No Boil Lasagna

If you are worried no-boil lasagna noodles taste differently than the kind you boil, you don’t have to be. When you layer the oven-ready lasagna sheets with ricotta cheese and tomato gravy (sauce) and then bake them, they come out just as soft and satisfying to eat as lasagna noodles cooked on the stovetop.

The flavor of this best lasagna recipe is just out of this world. Add some Italian sausage to the pasta sauce, along with vegetables and you have a full and satisfying meal.

Helpful tips

• Use a big enough pan. When I first used these noodles, I used an 8 x 8 pan and although the lasagna came out great, the noodles expanded and overlapped each other somewhat. I’ve learned from my mistake and now always make my no-boil lasagna in a 9 x 9 pan.
• You can also use a baking dish if you prefer, but make sure it’s big enough.
• Use generous amounts of gravy and cheese as this is lasagna people; it’s meant to be moist and cheesy.
• If you have the time, try to use homemade gravy as it’s better than store-bought. Here’s my spaghetti sauce recipe that you can make with a pressure cooker.
• If you use warm tomato sauce, the noodles will curl when you lay them out, but the weight of the layers will flatten them again.
• Love meat? Make a meat sauce by adding some ground beef, or sausages. And don’t forget to add some minced garlic.
• You can layer the lasagna however you want. The order doesn’t matter much as long as you end with gravy and mozzarella cheese on top. But this is my favorite way to layer it.
• Have leftovers? I just cover the pan of cooled lasagna with plastic wrap, and then place aluminum foil on top of that. The reason why you don’t want foil directly on the lasagna is the acid in the tomato sauce will eat through it.
• You can even make this lasagna ahead of time and freeze the pans – again using plastic wrap first, then foil.
• If I do freeze uncooked lasagna, I let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Just know that sometimes ricotta might get a little watery when frozen. Follow the cook time listed in the recipe card.

How to make no-boil lasagna

Pre-step

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and get a 9 x 9 baking pan.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – oven-ready lasagna noodles, egg, parmesan cheese, whole milk ricotta cheese, herbs and spices.

Step two

Place the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, oregano, parsley, and salt in a mixing bowl. (A)

Step three

With a rubber spatula, combine ricotta cheese with the other ingredients.(B)

Step four

Put a layer of gravy in the bottom of the pan and lay two uncooked lasagna noodles over it. Notice how there is room around them? Don’t worry, they will expand when they bake. (C)

Step five

Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture on the noodles. (D)

Step six

Next, place two more uncooked noodles on top of the ricotta cheese. Ladle sauce over the noodles and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. (E)

Step seven

Add another layer of ricotta cheese over the gravy. (F)

Step eleven

Lay on two more lasagna noodles. (G)

Step twelve

Since this layer will be the last, you will ladle more sauce on top and sprinkle a good amount of shredded mozzarella cheese. (H)

Bake time

Bake for 35 minutes. It will come out of the oven nice and bubbly.

Cut into the lasagna and plate it.

This is one of my favorite Italian dishes.

Especially when it’s served with lots of sauce, AND peppers AND onions.

Storage

Refrigerator

• Allow the lasagna to cool completely before storing.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer individual portions to an airtight container.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Freezer

• Unbaked lasagna (best method): Assemble the lasagna but do not bake. Wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn.
• Baked lasagna: Let it cool completely, then cut into portions and wrap each in plastic wrap before placing in a freezer-safe container.
• Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Pro tip: Freezing unbaked lasagna ensures the best texture when reheated.

Reheating

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Cover with foil to prevent drying out.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
• Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp up the cheese.

I hope you enjoyed this no boil lasagna recipe.