Here’s your step by step guide to make amazing classic three-cheese Italian lasagna casserole with intensely flavored sauce, just the right balance of cheeses, chunky beef, sweet Italian sausage, and gluten free pasta.
Need to feed a crowd or craving some comfort food? Classic three-cheese Italian lasagna casserole is always one of the recipes at the top of my list in these situations. With its intensely flavored sauce, just the right balance of cheeses, chunky beef, sweet Italian sausage, and gluten free pasta, it’s always a big hit for dinner.
When I made this dish this weekend, I realized that I had never shared it here on the blog. Probably because it’s always gobbled up before I have a chance to to take a photo. But this time I made sure our Gluten Free Homestead team took lots of pictures. 😉
So here is my step-by-step guide to making amazing Italian lasagna!
Step number one is the sauce!
You can make a homemade sauce or you can use your favorite gluten free sauce from a jar. Prego says it is gluten free right on the label.
If you’re going to make homemade sauce, do that an hour before starting your lasagna and simmer it on the back burner of your stove.
Step number two is cooking the lasagna noodles. I used Tinkyada gluten free noodles for this recipe. Even those at your table who don’t need to eat gluten free will enjoy these noodles. They’re great tasting, easy to digest, and never mushy.
Cook your lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Add some salt to the water, as well as a little olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking. When they’re finished cooking, drain the water, rinse the noodles with cool water, and lay the noodles flat on parchment paper to keep them from sticking together until you are ready to use them.
On to step three! Slip each sausage out of its casing, add a little water to your skillet and brown for about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
After this, season the ground beef with salt. Brown the beef in a pan, drain off about half the fat, and then add one cup of sauce, stir, and let it simmer for a minute or two. This is going to fill your house with the most delicious aroma.
Next mix the ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper in another bowl. Set aside.
Finally, you’re ready to assemble your four layers: one layer with mozzarella cheese, one with ricotta, another with mozzarella, and a final layer with parmesan.
First, spoon the sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish. Layer with the lasagna noodles, add the ground beef mixture, and top with shredded mozzarella cheese,
Next add another layer of the lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, sausage, and sauce.
Your third layer will be lasagna noodles, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Cheese is essential for each layer. Sorry, I didn’t get pictures of that third layer, but I think you get the idea. 🙂
Top the final layer of lasagna noodles, with lots of sauce and lots of grated parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for just 10 minutes more.
I know you are dying to dig in right away (aren’t these pictures making you hungry?), but let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Then slice it up into squares and serve with extra sauce.
Ta-dah! The best gluten free classic Italian lasagna on the planet. 😉 Buon appetito! Have a happy and healthy week friends!
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Gluten Free Classic Italian Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 package gluten free Tinkyada Lasagna noodles cooked according to package directions.
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 pound Premio Italian sweet sausage
- 3 cups gluten free marinara sauce
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Slip each sausage out of its casing, add a little water to your skillet and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Crumble up the sausage with a spatula while it sautés. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
- Season ground beef with salt. Brown the beef in a pan, drain off about half the fat, and then add one cup of sauce, stir and let it simmer for a minute or two.
- Mix ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
- Spoon some sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish. Layer with noodles, ground beef mixture, half of the mozzarella cheese, then another layer of lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, sausage, lasagna noodles, some sauce, and the rest of the mozzarella cheese and then the final layer of lasagna noodles, sauce and parmesan cheese.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
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Linda says
I can’t eat lasagna because of the cheese, but I really need to make it for my husband. He hasn’t had it since going gluten-free, and he mentioned recently that he misses it. Yours looks delicious! He has a birthday coming up…
Barbara says
There you go. Lasagna is the perfect birthday dinner.
Martin Gebhart says
Use Tofttimes ricotta and almonD mozzarella! I made it for my wife and it was her first lasagna in 15 years. Lactose intolerance goes hand in hand with gluten allergies. Aww
Martin Gebhart says
Tofutti ricotta and almond mozzarella. It didn’t post right.
Barbara says
Oh, how wonderful for your wife to be able to enjoy lasagna again! Thanks for sharing the lactose free substitutes.
Here are links to all my dairy-free recipes and recipes with dairy-free options you might also like: https://www.glutenfreehomestead.com/tag/dairy-free/
https://www.glutenfreehomestead.com/tag/dairy-free-option/
Have a great weekend. 🙂
Susan Obmoin says
Where do I find the lasagna noodles and sweet sausage? My local grocery store or a specialty grocery?
Barbara says
Hi Susan,
If your local grocery or health food store doesn’t carry Tinkyada noodles, you can order them from Amazon through my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2HrflVF
Premio sausage may be available in your local grocery or Costco or Sam’s Club. The Premio website has a store locator: https://www.premiofoods.com/product-category/real-italian-sausage/
I hope this helps so you can make this lasagna. 🙂
Ashley says
Even tho I’m a vegetarian, this post completely caught my eye. I work part time at a tea house that offers a lot of gluten free meals. Almost all of them are! It’s crazy what I’ve learned over the last few months about gluten and healthy eating. Will definitely be keeping this recipe (even tho I will alter it a smidge) 🙂
Barbara says
Hi Ashley, It’s so good to see you here on the blog. Your tea house sounds like my kind of place. 🙂 You can definitely substitute your favorite vegetable for the meat in this recipe and it will be an amazing vegetable lasagna!
