An EASY recipe for gluten-free lasagna using barilla gluten free lasagna noodles!
This recipe has a few shortcut ingredients that give it a ton of flavor. It’s a family favorite that nobody will guess is gluten-free!
Be sure to watch the recipe video to see how to make it!
A warm, bubbly lasagna layered with cheese and Bolognese sauce is surely comfort food at it’s finest. For more crowd-pleasers try these recipes for gluten-free enchiladas, gluten-free pizza crust, gluten-free chicken pot pie, gluten-free shepherds pie and gluten-free mac and cheese. You also might like this Instant Pot Lasagna Soup!
This is my Dad’s tried-and-true recipe for lasagna made gluten-free. It’s easy-to-make and the combination of cheeses and sauces creates a delicious, flavorful gluten-free lasagna.
Serve this with gluten-free garlic bread or gluten-free breadsticks! You also might like this dairy-free lasagna!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Once you find gluten-free lasagna sheets, the rest of the ingredients are classic and easy-to-find. Here are a few notes on the key ingredients:
- Gluten-Free Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles: You can fine these widely available these days. No boil noodles are so convenient! My favorite brand is Barilla.
- Hunt’s Tomato Sauce: The combination of sauces is the main trick for this recipe! I like the flavor of Hunt’s tomato sauce and the canned version has enough liquid for the no-bake noodles to soak up enough sauce to cook through while the lasagna bakes. I also like to use a combination of jarred and canned tomato sauce in my go-to gluten-free spaghetti sauce recipe.
- Jarred Tomato Pasta Sauce: I like using a jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce along with the canned tomato sauce for flavor and just a little texture.
- Ground Beef: You can also use ground sausage for more flavor. Be sure to break up the ground beef into very small pieces when you cook it. Nobody wants big chunks of meat in lasagna!
- Ricotta/Cottage Cheese: This is my personal favorite combination of cheeses for lasagna. The cottage cheese ensures the ricotta mixture stays moist and distinct.
Tip: Use a can of tomato sauce along with a jar of spaghetti sauce for the the right amount of moisture for the no-bake noodles to soak up. Pick sauces you like the flavor of as they will flavor the dish.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lasagna
- Set aside one cup of the mozzarella cheese for topping the lasagna later. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining mozzarella and rest of the cheese filling ingredients until combined.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and onion. Brown the ground beef, breaking into very small chunks as you do. (The smaller the better so there aren’t big chunks of meat in the lasagna.)
- Drain the meat of any excess grease and return to the pan. Add the sauces and mix until heated through.
- Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
How to Layer Gluten-Free Lasagna
Using 5 noodles for the first layer – dip a noodle in the meat sauce and spread the top of the noodle with a layer of sauce. Place in the pan. Dipping/covering each individual noodle with sauce ensures the noodles will cook through.
Repeat with the remaining noodles along the bottom of the dish. You may have to break the 5th noodle in half to fit it along the bottom of the pan. If it breaks no problem, just lay the layer of noodles it in the best you can!
Layer the rest of the gluten-free lasagna as follows:
- Add 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture in dollops across the top of the noodle/sauce layer.
- Spread with a small spatula until smooth.
- Spread a few small spoonfuls of sauce over the cheese layer.
- Dip/cover another 5 noodles and lay them on top of the cheese mixture.
- Add the other 1/2 of the cheese mixture in dollops across the top of the noodle/sauce layer. Spread with a small spatula until smooth.
- Spread a few small spoonfuls of sauce over the cheese layer.
- Dip/cover the remaining 6 noodles in sauce and and lay them on top.
- Spread any remaining sauce over top of the lasagna.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes covered.
- Remove the foil and top with the reserved mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until browned and bubbling.
- Let the lasagna sit for 20 minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!
Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe FAQ
If you buy “oven ready” or “no bake” lasagna sheets there is no need to pre-cook them. I prefer this type of noodle for gluten-free lasagna as the noodle holds up the best!
Gluten-free lasagne sheets are widely available in stores these days. I like to use Barilla Oven-Ready Noodles. Most grocery stores, along with Target and Walmart, carry several brands.
This lasagna can be assembled up to one day in advance. Any longer than that and the noodles will get too soft.
Store any leftover gluten-free lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat individual slices in the microwave.
Yes! The best way to freeze this is by cutting the lasagna into individual portions and freezing it in small containers. You can defrost a portion using the defrost setting of the microwave or overnight in the fridge (then reheating in the microwave).
More Gluten-Free Recipes
- Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs – great to have on hand to add to your favorite dishes
- Gluten-Free Chili – award-winning and full of 2 kinds of meat and delicious spices
- Gluten-Free Pasta Salad – loaded with flavorful ingredients
- Gluten-Free Beef Stew – an all-time favorite that is hearty and comforting
Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna
Video
Ingredients
For the Cheese Mixture:
- 1 16oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese low-moisture
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 8 oz cottage cheese small curd
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the Sauce/Lasagna:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 white onion finely diced
- 29 oz can Hunt's Tomato Sauce or another canned tomato sauce
- 24-28 oz bottle jarred tomato basil pasta sauce I like the Tomato Basil sauce from Trader Joe's best
- 10 oz Gluten-Free Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles I use Barilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Set aside one cup of the mozzarella cheese for topping the lasagna later. In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining mozzarella and rest of the cheese mixture ingredients (mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese, parmesan, eggs, parsley and pepper) until combined.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and onion. Brown the ground beef, breaking into very small chunks as you do. (The smaller the better so there aren't big chunks of meat in the lasagna.)
- Drain the meat of any excess grease and return to the pan. Add the sauces and mix until heated through.
- Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Using 5 noodles for the first layer – dip a noodle in the sauce and spread the top of the noodle with a layer of sauce. Place in the pan. Dipping/covering each individual noodle with sauce ensures the noodles will cook through. (See the photos in the post.) Repeat with the remaining noodles. You may have to break the 5th noodle in half to fit it along the bottom of the pan. If it breaks no problem, just layer it in the best you can!
- Layer the rest of the lasagna as follows:Add 1/2 of the cheese mixture in dollops across the top of the noodle/sauce layer. Spread with a small spatula until smooth. Spread a few small spoonfuls of sauce over the cheese layer. Dip/cover another 5 noodles and lay them on top of the cheese mixture. Add the other 1/2 of the cheese mixture in dollops across the top of the noodle/sauce layer. Spread with a small spatula until smooth.Spread a few small spoonfuls of sauce over the cheese layer.Dip/cover the remaining 6 noodles in sauce and and lay them on top. Spread any remaining sauce over top of the lasagna.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes covered. Remove the foil and top with the reserved mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until browned and bubbling.
- Let the lasagna sit for 20 minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten-Free Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles: You can fine these widely available these days. My favorite brand is Barilla.
- Hunt’s Tomato Sauce: The combination of sauces is the main trick for this recipe! I like the flavor of Hunt’s tomato sauce and the canned version has enough liquid for the no-bake noodles to soak up enough sauce to cook through while the lasagna bakes.
- Jarred Tomato Pasta Sauce: I like using a jar of spaghetti sauce along with the canned tomato sauce for flavor and just a little texture. Pick a sauce you like the flavor of! My personal favorite for this dish is Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil.
- Ground Beef: You can also use ground sausage for more flavor. Be sure to break up the ground beef into very small pieces when you cook it. Nobody wants big chunks of meat in lasagna!
- Ricotta/Cottage Cheese: This is my personal favorite combination of cheeses for lasagna. The cottage cheese ensures the ricotta mixture stays moist and distinct.
So you do not cook the noodles right? Can’t wait to try this. I keep telling my daughter I am going to make her some gluten free lasagna and this recipe is the one. Thank you!
I depends on what type of noodles you use! If you use Barilla gluten-free oven-ready noodles you don’t boil them. I hope that makes sense! Hope you and your daughter enjoy it 🙂
How does this hold up if I put it together the night before and bake the next day?
It will hold up great! The noodles might be a touch softer, but it will still be delicious. I hope this helps!
Thank you so much! This is very helpful!
In the ingredients section eggs are on the list, but can’t find it where they are used?
They are mixed together with the cheese mixture. Sorry for the confusion!
Can you do a make ahead with boil type Barilla gluten free boil type pasta noodles? Thanks!
Yes! That will work great. Just boil the noodles according the package instructions and use accordingly.
Yummy! Just tried this today
This lasagna is absolutely delicious! The gluten free ingredients are easy to find in our rural area and the recipe is easy to follow. Truly tasty!!
I’m so glad to hear it was easy to find the ingredients! And even better you loved the lasagna 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
I did modify this recipe a bit, but my lasagna turned out AMAZING!! My picky 9-year old who very rarely eats pasta ate everything I gave him and told me how good it was! (Probably helped that he assisted me with making it LOL.) I used one 15 oz container of ricotta cheese–no cottage cheese, I didn’t have any. I used about 1.5 24 oz jars of store brand pasta sauce, along with one 14 oz jar of Fresh Thyme pizza sauce (because I didn’t have regular tomato sauce). I avoid onions, so I didn’t use any at all. I skipped the pepper but put a little bit of oregano and Italian seasoning in the cheese mixture. My husband, son, and I all ate it about 20 minutes after it came out of the oven, and it was HEAVEN! I can’t wait to see how good it will be tomorrow!! Thanks for this recipe, Erin!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagna! Great to know it worked well with those substitutions. Lasagna really is heaven! Thanks for the comment!
Very easy to make and delicious! It came together quickly which is always a win.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Where do the eggs come in?
They get mixed in with all the other ingredients for the cheese filling! 🙂
I found this just the other day. Made the lasagna, turned out so well. It wasn’t heavy at all.
The whole family is in love with this recipe. I wish I could attach a photo.
I’m so glad you and your family enjoy the lasagna! Wish I could see a photo too! Thanks for the comment 🙂
This recipe is amazing! I can’t tell it’s gluten free. I have made this for friends and family and they can’t tell it’s gluten free. It is also good as leftovers the next day! Very tasty and easy to assemble!
I love this gf-pasta dish! It’s become one of my my “when the whole family comes over” meal.
Made this for my brother’s family and it was great. I used Progresso sauce and sausage – very flavorful.
This looks so good! We are dairy free so I can find dairy free versions of everything but the cottage cheese. Would maybe doubling the ricotta be a good substitute for the cottage cheese?
Hi Joy! I think that would be a great substitute for the dairy. I really like Kite Hill Ricotta for dairy-free. Let me know if you try it!
I found GF Barilla noodles at the store and found this recipe. It turned out so good! My gluten-eating husband couldn’t tell a difference. We will be making it again!
Nothing beats a tasty and EASY lasagna recipe. We’ve already made it a few times because it was so good and simple to make.
I used a pound of Italian Sausage instead of ground beef.
Was outstanding!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Italian sausage is a delicious addition!
I made this around Christmas time and it was easy to make! Husband and son have celiac so they were excited they got a “regular” meal for Christmas dinner. I couldn’t tell the difference between the gluten free one and the gluten lasagna my Mother in law made! I actually preferred this one!
Question, can you make this and freeze (before the baking part)? If so how much would you adjust the cook time? Or would you pull out to defrost then cook it
I’m so glad your family enjoyed this for Christmas dinner! 🙂 Great question. I’ve been experimenting with this myself and it works well to cook the lasagna straight from frozen. I bake it covered at 350F for 45-55 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. I hope this helps!
This is so delicious!