Gluten-Free Lasagna
Updated
Creamy and savory gluten-free lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. Layered with gluten-free lasagna noodles, three cheeses, and a savory meat sauce, and baked to gooey perfection. It’s an easy gluten-free pasta recipe to add to your repertoire.
“I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could! Even if I wasn’t avoiding gluten and dairy I would eat this lasagna because it’s incredible! The garlic hummus is a brilliant replacement for the ricotta. Like a previous poster I used fresh spinach and it cooked perfectly. Thank you for offering delicious recipes that taste just like the original.”
– Lena
Gluten-Free Lasagna
This rich, hearty dish is a family favorite and great for weeknight dinners. I make this at least once a month during the colder months and usually have one stashed away in the freezer. Gluten-free Italian dishes are some of my favorites to create because the options are substantial. This is one of the most satisfying and filling gluten-free dinner recipes around.
This lasagna is layered with tender gluten-free noodles, a savory and rich meat sauce, and a delicious cheese blend. I’ve also got dairy-free instructions for anyone looking to enjoy this layered pasta without the cheese. My family loves it both ways—they can’t get enough.
Gluten-Free Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef, I like using lean ground beef. You can also use ground turkey, ground sausage, or ground pork.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- 48 oz gluten-free pasta sauce, 2×24-ounce jar. I used Prego Traditional sauce.
- 12 oz frozen chopped spinach, 1×12-ounce bag
- 15 oz ricotta cheese, 1×15-ounce container. For dairy-free use 10-ounce container of gluten-free roasted garlic hummus in place of ricotta cheese.
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Leave out if dairy-free.
- 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, 1×16 ounce-bag. For dairy-free, I like Violife dairy-free just like mozzarella shreds.
- 1 box Barilla Gluten Free Oven-Ready Lasagna, I have only tested this recipe with Barilla gluten-free oven-ready lasagne noodles.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
- Spray a large skillet with gluten-free cooking spray. Add the beef and sprinkle with salt. Cook the beef over medium-high heat, until it starts to brown. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning and stir until fully combined. Cook the meat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in the gluten-free pasta sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the chopped spinach according to the bag’s directions. Allow to cool, then squeeze out and drain the excess water.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach, ricotta cheese (dairy-free use the hummus in place of the ricotta), and the parmesan cheese (dairy-free leave out). Mix until fully combined.
- Pour 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the greased baking dish and spread evenly. Place four sheets of the lasagna noodles side-by-side, they will slightly overlap. Top the lasagna sheets with 1 cup of sauce. Spread 1/4 of the ricotta mixture (or hummus mixture) over the sauce, and then top with 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat for 3 more layers. Top the last lasagna sheet with the meat sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Spray a piece of aluminum foil with gluten-free cooking spray. Cover the pan with the greased foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. If the lasagna noodles are puffing up after baking for 40 minutes, take a knife and poke a few holes in the top and flatten with a spatula. Sprinkle more cheese over the top and bake for the final 20 minutes.
- Allow the lasagna to rest 10-15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have Italian Seasoning, make your own: 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Make sure to cover the lasagna pasta sheets completely with pasta sauce so they get tender and not crunchy.
- You can always use more cheese on top and broil the top for a few minutes to get it nice, browned, and bubbly.
- Don’t forget to let the lasagna layers set after baking for 10-15 minutes. This makes it easier to cut and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lasagna Step-By-Step
Gather all your ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare your baking dish. Add a small layer of marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish or spray it with cooking spray.
Cook ground beef: Spray a large skillet with cooking oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb of lean ground beef and 1 tsp of salt, cook until the beef starts to brown. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 2 tbsp Italian seasoning and stir to fully combine. Continue to cook the meat until there’s no pink remaining. Use a paper towel to soak up any fat from the pan.
Add the gluten-free pasta sauce to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
Prepare 1 12 oz bag of chopped spinach according to the package instructions. Let the spinach cool and drain any excess water.
Make the ricotta mixture: Grab a large bowl and combine the chopped spinach, 1 15 oz container ricotta cheese, and 1 cup parmesan cheese. Mix until fully combined. (For dairy-free use the hummus in place of the ricotta and omit the parmesan or use vegan parmesan).
