The Best Lasagna Recipe (We Tested 6 Top-Rated Contenders!)
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Whether you grew up with store-bought frozen lasagna or your family regularly made it from scratch for the holidays, this layered, cheesy, soul-satisfying pasta dish is popular for good reason.
Lasagna is a classic Italian recipe, but there are so many ways to make it, and it seems everyone has their favorite version. Some insist that the best lasagna needs a béchamel sauce, which is a more traditional Italian route, while others prefer lasagna with cottage cheese layered in for the ease and flavor it brings. You can slowly simmer a Bolognese sauce for the filling, or go vegetarian. You can even go outside the box and build a Thanksgiving leftovers lasagna for something fun and delicious.
One thing most lasagna recipes have in common is that they take time and effort to make, build, and bake, so you don’t want to end up with a subpar result after all of that work. Considering this, I tested six top-rated lasagna recipes for a side-by-side tasting to see how different versions compare, and to find the best choice for your next lasagna night. Tasting different styles next to each other was eye-opening, and I learned even more about what makes a superior lasagna. So, grab a wedge of Parmesan and some stretchy pants, and check out how the layers of competition stack up.
Allrecipes’ World’s Best Lasagna was the absolute best lasagna of the bunch. The meaty sauce was perfectly seasoned, due in part to three kinds of tomatoes, fennel seeds, and sugar, and then layered with the perfect ratio of noodles and cheese for a lasagna that tasted classic but special at the same time.
Meet Our 6 Lasagna Contenders
For this showdown, I tested six popular lasagna recipes that tapped into classic lasagna flavors and ingredients while still feeling distinctly different from one another. I wondered how a meatless lasagna would stack up against the hearty beef ragù version that simmered for over two hours. Would no-boil noodles offer a better texture than dried lasagna noodles? And is there such a thing as too much cheese?
Ina Garten: Ina’s turkey sausage lasagna has aspects that are both classic and unique. The lasagna noodles are soaked in hot water rather than boiled, so when it’s time to layer the lasagna, they have softened slightly but are still firm. The ricotta mixture has the surprise addition of goat cheese along with the more traditional Parmesan and a layer of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese.
Martha Stewart: This recipe features a meat sauce with equal amounts of ground beef and Italian sweet sausage, along with a generous amount of carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Two large cans of whole peeled tomatoes are puréed before being poured into the pot, along with the least amount of tomato paste in all six recipes. The ricotta layer includes milk so that it is saucy rather than thick. Because you layer in uncooked regular lasagna noodles, the excess liquid is a purposeful choice, so the noodles can cook through as it bakes.
Pioneer Woman: Ree Drummond explains in the headnote that this recipe essentially inspired her husband to propose, and it has been a staple in her house for years. Full of easy-to-find ingredients, the meat sauce has ground beef, hot breakfast sausage, and a heavy dose of dried herbs. Instead of ricotta, this recipe uses low-fat cottage cheese bound with egg and Parmesan, and it’s all topped with sliced mozzarella.
Allrecipes: This top-rated recipe comes from contributor John Chandler. It has a meat sauce that features beef and Italian sweet sausage as well as dried and fresh herbs and is simmered covered for 1 1/2 hours, so the meat is very tender, but the sauce doesn’t reduce much. The noodles are boiled to al dente before being layered with seasoned ricotta, Parmesan, and sliced mozzarella.
RecipeTin Eats: This recipe stood apart from the others due to a very long-cooking meat sauce (over two hours!) and the lack of ricotta or cottage cheese. Instead, the creamy layer is a mornay sauce, a béchamel with Gruyère melted into it. The all-beef sauce features ingredients not otherwise seen in this showdown, like beef bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine.
Samin Nosrat: This recipe is called The Big Lasagna for a reason! Not only is it hefty (although meatless), but you can also make it an all-day project if you tackle the included recipes for homemade pasta and tomato sauce. Gratefully, there are substitutions to shorten the process, and I exercised those options here, choosing no-boil dried pasta and jarred sauce. There is a béchamel sauce (don’t skip the nutmeg!) and a spinach-ricotta layer for a double hit of dairy.
How I Tested the Lasagna Recipes
I made them over the span of two days. Although I would have loved to have had one epic day of lasagna, my single oven and fridge capacity would just not allow that, so I made them over two consecutive days. When baking, I used visual cues to determine the final timing, giving the lasagnas extra time, if needed, to achieve the bubbling edges or browned top indicated in the recipe.
I tasted each lasagna after 20 minutes. I let each lasagna cool for about 20 minutes before slicing so that I didn’t scald the room of my mouth when tasting, and to give the lasagna time to set so I could get an intact slice out of the pan.
