Sweet & Spicy Italian Sausage Lasagna

This Italian sausage lasagna is my family’s recipe and it is fit for all lasagna lovers! Thin pasta noodles layered with rich marinara, sweet & spicy Italian sausage, and three Italian cheeses. You’ll find this recipe full of irresistible flavor and lots of fresh herbs!

This sweet & spicy sausage lasagna is quite the show-stopper. It is rich in flavor, very easy to prepare, and a true crowd-pleaser!

Each layer of this recipe has a little bit of spiciness and sweetness, three Italian cheeses, and lots of fresh basil for freshness.

I have lots of fond memories growing up of helping my mom layer lasagna or being the “sauce stirrer” as it simmered throughout the day for the lasagna. They are irreplaceable memories that really gave me the love for Italian food I have today.

I am so happy that my mom and I were able to develop this recipe together. It is absolutely DELICIOUS and uses my favorite sausage from Brooklyn Pork Store. Their meats are outrageously good and I have my aunt Valerie to thank for introducing me to their incredible products!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Lasagna noodles: use either boiled noodles and cook until “al dente” in texture or use no-boil/oven-ready lasagne noodles!
Italian sausage: this recipe calls for two links of spicy and two links of sweet Italian sausage.
Marinara: I always recommend using a quality marinara for lasagna. For homemade use our San Marzano Tomato Sauce or our favorite store-bought brand!
Mozzarella: mozzarella doesn’t bring a lot of flavor but it gives the melted cheesiness that is a must for lasagna! Gruyere cheese could work as well.
Parmesan: this cheese brings a ton of flavor to lasagna and is always the best partner to mozzarella.
Ricotta: this cheese is used for the “filling” – but I always recommend using a light layer so it doesn’t overwhelm your lasagna. You can also use mascarpone in place of ricotta.
Fresh basil: I add fresh basil to every baked pasta recipe because it adds such a bright & fresh flavor. I do not recommend replacing with dried basil because it will not bring that freshness we want.
Oregano: you can use either fresh or dried oregano!
Garlic: make it easy by using garlic powder or swap for 2-3 garlic cloves!
Egg: this is used to help bind the ricotta filling together.

Make Your Own Tomato Sauce

What makes this recipe so special, is making it with my family’s San Marzano Tomato Sauce. This sauce is rich in flavor, less acidic than most tomato sauces, and is the most delicious tomato sauce I’ve ever had. Use it to elevate your Italian sausage lasagna or any other Italian recipe! If you like a little spice, try our Italian Arrabbiata Sauce instead.

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Tips for Success and Recipe FAQs

• Lightly layer ricotta filling. Most lasagnas have thick layers of ricotta cheese – which can sometimes take away key flavors in lasagna – in this lasagna you really want to taste garlic, herbs, and the sweet & spicy Italian sausage flavors. So in order to keep your lasagna light, fresh, and full of flavor keep your ricotta on the light side when layering. In the end it will add up to be just the right amount of cheesy consistency and the perfect balance of flavor!
• Use lots of fresh basil. Fresh basil is key to any pasta dish and it really brings this whole lasagna together with it’s herby flavor. Layer chopped basil on every layer of the lasagna as well as the top for a fresh and savory basil flavor!
• Use no boil noodles. This will save a ton of time and hassle – these noodles require no boiling and are oven ready right from the box to layer in your Italian sausage lasagna. I’ve done lasagna both ways – fresh boiled noodles or oven ready noodles. Both have given me great results.
• What kind of sausage is best for lasagna? Sausages come in a lot of different flavors and levels of spice. For this recipe I recommend using 2 links of sweet Italian sausage and 2 links spicy Italian sausage. Ground beef can also be an option – but you will not get the level of flavor when using Italian sausage.
• Don’t like ricotta? You can completely remove it from the lasagna and layer with just the sausage, marinara, and mozzarella & parmesan.

Best Tips for Storing Leftovers & Freezing Lasagna

Keeping leftover lasagna fresh: allow lasagna to cool before storing in an airtight container and keep chilled in refrigerator for 3-5 days. 

How to freeze & reheat lasagna (two ways): You can prepare the lasagna (do not bake), freeze ( 2-3months) then thaw and reheat as instructed. Or you can prepare and bake the lasagna then allow it to cool – freeze for 2-3 months then thaw and reheat in oven at 350F (covered) until center is hot. 

Why did my lasagna turn out dry?
Not having enough sauce can cause your lasagna to dry out after baking. Avoid dry lasagna by always having a little extra sauce on hand. Sometimes with lasagnas it’s hard to gage how much sauce you need, I always make more than what I think I need – but for this recipe you will need around 8-9 cups. This question also has to do with how you bake your lasagna – which I explain below.

Why did my lasagna turn out watery?
Bake covered for half the time and bake uncovered for the remaining time. For this lasagna I bake for 20 minutes covered to contain the right amount of moisture, and then 20 minutes uncovered so that the cooking process is even. I split the time so that I’m avoiding both the lasagna drying out or becoming too watery.

More Italian Favorites: 

• Three Cheese Baked Rigatoni with Roasted Vegetables
• The Best Vegetable Lasagna (no ricotta)
• Easy Baked Ziti
• Easy Zucchini Lasagna

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This amazing Italian sausage lasagna has it ALL. It’s EASY, takes 1 hour to make, and it’s the perfect crowd pleasing dinner.