How to Make American Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese

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This classic American lasagna features layers of savory, rich meat sauce with the perfect blend of a creamy ricotta mixture, melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella cheese, and sharp parmesan cheese. It’s easy to whip up on any busy weeknight, offering a satisfying and hearty meal that’s both quick to make and packed with flavor!

What is American Lasagna?

The American way of making lasagna typically includes a chunky meat sauce and ricotta cheese, layered with heavy servings of other rich cheeses. In Italy, there are many versions of this pasta-based casserole. For example, a popular style called lasagna Bolognese is usually made with a ragú (a slow cooked meat sauce that includes vegetables like carrots) as well as a béchamel sauce. (Source)

While Italian lasagna varieties are a wonderful cuisine to delve into and learn how to make, if you’re in the mood for a typical restaurant-style lasagna from the U.S., this recipe is for you! 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Easy

This recipe is very easy to whip up for a filling meal. First make a simple meat sauce, then layer with uncooked lasagna pasta and cheeses. Next, throw it in the oven, and in about an hour it’s ready to serve!

Healthy

With nutrient-rich ground beef and healthy cheeses, this recipe is full of nourishment. It makes for a very satisfying meal that can be served alongside a healthy side dish, like a light cucumber salad or even some pickled veggies! In this lasagna, you don’t have to worry about unhealthy ingredients like processed seed oils, as all of my recipes are cooked with natural, healthy fats like butter and tallow. 

To ensure the maximum nutrient content, it’s best to use pasture raised meat and dairy products whenever possible!

Delicious

This recipe is a family favorite that we frequently enjoy. Layers of melty cheese and a rich, meaty sauce between tender lasagna pasta combine to create a rich and delicious dish. Savory notes from the parmesan and soft ricotta with bright, fresh basil create a delectable meal!

Simple Ingredients That Make This American Lasagna Recipe Amazing

Ground beef: the ground beef in this recipe is browned to provide a rich, meaty flavor to a simple tomato sauce. 

Strained tomatoes: strained tomatoes are my favorite ingredient for any tomato based pasta sauce. This ingredient comes in a glass container and is bottled at peak ripeness, creating a perfectly flavored tomato sauce. 

Onions and garlic: these ingredients pair with meat to round out the flavors and add sweet, yet savory notes to the meat sauce.

Fresh basil: fresh basil adds a brightness to this recipe, and is a simple ingredient that makes an Italian-inspired dish shine!

Lasagna pasta: I prefer to use a store-bought gluten-free lasagna pasta in this recipe. I have tried many gluten free pasta brands, and Jovial Foods has no match! You could also use a homemade lasagna pasta, but you may need to tweak the baking time a bit. I use a type of lasagna pasta that does not require pre-boiling, but make sure to follow the package directions to ensure you are preparing your lasagna pasta sheets correctly. This recipe works well for lasagna pasta that is either preboiled, dried, or fresh. 

Fresh ricotta: ricotta that is freshly made is my preferred ingredient in this recipe. You could also choose a high quality store-bought ricotta. I often substitute the ricotta mixture for a cottage cheese mixture in this recipe, for another rich and creamy variation. 

Parmigiano Reggiano: this is a high quality and flavorful type of parmesan that can be found at most grocery stores. To be considered a true Parmigiano Reggiano, the cows must be grass fed. (Source)

Mozzarella: mozzarella adds a melt-in-your-mouth texture to this lasagna, and when perfectly browned is the cherry on top! Since a high quality mozzarella can be hard for me to find at times, I sometimes substitute for another mild cheese and still, the lasagna tastes amazing. 

What Kind of Pot to Use for Cooking the Sauce?

Make sure to use a stainless steel or similar pot for browning the beef and making the sauce. Do not use cast iron, as the acid from the tomatoes will cause the cast iron flavor to be absorbed into the dish. 

How to Make Fresh Ricotta Cheese

My favorite way to make lasagna is with fresh, homemade ricotta cheese. Fresh ricotta makes a huge difference, and is very simple to make!

Add 8 cups of non-homogenized milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a large pot. (Make sure milk is not ultra-pasteurized, as this kind of milk may not curdle properly for ricotta).

Heat milk on medium-low heat until it comes to about 185 degrees F, then turn stove to down to low. 

Add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and gently stir milk for a couple of minutes with a wooden spoon. 

After about two minutes of gently stirring, turn heat off, cover pot, and let rest for about 20 minutes. 

Set a large colander over a large non-metallic mixing bowl. 

Evenly layer a double thickness of cheesecloth over the colander.

Once milk and vinegar mixture is cool enough to touch, carefully pour over cheesecloth.

​Allow to strain for about 15 minutes, then discard whey and transfer cheese curds into an airtight storage container. 

How to Store This Lasagna

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing as it may effect the texture. 

How to Make American Lasagna 

In a large stainless steel pot, sauté onions on medium heat until translucent. 

Add garlic to the pot and stir constantly until just fragrant, then quickly add the ground beef and stir. Turn the heat up to medium-high to brown ground beef, stirring frequently. 

Add strained tomatoes, then add the filtered water to the jar that stored the strained tomatoes. Swish it around, and add to the pot. This will help collect any remaining strained tomato sauce stuck to the jar. 

Add basil, salt, and pepper, and turn the heat to a simmer. Allow sauce to cook while preparing the cheeses. 

In a medium bowl, add ricotta cheese, egg, and a pinch of salt and combine well. 

Shred parmesan finely, and coarsely shred mozzarella (or if using a more moist mozzarella cut it into thinly sliced mozzarella).

After the sauce has been simmering for about 20 minutes, it is ready to use for the lasagna. Taste to make sure it is salty enough, and add more if needed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In the bottom of the casserole dish, add a cup of the meat sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. 

Evenly space 3 lasagna sheets on top on the sauce, horizontal to the long sides of the baking dish.  

Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the pasta sheets. 

Sprinkle about 1/3 of the parmesan and mozzarella in an even layer on top of the pasta sheets. 

Add a thin layer of meat sauce on top of this layer. 

​Evenly space 2 lasagna sheets in the opposite direction of the previous layer, vertical to the sides of the baking dish. 

Spread the rest of the ricotta over this layer, then 1/3 more of the parmesan and mozzarella. 

Add a thin layer of meat sauce on top of this second layer. 

Evenly space 3 lasagna sheets for the final layer, then cover with the rest of the sauce. If using dry lasagna sheets (and not pre-boiling), ensure there is enough meat sauce to fully cover the dry pasta. Push down on the layers of pasta slightly to be submerged in the sauce. 

Cover the layers of lasagna with the remaining grated cheese. 

Place the casserole dish on the center rack of the preheated oven. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cheese on top is golden brown.

Let the finished lasagna cool for  about 10 minutes before slicing. 

Using a chef’s knife, cut into squares or rectangles of preferred serving sizes. 

Using a spatula, lift each piece carefully onto serving plates. 

Enjoy!