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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!

Easy Lasagna Recipe

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
  • ΒΌ 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!)
YouTube video
Lasagna Without Ricotta Cheese

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!
Lasagna Without Ricotta

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 panβ€”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 375Β°F (190Β°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 375Β°F (190Β°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 165Β°F (74Β°C), signifying it’s safe and ready for consumption.

Serving Suggestions

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

Cooked Lasagna

Lasagna Recipe without Ricotta Cheese

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This easy lasagna recipe 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 one fits the bill. It freezes beautifully, too!

Ingredients

  • 16 oz can spaghetti sauce
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • ΒΌ 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
© Katie Clark
Cuisine: Italian

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:

Katie is a Colorado-native, BYU graduated, and most importantly, wife to one and mother to three beautiful boys. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others - especially about pregnancy, breastfeeding, cooking, and crafts. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She loves spending time with her family and helping others find joy in family life.

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89 Comments

  1. This Lasagna recipe was amazing! I have an old recipe I’ve used for years with Cottage cheese which turns out delicious but……today I tried this recipe with the two cheeses! Amazing. Did not follow exactly, I used 24 oz organic tomato sauce and did not have parmesan. But the Colby jack and the mozzarella together omg! This will be my ‘go to’ Lasagna and I’m scrapping my 40 year old recipe. Love Pinterest and love this Lasagna with the two different meats and two different cheeses. All six of us voted, this is a Keeper. Thank you

    Reply

  2. Turned out alright. I would suggest doing maybe half a tablespoon or even less of the Italian seasoning. My family and I bit into pieces of it. It also overpowered the recipe. I’ll try it again with a very small amount of the Italian seasoning, or none at all. Other than that, it seems like it could be the perfect ricotta free lasagna

    Reply

  3. I have been on the hunt for a good non-ricotta lasagna because I cannot stand it. With that said … my husband LOVES ricotta. It would be nice to have a recipe that can be adaptable for both versions. Could I just add some ricotta in the layers somewhere with your version or do I have to hunt for an actual different recipe?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  4. So the first time I made this I didn’t save it. Ugh. Lol. Took me hours to find it again. It was amazing the first time I made it. Only change I’m making is adding more sauce since my honey asked. Making again tonight

    Reply

  5. I’ve been making this for years and love it! Question – I like using the seasoning salt and lemon pepper, and read in another comment that it’s two tsp of both. Are the other spices the same though? I totally can’t remember!

    Reply
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  9. This is my 2nd time making this lasagna! The 1st time was a HIT, Thank You! I am making it as I type this and the family is looking forward to eating. I personally don’t eat lasagna but my men folk (husband and 2 boys) LOVE it!! The only thing I don’t do with the recipe is cook it for 50 minutes because all of the ingredients are already cooked, I just put it in long enough to melt the cheese really well. Thank You again, I finally found a recipe I don’t mind cooking!

    Reply

  10. I am a meat loving mom and lasagnas are a great way for me to hide all the quantity of meat I want inside cheese.

    I am relieved to see a meatier lasagna than mine. The pictures look amazing.

    Reply

  12. Isn’t it just amazing how we live in the 21st century and have stuff like taco lasagna? πŸ˜€ Like, that’s a combination of Mexican and Italian national dishes and it only exists because we can travel so much and have the abundance of food. Let’s not forget the eclectic society. Awesome.

    Reply

  13. This will be my go-to recipe for lasagna! I hate ricotta and cottage cheese, so I deliberately searched for this. However, it was considerably too salty for me; next time, I will use only 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt instead of 2 teaspoons. However, everything else meshed well together! Also, it seemed the no-boil noodles dried it out a bit and my bottom layer of noodles was chewy; I will opt for the traditional, cooked noodles next time. I’m excited about making these tweaks for the next time; I think it will be perfect. Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply

  15. A recipes minus the regatta and cream cheese is exactly what I want! I’m excited to try it, heading to the grocery store shortly. I’m a little confused about the seasoning salt & lemon pepper, should I add them or no?

    Reply

  17. What kind of spaghetti sauce is the best to use for this recipe? I am not a big spaghetti eater and do not use sauce often. I have not found one that I really like, can you recommend? Thanks

    Reply

  19. My family absolutely loves this recipe! It is our go to lasagna recipe now. I would like to make it to take on our beach trip this summer. Can I prepare it and then freeze it to use it on our trip? Can I still use the no boil noodles if I make it and freeze it? Would the baking temp and time change at all? Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you love it so much!! We make and freeze it all the time with the no boil noodles πŸ™‚ If you defrost it first, there should be no change in the cooking time/temp. If you cook it frozen, you will need to cook it for a bit longer πŸ™‚

