated Cheddar. Slide under the grill and bake for around 15-20 minutes.

Now discover genius pasta and sauce combos for delicious dinners

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveFOOD