Lasagna al Forno (or oven-baked lasagna) is one of my favorite meals for entertaining! It can be made in advance and everyone loves a comforting slice of lasagna! It is layered with a delicious meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and pasta then topped with lots of grated mozzarella cheese.

An oval pan of Lasanga al Forno with a silver spatula sticking out next to a slice of lasanga on a white plate.

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Key Ingredients for Lasagna al Forno
How can I prepare lasagna in advance?
Can I freeze lasagna?
What should I serve with Lasagna al Forno?
📖 Recipe
Comments

Key Ingredients for Lasagna al Forno

Lasagna consists of layering meat sauce, lasagne noodles, and a ricotta mixture then topping with mozzarella cheese and baking it. The key ingredients in my recipe are:

Ground beef- I recommend 80%/20% for extra flavor
Ground pork- same note as above
Ricotta- you can use whole milk or reduced fat
Lasagne noodles- you can use the "no-boil" type to save time if you'd like (skip step 2 if you do). You can also substitute for gluten-free lasagne noodles.
Tomato sauce- you can use your favorite homemade recipe, or opt for jarred to save time

Lasagna in a white casserole dish with a cheesy top.

How can I prepare lasagna in advance?

Lasagna is an excellent meal to make for company! You can prep it through step 5 (all the steps except baking) up to 3 days in advance and cover it with foil and keep it in the refrigerator. When you are getting ready to serve, allow the lasagna to come to room temp for 30 minutes before baking and proceeding with step 6.

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Can I freeze lasagna?

Yes! Lasagna is a great frozen meal. Freeze it after assembling but before baking. It can be well covered and then frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, allow the lasagna to defrost in the refrigerator for a solid 24 hours. If you forgot to defrost it, prepare for it to bake much longer (about twice as long). If baking from frozen you may also need to cover with foil part way through so that the center can keep cooking without the top burning.

Lasagna al Forno would make a great meal to bring to new parents. It is also great to have on hand for busy weeks or spontaneous company.

Close photo of lasagna with a slice missing to show the layers of pasta, ricotta, meat, and sauce.

What should I serve with Lasagna al Forno?

Here are some ideas for what to serve with Lasagna:

Caesar salad
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Cherry Chocolate Bread Pudding for dessert

If you make this Lasagna al Forno recipe, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below! And for a chicken lasagna recipe, be sure to check out my Chicken Pesto Lasagna! I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does 🙂

📖 Recipe

Lasagna al Forno

Recipe for meat and ricotta Lasagna al Forno that is the perfect pasta dish to make ahead and serve guests.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: people

Author: Caitlin Charlton

Ingredients

1 lb lasagna noodles

Meat and Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 lb ground beef (preferably 80%/20%)
1 lb ground pork (preferably 80%/20%)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
48 ounces tomato sauce homemade or your favorite jarred

Ricotta Filling

2 lb ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Topping

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit and place the baking rack on the middle shelf. Spray a 9x13 deep lasagna pan with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (skip this entire step if using "no-boil" lasagna noodles). Drain the noodles and lay them out on a sheet pan drizzled with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
Meanwhile, make the meat mixture. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, and a pinch of salt. Cook, sauteing frequently, until the onions are soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and pork. Break up the meat with a large spoon and cook, stirring occasionally until fully cooked, about 7 minutes. Carefully drain any excess fat. Add the jarred tomato sauce and stir until combined. Turn off the heat, taste and adjust seasoning, and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired before mixing in the eggs.
To the baking pan, add a thin, even layer of the meat mixture to just cover the bottom of the pan. Then add the noodles, then the ricotta mixture in an even layer, then more meat mixture. Repeat for 4-5 layers ending on the meat mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Place the baking pan on a sheet pan and bake for 40-60 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is slightly browned on top. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

To prep in advance: You can prep it through step 5 (all the steps except baking) up to 3 days in advance and cover it with foil and keep it in the refrigerator. When you are getting ready to serve, allow the lasagna to come to room temp for 30 minutes before baking and proceeding with step 6.
To freeze: Freeze it after assembling but before baking. It can be well covered and then frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, allow the lasagna to defrost in the refrigerator for a solid 24 hours. If you forgot to defrost it, prepare for it to bake much longer (about twice as long). If baking from frozen you may also need to cover with foil part way through so that the center can keep cooking without the top burning.