No Boil Lasagna | Simple and Delicious
This no boil lasagna recipe is not only delicious, but it’s super easy to make. No more slaving over the stove, boiling your lasagna noodles and then handling the hot sheets of pasta just so you can enjoy this simple staple of Italian comfort food.
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 use an 8 x 8 pan and although the lasagna came out great, the noodles expand 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 a 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 no boil 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.
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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.
Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes.
Especially when it’s served with lots of sauce, and peppers and onions.
I hope you enjoyed this no boil lasagna recipe.
Please feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to know if you’ve ever tried the no boil noodles and if so, in what dish?
Other great Italian recipes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish! If you’ve tried this No Boil Lasagna recipe, I’d love the know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
No Boil Lasagna
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup mozzarella
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Building
- 6 sheets no bake lasagna noodles
- 3 cups sauce (or as I call it red gravy)
- 1 cup mozzarella (approximate – shredded)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cheese Mixture
- Put ricotta in a mixing bowl and add egg, parmesan cheese, mozzarella, all the herbs and the salt and mix with a spatula.1 pound ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1/2 teaspoon salt
The Lasagna Building
- Spoon sauce in pan to cover bottom and lay 2 sheets of lasagna noodles on top.6 sheets no bake lasagna noodles, 3 cups sauce
- Spread half the ricotta on the lasagna noodles. Lay on two more noodles, add sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.1 cup mozzarella
- Top with the rest of the ricotta and add two more noodles. Top with sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Serve
- Eat
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Use a big enough pan. When I first used these noodles, I use an 8 x 8 pan and although the lasagna came out great, the noodles expand 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 sauce 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 no boil 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.
Nutrition
Originally published in December of 2016.