      Reply

  20. Normally I don’t make lasagna but thought I’d try this because it had no cottage cheese or ricotta cheese in it. I loved it with one exception (which is why I didn’t give it a 5 star rating). The seasoned salt. It calls for 2 teaspoons per batch, which is entirely way to much salt. Unfortunately I made a triple batch and froze 2, one being for my daughter. We just baked and had one of the pans tonight. It was sooooo salty that my daughter decided not to take the lasagna I made for her, home! Drat. I would either skip the seasoned salt entirely or add maybe 1/4 teaspoon max. All of us (my daughter, husband and myself) ate the lasagna with sour cream to hopefully cut some of the salt taste. It really didn’t cut the salt much. I know I measured accurately because of not making this recipe before. I also used a little more Italian seasoning. The kind I use is the best I have ever had and is only available online. Hap’s seasoning. http://www.hapburgers.com. Anyway I do like the recipe and will make it again minus most of the seasoned salt. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it! I actually need to edit the recipe because I never even use seasoned salt – I don’t know why I even have that as an ingredient still πŸ™‚

      Reply

      1. The recipe changed, and my family liked it the way it was. Can you tell me what you changed?? Did you just remove the seasoned salt??? I thought there used to be lemon pepper seasoning in it??

        Reply

        1. Yes! Sorry, I just changed it to how I currently make it πŸ™‚ It used to have 2 teaspoon seasoning salt and 2 teaspoon lemon pepper πŸ™‚

          Reply
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  28. I’m making it now, didn’t use the water but instead used a lot of sauce. My men love saucy lasagna. First time using the oven ready noodles, have always done it old school. Thank you for this recipe !!!! Mom of 5 boys and a husband !

    Reply
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  32. I followed the recipe and used the 1 cup of water, and it is very very soupy. Hope I didn’t ruin dinner for tonight!

    Reply

    1. I hope not either! It’s usually pretty liquidy. But this is a tried and true recipe, loved by many, and no one complains. I hope it worked out for you!

      Reply

  34. Just wanted to check if the spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce quantities were correct in the recipe. In the video it looked like a full jar (24 oz) and large can (15 oz) were used. Making tomorrow for dinner and wanted to make sure I did it right! Thanks!! ?

    Reply

    1. Hi there! You can do either πŸ™‚ The latter is just for a more saucy lasagna! I typically do the smaller amounts πŸ™‚

      Reply

  35. Cooking this tonight- it looks so good! I don’t boil the noodles since I got the oven ready noodles? Just want to double check! Never used them before

    Reply

  36. Hi Katie, lasagna is one of my families favorite meals but I usually find it a chore to make only to be eaten in 5 minutes. I made your recipe last night and will never make it any other way. It was soooo delicious. Thankyou.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your comment! This made me so happy to read. It’s certainly the only way I make lasagna, too! πŸ™‚

      Reply
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    1. Oh this just made my day. I’m so glad they loved it so much! We just had it a few night’s ago for my dad’s birthday. It’s definitely a loved favorited around here πŸ™‚

      Reply

  40. This recipe is delicious! It was gone within an hour of coming out of the oven. The oven-ready lasagna noodles really saved time, energy, and additional cleanup without compromising the dish…I highly recommend this shortcut. And because they expand while cooking, I only needed 9 sheets (they shouldn’t touch each other in the baking dish.) Thank you for this addition to my weeknight family dinner rotation!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you love this recipe! It’s one of our family favorites for sure. I’m glad it made it onto your family’s monthly rotation πŸ™‚ I absolutely love the oven ready lasagna noodles as well. It’s amazing how much time it can save!

      Reply

  41. I made this Lasagna and let me tell you it is delicious!! regular at our home now. Thank you Katie for sharing it.

    Reply
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  43. I made this exact recipe at my house last week. It was a hit for the whole family, even my picky almost 2 year old! I’m making it again tonight because the family loved it so much! Thanks for the great recipe πŸ™‚

    Reply

    1. Oh thank you so much for coming pack and letting me know! I always love to hear when things turn out πŸ™‚ It’s one of our family favorites – in fact, we’re having it for dinner tonight !:)

      Reply

  46. Ok, this sounds amazing and so much easier than the ones that call for all that ricotta and cottage cheese nonsense. I’ve been wanting to make a lasagna for some time now; I think I’ll try this one!

    Reply

  47. Ok, this sounds amazing and so much easier than the ones that call for all that ricotta and cottage cheese nonsense. I’ve been wanting to make a lasagna for some time now; I think I’ll try this one!

    Reply

    1. I never make lasagna because it’s so much work and I don’t usually love it. Husband requested lasagna for his birthday. This one was simple and delicious. I will make it again but double the sauce or half the noodles. Vegetables would be nice too. This will now be on my rotating menu – thank you!

      Reply

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