Classic Lasagna with Marinara Sauce — The Italian-American Masterpiece

Authentic Italian Gourmet Pasta Sauce. No Added Sugar. Ever.

Lasagna is the dish that defines Italian-American cooking. It's the Sunday dinner, the holiday centerpiece, the dish that feeds a crowd and makes everyone feel taken care of. It takes time — but it's time well spent, and most of it is hands-off oven time.

The marinara is the soul of lasagna. It has to be rich enough to carry the dish through an hour of baking, bright enough to stay vibrant through all those layers, and flavorful enough to make every bite taste like something special. Albanese's Finest Original Marinara — authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce with no added sugar — is exactly that sauce.

• 1 lb lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
• 2 jars Albanese's Finest Original Marinara (24 oz each)
• 32 oz whole-milk ricotta
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
• Fresh basil for serving

Step 1 — Cook the noodles (if using regular). Boil lasagna noodles in heavily salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and lay flat on oiled baking sheets to prevent sticking. (If using no-boil noodles, skip this step.)

Step 2 — Make the ricotta mixture. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmigiano, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth.

Step 3 — Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Step 4 — Layer the lasagna.

• Layer 1: Spread ½ cup marinara on the bottom of the dish
• Layer 2: Noodles (slightly overlapping)
• Layer 3: Half the ricotta mixture, spread evenly
• Layer 4: 1 cup marinara
• Layer 5: 1 cup mozzarella
• Layer 6: Noodles
• Layer 7: Remaining ricotta mixture
• Layer 8: 1 cup marinara
• Layer 9: 1 cup mozzarella
• Layer 10: Noodles
• Layer 11: Remaining marinara
• Layer 12: Remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano

Step 5 — Bake covered. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes.

Step 6 — Uncover and brown. Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling and the edges are slightly caramelized.

Step 7 — Rest before cutting. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting. This is mandatory — it sets the layers and makes it possible to serve clean slices.

The resting step is mandatory. Fifteen minutes of resting lets the layers set. Cut it too soon and you'll have a delicious, saucy mess instead of clean, beautiful slices.

Use whole-milk ricotta. Part-skim ricotta is watery and grainy. Whole-milk ricotta is creamy and rich. The difference in the final dish is significant.

Two jars of sauce. Lasagna needs more sauce than you think. Two jars ensures every layer is properly sauced and the lasagna stays moist through the long baking time.

Make it ahead. Lasagna is one of the best make-ahead dishes in Italian-American cooking. Assemble it the day before, refrigerate, and bake the next day. Add 15 minutes to the covered baking time.

Variations

Meat Lasagna: Add 1 lb of browned ground beef or Italian sausage to the marinara before layering. See our Lasagna with Meat Sauce recipe.

Vodka Mascarpone Lasagna: Substitute our Vodka Mascarpone sauce for a creamy variation. See our Creamy Vodka Mascarpone Lasagna recipe.

Vegetable Lasagna: Add layers of sautéed zucchini, eggplant, and spinach between the ricotta layers.

About the Sauce

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara is made with no added sugar — which means the natural acidity of the tomatoes cuts through all that cheese and ricotta perfectly. It's the authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce that makes lasagna taste like it came from a real Italian-American kitchen.

No added sugar. Small-batch. Founder-made.

Shop Original Marinara →

Related recipes: Classic Baked Ziti with Marinara · Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Marinara · Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce