How to Make the Best-Ever Lasagna, According to Ina Garten

Kellye Fox

9 January 2025 at 5:15 pm·3-min read

Lasagna is one of those comforting dinner dishes that requires a bit of work. But the time and effort you put into it is worth it after one bite of the rich, cheesy baked pasta. Depending on who you ask, the best bite of lasagna is either the gooey, cheesy center or the crunchy corner piece that's laced with cheesy edges and crispy pasta. Another thing that's great about lasagna is that most cooks have a version they prefer, so it's easy to find lots of fun variations on the classic dish.

One great example? Ina Garten’s turkey lasagna recipe. The Barefoot Contessa's version has five stars and 632 reviews on Food Network's website, so it's a recipe that's resonated with home cooks. "I have made this several times —absolute winner!!" said one commenter. "This is one of my all-time favorite Ina recipes. It's my perfect lasagna."

With all of those rave reviews, we needed to know more about this dish. We did a deep dive into the recipe to get the info you need to know before you make it at your house.

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Why Ina’s Easy Turkey Lasagna Stands Out from the Crowd

One of the reasons this fan-favorite recipe shines bright is its use of lean turkey instead of traditional Italian sausage or ground beef. Ground turkey can be dry and a little bland, so Ina opts for Italian turkey sausage, which is packed with flavor and is a bit richer than ground turkey.

Ina always makes her dishes a little bit fancy, and this one is no exception. Her special touches include some fresh herbs and a blend of cheeses for an extra cheesy punch.

And while many folks pre-boil their lasagna noodles, Ina opts for a quicker no-boil method. Surprisingly, this process doesn’t compromise the texture—the noodles cook up al dente right in the sauce. Brilliant! Her layering technique also creates an equal distribution of ingredients for the perfect bite of Italian comfort.

How to Make Ina Garten's Easy Turkey Lasagna

To make Ina's lasagna, you’ll need olive oil, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, lasagna noodles, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese plus cooking basics like eggs and salt and pepper. You'll also need the Ina-style power ingredients that really take this dish up a notch: sweet Italian turkey sausage, goat cheese and fresh basil and parsley.

Start by preheating your oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes before adding the turkey sausage (remove it from it's casing). Cook the sausage until it's no longer pink, then pour in tomatoes plus the herbs and spices. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomato sauce thickens.

While the sauce is simmering, prep the lasagna noodles by soaking them in a large bowl of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes and mix the cheeses, egg, more parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl.

To assume the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x12-inch baking dish (we're not sure why Ina calls for a 9x12 as we're sure the more common 9x13-inch dish will also work). Top with half of the pasta, half of the mozzarella, half of the ricotta mixture and one third of the sauce. Repeat the layering again and then top the dish with Parmesan cheese. Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes, then let it rest before serving.

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