Start layering: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Then, place 4 lasagna noodle sheets side-by-side over the meat sauce. It’s okay if they overlap slightly.
Top the lasagna sheets with 1 cup of meat sauce and then ¼ of the ricotta spinach mixture (or hummus mixture). Top with ¼ of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat: Repeat these steps 3 more times. Top the last layer of lasagna sheets with the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover the baking sheet with a layer of aluminum foil. I like to spray mine with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
Bake lasagna: Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes. (If the lasagna noodles are puffing up after baking for 40 minutes, take a knife and poke a few holes in the top and flatten with a spatula. Sprinkle more cheese over the top and bake for the final 20 minutes.)
Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Top the lasagna with grated parmesan and fresh basil leaves. My family loves to soak up the extra sauce from this gluten-free lasagna with some gluten-free focaccia and a side salad to round out the meal.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Make ahead of time by preparing the lasagna according to recipe directions. Cover with foil sprayed with gluten-free cooking spray, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake the lasagna for 50 minutes, and then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Lasagna is also super easy to freeze. First, let the lasagna completely cool. Place in a plastic freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Reheat the frozen lasagna in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes. Make sure to cover the lasagna with foil before reheating in the oven. You can also allow the lasagna to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave.
More Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
- Gluten-Free Meatballs
- Gluten-Free Southern Fried Chicken
- Gluten-Free Meatloaf
- Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan
- Gluten-Free Fried Chicken
- Gluten-Free Empanadas
This recipe was originally published on 10/9/23 and has been updated on 1/7/25.
Recipe was good, except the timing is off and the ricotta needs more flavor. some salt, pepper and a little garlic. The bottom of mine burnt at 450. I should’ve trusted my gut. 375° as usual next time. I used Catelli noodles, in a glass baking dish. I even used extra sauce under the 1st noodle, but it still burned. I made my sauce from scratch so that might have contributed to the problem. I thought it seemed runny enough, but maybe with the gf noodles it needs to be runnier🤷♀️
Hi Mercedes, Thank you for your feedback. We haven’t heard from others having issues burning theirs but every oven is a little different.
I made this recipe for family , I did not add the spinach . Very easy recipe . I am the only one celiac , everyone loved it .
Will definitely make again 🩷
Too salty and too much seasoning for my liking. Kinda takes away from the natural yummy flavors of a lasagna. I think next time I would do no salt and half the amount of other seasonings. Otherwise it’s probably good
Great tasting simple recipe.
I added ground Italian sausage to the ground beef ( yum).
I used the Jovial Gluten Free Lasagna and it came out very good. They say Jovial is the closest to non gluten pasta.
Give it a try. I’d love your thoughts.
Thanks for the recipe.
I will be making this in a couple days.
Will get back to you.
Is there a way to make this vegetarian?
Thanks for the recipe!
You can omit the beef, but I’d recommending finding a GF vegetarian lasagna recipe.
Excellent recipe! Easy to make and very yummy.
do you have a gluten dairy free cheese lasagna recipe
Hi Sandy, this recipe has dairy-free options included in the recipe card 🙂
It sounds delicious. I do have a question. If I leave out the spinach, how will that affect the recipe? One of the people that I cook for has a severe allergy to spinach and I don’t want to cause any issues with that allergy.
Hi Melanie, you can leave the spinach out.
Lasagne layers always confuse me! Please help. Is the pattern “sauce noodles sauce ricotta motz”
or is the first layer of sauce on the bottom void and only to prevent sticking so that the repeated pattern is “noodles sauce ricotta motz, noodles sauce ricotta motz, etc”? I’m confused how you end up with noodles on top. or do you change the last pattern so that it’s just “noodles sauce motz”?
please help me understand lasagna. We are making this tonight!
Hi Nancy, yes sauce on the bottom to prevent the noodles from sticking. Then layer with noddles, sauce, ricotta cheese mixture, cheese, Repeat then top the last noodle layer with sauce and cheese.