I used the same brand for common ingredients. I shopped at my large chain supermarket for widely available brands of pasta, cheese, and tomato products. For example, canned tomatoes vary from brand to brand in terms of acidity and texture, so I purchased as much as possible from the same brand for consistency across the recipes.
I baked each lasagna in a 9×13-inch baking dish. I also followed recommendations for the material if the recipe specified and baked in ceramic, glass, and metal pans.
Why You Should Trust Me as a Tester
I was raised in a time and place when casseroles reigned over the dinner table, and lasagna was one of the many one-dish meals on rotation. It was often frozen lasagna popped in the oven or a far-from-scratch concoction relying heavily on jarred sauce and dried herbs, but it always hit the spot.
As a professional recipe developer for over 15 years, my knowledge of and experience with lasagna has expanded greatly. I have had the opportunity to enjoy lasagna in Italy and develop countless recipes — some long, all-day efforts with homemade pasta, and some quick skillet lasagnas. I have made white lasagna, vegetarian lasagna, and even a fresh lasagna with layers of squash and sliced tomatoes. Although I have my favorites, I appreciate all the different styles. My experience has given me a strong understanding of what makes a balanced lasagna, regardless of the ingredients.
1. The Most Family-Friendly Lasagna: Pioneer Woman’s The Best Lasagna Ever
Overall rating: 7/10
Get the recipe: Pioneer Woman’s The Best Lasagna Ever
You know this is a good showdown when the lowest ranking is a 7. Truthfully there was nothing wrong with this recipe. It was totally fine and enjoyed by everyone I shared some with, from kids to adults. The other lasagnas were just a little bit better and, because it’s my job, I dove into the details to understand why.
The filling had a hefty amount of dried parsley and dried basil, but it didn’t end up adding much flavor or offer any freshness against the generously meaty beef and breakfast sausage-based sauce. The cheese layer included low-fat cottage cheese and sliced mozzarella, but the overall effect wasn’t ideal. The sliced cheese created intense strands that pulled and pulled without breaking. When I tried to remove a piece of lasagna, the cheese ultimately made it difficult to slice cleanly and it ate slightly chewy and bouncy. While I like cottage cheese, using low-fat left some watery liquid in the baking dish and I found myself wishing for a creamier layer. Still, it was quick to assemble, fit the baking dish well without spilling, and tasted like a straight-forward lasagna with nicely cooked noodles and hearty flavor.
2. The Least Traditional-Tasting Lasagna: Ina Garten’s Turkey Lasagna
Overall rating: 7/10
Get the recipe: Ina Garten’s Turkey Lasagna
Ina’s turkey lasagna recipe seems straightforward enough until you notice the addition of goat cheese to the ricotta-Parmesan layer. I read a lot of the reviews and found sharply mixed opinions about whether the goat cheese was a pleasant surprise or a distraction. The meat sauce uses turkey sausage instead of beef or pork sausage, but, as someone who has cooked with turkey sausage a good amount, I knew this would make a very flavorful sauce but with a little less grease.
This is an overall good lasagna, but it fell short of great. The meat sauce was delicious and robust but light, lacking the beefiness that is often associated with meat lasagnas. Soaking the noodles was faster than bringing a large pot of water to a boil, and they baked well — tender but still with a gentle bite.
The goat cheese is what got me. More than a subtle, complementary tang, it was a prominent taste that was immediately identifiable as goat cheese, and it threw off the overall balance of the dish. Maybe it would have been different with another brand of goat cheese, but the result shouldn’t hinge on that. Still, the lasagna was easy to assemble, sliced beautifully, and the fresh mozzarella layer was soft and melty. I can see myself making this again, but without the goat cheese.
3. The Most Classic Lasagna: Martha Stewart’s Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Overall rating: 8/10
Get the recipe: Martha Stewart’s Lasagna with Meat Sauce
There are a few unconventional details in this recipe, but they did not end up detracting from what ended up being a delicious and very classic lasagna. The ricotta filling includes three eggs and a cup of milk, so it was runny and sauce-like. Additionally, the meat sauce has two large cans of puréed whole peeled tomatoes and a brief 15-minute simmering time, which ties with Ina Garten for the quickest-cooking sauce, so it was very juicy.
The assembly was messy and I was not able to use all the sauce (the recipe does note this may happen). I had the foresight to place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet before starting, which turned out to be a smart move because by the time I added the last layer, the dish was filled to the tippy-top and gently dripped over the side.
After baking, covered and uncovered for about 1 hour total, I had a beautiful, creamy mozzarella-topped lasagna (and a messy baking dish and pan). After cooling slightly, I was able to get a nice square serving out of the pan. There was still some watery liquid in the bottom of the baking dish, but as the lasagna continued to cool, it disappeared.
