5 Cheese Meaty Lasagna
For some reason Lasagna always seems like it’s going to be a lot of work. Must be all the layers. Meat sauce, noodles, creamy cheesy filling. Truthfully it’s not difficult, but I do like to make the most of my time, so I generally make a triple batch of this 5 Cheese Meaty Lasagna. It’s that good. While the Homemade Meat Sauce cooks in the Instant Pot, prepare your cheese mixture, and then assemble. We like to use any leftovers as hot lunches that I pack into individual portions. It’s a great Meal Prep Hack, 1 for dinner, 1 for the freezer, and 1 for lunches, winning!
This delicious, comforting classic 5 Cheese Meaty Lasagna uses a homemade Meat Sauce that you can make on the stove top or in the Instant Pot. When I make pasta with meat sauce, I double or triple the recipe and put it in the freezer. Having the meat sauce on hand makes assembling the 5 Cheese Meaty Lasagna a breeze.
What noodles are best to use for Lasagna?
- Dry Lasagna Noodles
- Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
- Fresh Sheets of Lasagna Noodles
I prefer Oven Ready Noodles because they are so easy to use. No boiling, no cooling, no draining. Some people don’t like the texture quite as much, but I don’t notice a difference. When I’m not meal prepping, and wanting to make a more elegant and lighter Lasagna I love Fresh Sheets.
5 Cheese Meaty Lasagna
Ingredients
- 4 cups meat sauce homemade
- 12 whole lasagna noodles or no boil
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 whole egg beaten
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 4 Tbsp Italian seasoning divided
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese divided
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/4 cup Asiago cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large glass bowl, combine ricotta cheese, garlic, egg, 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, and fresh parsley. Stir to combine.
- Spray a 13 x 9” glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the pan and then cover with 3 lasagna noodles. Top with an even layer of the ricotta cheese mixture, followed by a layer of shredded mozzarella and Gruyere cheese, using equal amounts of each. Finish with a layer of grated Parmesan and Asiago cheese, also in equal amounts.
- Repeat this process three more times: meat, noodles, ricotta mixture, shredded cheeses, and grated cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning across the final layer.
- Loosely tent dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Before you go, don’t forget to pin or register or both!
This incredible hearty Meat Sauce is excellent for this Lasagna recipe. Instant Pot and Stove top directions are included. Register at Love onIt a Plate for access to create your own Meal Plans and Grocery lists. It’s FREE!