Jennifer Hickey says
Looks scrumptious!
Barbara says
Thank you, Jennifer!
Susan Marot says
I am lucky enough to be gluten tolerant, but my friend has to stay gluten free and always struggles with pasta dishes. She will love this! Thanks you
Barbara says
Oh thank you so much for sharing this with your friend. These noodles really do taste good.
Bethany says
Lasagna is the best. This looks great!
Barbara says
Thanks Bethany. We had fun shooting all these pics and licking our fingers a lot. We couldn’t wait to dig in once we finished. 🙂
K. Lee Banks says
Oh my, this looks great! I’ll have to find those gluten-free noodles. Also need to share this recipe with my daughter who has Celiac disease. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara says
Terrific K. Lee. You can order them from amazon, if they’re not in your store. Tinkyada make a few different types like spirals and elbows. All good.
Marla says
Hi Barbara & Nicole.
Wow this looks delicious and its gluten free. Lasagna is always such a crowd pleaser food & sticks to your ribs. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
So nice for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance to have another option! This looks absolutely delicious!
Raia says
Oh my. I’m drooling. I’m SUCH a lasagna fan! I can almost taste this deliciousness through your pictures. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays, I’m going to be featuring it at this weekend’s party! 🙂
Elisha says
Hi, your recipe is in my oven as I type! I can’t wait to try it! We are not huge meat eaters here so I reduced the meat to just 1-lb of ground beef and 1/2-lb ground pork Italian sausage. Just a two questions about your recipe: 1. What temperature should it bake at? I scrolled through the recipe and couldn’t find a temp but I may be missing it so I put it at 350. 2. Do you add the 1/4 cup of oil to the pot before sautéing the onion mixture? I assumed so but wasn’t sure.
Thanks & I will post how my version turns out! The only thing I altered is reducing the meat!
Barbara says
Hi Elisha,
You’re correct. The oven should be at 350℉. I’ll add that in right now. And, yes, heat the oil first.
Enjoy! 🙂
Jacqueline Masterson says
Hi, I really want to make this for the gluten free members of the family, but I can’t seem to find the ingredients list within the post. Help!
Barbara says
Hi Jacqueline, I’m so sorry the recipe box for this lasagna was deleted by mistake. I have restored it to the post. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and I hope your family loves it. 🙂
Judy says
Sounds delicious. I am wondering if leftovers freeze well.
Barbara says
Thanks so much, Judy.
Joyce @ The Hungry Caterpillar says
This does look like a delicious gluten-free comfort food. Do you have any tips for working with the lasagna noodles? When I have worked with Tinkyada in the past, I usually find I end up with a sticky mess.
Barbara says
Yes, Joyce, Once the noodles are cooked, drain most of the hot water and run cold water over the noodles. Then carefully take them out of the cool water one by one and stack them on a parchement paper lined baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper between each layer. This will keep them from sticking while they cool until you’re ready to assemble your lasagna.:)
Bethany says
I love lasagna! Looks good!
Raia Todd says
I’ve been craving lasagna lately. I can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing it with us at AFT, I’m going to feature it at this week’s party. 🙂
Ellen D. says
Wow! I’m planning on making this for a friend who is dealing with a major family health emergency. It will be a freezer meal for her to use as needed. Do you have any suggestions as to how far I should prepare the lasagna prior to freezing, and how she should thaw and bake later on?
The recipe looks amazing! Thanks for sharing it!
Barbara says
Hi, Ellen! Thank you. I’m happy that you’ll be able to make this for your friend. I haven’t ever frozen it, though. So I can’t give you any tips on that. It should be o.k. to freeze. 🙂
Laura Bailey says
Can I make this the day before and cook next day? Not sure with GF noodles
Barbara says
Hi Laura,
Yes you can. Tinkyada noodles hold up pretty well.
Enjoy!
Stephany says
My roomie can’t eat anything that is not gluten free or organic, otherwise he just will get very ill and tired all day long. It’s been years since he last ate lasagna it’s been months since he told me he misses pasta and specially this delicious dish. I’ll be giving him a surprise tonight with this amazing lasagna recipe 😀 I’m just going to replace normal sauce can with an organic one or i’ll made one with organic tomatoes.
Thanks a lot for this awesome recipe! My mouth melts just from seeing the pictures.
Barbara says
Thank you. What a wonderful surprise! I can’t wait to hear how he likes it. In my marinara sauce recipe I recommend organic ingredients and it’s pretty quick and easy to make if you decide to make homemade. 🙂
eilidh says
hi my name is eilidh and i have lost all my mates so i moved on. i was really depressed the other
night so i made a SCRUMPDILIUMPTIOUS lasagna. if u want any pic feel free to snapchat me @ eilidh_lou3
.
Barbara says
I think you’ve found the perfect word to describe this lasagna. It’s definitely SCRUMPDILIUMPTIOUS. Have a wonderful week.
Sorry I’m not on snapchat. 🙂
Angie says
I made the lasagna that way it says and t doesn’t look like it’s done, does that usually happen or should I put it in for longer?
Thanks
Barbara says
Hi Angie,
Your lasagna noodles have been cooked ahead and your meat also. After baking for 55 minutes, your casserole should be cooked through, but (cooking times can vary depending on your oven) if you’d like it more well done you can certainly put it back in the oven until it’s done to your liking.
I hope this helps and I hope you enjoy this meal.