Luckily the lasagna did not taste watery at all. The combination of seasonings plus the flavor from the Italian sausage created a finished dish that tasted nostalgic and familiar. The ricotta layer set and was very smooth, avoiding the common lasagna pitfall of becoming dry and grainy. This was a delicious, classic lasagna. The logistics of assembly coupled with the extra sauce deducted from the overall score just a touch, but it’s still a wonderful recipe that I would make again.
4. The Creamiest Lasagna: Samin Nosrat’s The Big Lasagna
Overall rating: 8.5/10
Get the recipe: Samin Nosrat’s The Big Lasagna
Before tackling Samin Nosrat’s lasagna, I watched the accompanying video and although the homemade pasta and tomato sauce looked fantastic, I chose to use no-boil noodles and jarred sauce with no sugar, so the total time was on par with the other lasagnas in the showdown. This was the only meatless lasagna in the tasting, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have just as many steps. There is a ricotta filling with freshly cooked and chopped spinach, a béchamel sauce, and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan. The assembly itself takes concentration because there are a total of eight pasta layers, as you add sheets between each element. The recipe suggests you can modify the method and double up on filling layers if you start to run out of room, which I had to do!
The lasagna is baked covered, with parchment and foil, and then uncovered, sprinkled with mozzarella, until it’s a bubbling, golden thing of beauty with crisp edges. All that extra layering creates tall slices that hold together despite not having egg in the ricotta mixture.
This is a decadent and rich lasagna. The fresh herbs and hint of nutmeg in the béchamel added lovely background flavors to break up all the dairy, which was the only drawback. Because with two layers of dairy to one tomato, I was missing some sharpness and acidity (frankly, if I wasn’t tasting so many lasagnas side-by-side I might not have even noticed). Overall, this recipe was an instant hit with my friends and my picky son who doesn’t usually like lasagna. And if you lean towards white lasagnas, this is for you.
5. The Most Sophisticated Lasagna: RecipeTin Eats’ Lasagna
Overall rating: 9/10
Get the recipe: RecipeTin Eats’ Lasagna!
This lasagna mentally transported me to a good Italian restaurant, complete with a large glass of red wine to sip on and the need for a brisk post-meal walk. The sauce has a full cup of red wine, and I realized as I was cooking that it does not deglaze the pot, where some of the alcohol can burn off and reduce. The wine is added with the tomato and other seasonings and left to simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The result is a dark red, thick sauce with a deep flavor, a floating layer of meat drippings, and a slightly winey aroma. Layered with the meat is a béchamel finished with Gruyère cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, and no-boil noodles. Assembling was easy, and I used up all of the sauces and cheese without overfilling the dish. The recipe calls for a relatively short bake of 25 minutes, but mine took notably longer to achieve the proper visual cues.
Was it worth the extra simmering and baking time? Yes, but with a caveat. This recipe was a favorite among the adults who sampled the lasagnas, myself included, but it was a little intense and rich for some of the younger tasters. The Gruyère sauce was perfectly smooth and had some sharpness without bringing too much of that signature funk to the dish, but it’s a very different experience if you are used to a thick, fluffy ricotta layer. I didn’t miss the ricotta because the silky sauce mixes into the meat and blends with the mozzarella for a lasagna that feels unified and cohesive in flavor and texture. If you have never made a lasagna without ricotta, take this as a nudge to give it a try.
6. The Most Satisfying Lasagna: Allrecipes’ World’s Best Lasagna
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Get the recipe: Allrecipes’ World’s Best Lasagna
This recipe was the last lasagna I baked, so the fact that it blew me away after two full days of cooking and tasting speaks to how good it is. The recipe follows the same path as many others in this showdown. It has a sausage and beef sauce (this one simmers for 1 1/2 hours), boiled lasagna noodles, mozzarella, and a seasoned ricotta layer. The sauce simmers covered the whole time, so it did not reduce much, and similar to the Martha Stewart recipe I had more sauce than I could layer into the recipe.
After the first bite, I knew this was the winner. It smelled wonderfully fresh out of the oven and had crisp edges and a lovely spotted mozzarella topping. The flavor was exactly what I wanted and expected from lasagna, and I believe it was so successful from a few key ingredients that were not in other recipes.
First, there is a scattering of fennel seed in the sauce, which enhances the taste of the sausage without adding more meat or fat. This recipe also uses three types of tomato products — crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste — while the other recipes only use two kinds at most. Each type of tomato adds a particular amount of concentration and acidity, so the simmered sauce has nuance and depth. The sauce also has a decent amount of added sugar, but it worked to balance the sauce and did not create a detectable sweetness. In the end, this recipe just missed a perfect score because of the extra sauce, which was not noted in the recipe, but it’s a minor issue on an absolutely fantastic lasagna recipe.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: I Tried 6 Famous Lasagnas, and the Internet’s Most Popular Recipe Changed How I’ll Make It Forever (It Has 20,000 5-Star Reviews!)
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