Holiday Hosting Meets Christmas Eve Lasagna–The Perfect Match!
Ah, Christmas dinner. It’s the culinary wildcard of the holiday season. Unlike Thanksgiving, where the menu often stays the same year after year, Christmas dinner is a free-for-all. And honestly? I love it.
At our house, the Christmas menu changes each year, but one thing is always the same–there’s always lasagna.
This year, I wanted to take our classic lasagna up a few notches and make it extra special for the holiday season. Enter: Christmas Eve Lasagna. A twist on classic lasagna bolognese, this lasagna is stacked with the most festive red, green and white layers including:
- Our homemade bolognese sauce – Slowly simmered for hours to develop rich, hearty flavor. It’s worth the wait!
- Basil pesto ricotta – So creamy, fresh, and herbaceous. The perfect balance to the savory meat sauce.
- Plenty of cheese – Of course! A blend of mozzarella, parmesan, and asiago for ultimate meltiness and flavor.
Not only is this lasagna a showstopper for any holiday gathering, but it’s also perfect for feeding a crowd (about 12-15 hearty servings). It’s a hit with both hungry adults and picky kids, and leftovers reheat beautifully–making it an easy second meal when friends and family are in town.
Best of all? While it does take a little time and love, it’s the perfect dish to make ahead. Simply, bake it off just before your holiday meal, and bam, you’ve got a stress-free, festive feast. Holiday hosting doesn’t get much easier than that!
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What is Bolognese Sauce?
If you’ve never made homemade bolognese sauce, you’re in for such a treat! Originating in Bologna, Italy, bolognese is a traditional Italian ragu (meat sauce) made with beef and pork for the ultimate rich flavor. While classic Italian bolognese often includes white wine, milk, and a little tomato, I’m a fan of the Italian-American version, which leans into the tomato for a richer, heartier sauce–similar to the savory ragus you’d find in Southern Italy.
This holiday lasagna features my Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce recipe, which I’ve tweaked and perfected over the past 10 years. It’s a PWWB reader favorite and adds the perfect depth of flavor to this Christmas Eve lasagna.
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How to Make Festive Lasagna Bolognese
Here’s the deal: This lasagna is likely one of the most involved recipes I’ll ever share here on PWWB. Classic lasagna, by nature, is a bit of a project–especially when you’re making the layers from scratch.
But! If there’s any occasion that deserves a little extra effort, it’s Christmas dinner, right? And just because it takes a bit of time doesn’t mean it’s difficult to make.
This lasagna comes together in 5 straight-forward phases, and the best part? You can spread the steps our over a couple of days, or get the whole family involved and make a fun event out of it.
The lasagna features a real-deal Italian bolognese, made with ground beef and pork, wine, and San Marzano tomatoes. As it bubbles and simmers on the stove for a couple of hours, it develops a rich, hearty flavor that’s nothing short of amazing. It’s my signature recipe, and trust me, it’s so good. Tip! ⇢ Before building your lasagna layers, spoon a little sauce on the bottom of the pan. This helps prevent the lasagna noodles from sticking as it bakes.
It’s as simple as adding ricotta, pesto, parmesan cheese, and eggs to a mixing bowl and mixing until smooth. Tip! ⇢ Both the bolognese sauce and the pesto ricotta can be made ahead of time! Prep either (or both) and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days, so you can save time on the big day.
This Christmas Eve lasagna has 4 layers, alternating between bolognese and pesto ricotta. When assembling your lasagna, make sure the pasta covers the entire length and width of the pan. Why? ⇢ This ensures sturdier lasagna! You may need to break a few pieces of pasta to get the perfect fit (see the photo, above).
Rest the lasagna. Once the lasagna is assembled, let it rest in the fridge overnight–or for at least 12 hours. Why? ⇢ Resting allows the layers to meld together, giving you a lasagna with better texture and flavor. Plus, it won’t ooze all over the place when you plate it!
Bake the lasagna, covered, at 375 degrees F for about 1 hour, until the cheese is melted and the lasagna is bubbling around the edges. Tip! ⇢ For a golden brown finish, uncover the lasagna in the last 10 minutes of baking. This creates a beautifully golden top layer of melted cheese. It’s so good!
Why Does My Lasagna Collapse?
If you’ve had trouble serving your lasagna in the past, a few small tweaks can make a big difference:
- Use no-boil lasagna noodles to avoid overcooked, mushy lasagna. Bonus: No need to pre-boil the noodles, which makes assembly a breeze.
- Take care while assembling the layers: Break the individual sheets of pasta to ensure an even fit that covers the entire pan. This helps create a sturdier lasagna.
- Let your lasagna rest and cool for a few minutes once it comes out of the oven. This helps it hold its shape and makes for a cleaner slice!
Serving Suggestions
To round out your meal, serve your Christmas Eve lasagna with your favorite crusty bread or Garlic Lover’s Garlic Bread to soak up that delicious bolognese sauce.
Given its rich flavor, you also can’t go wrong by pairing with simple roasted veggies or a fresh Mixed Greens Salad!
I hope you give this Christmas Eve Lasagna a try this holiday season – it’s a complete Christmas showstopper, and I know you’ll love it just as much as my family does!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Eve Lasagna (Festive Lasagna Bolognese!)
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Inactive Resting Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 12–15 1x
- Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Say hello to the most festive lasagna you’ll ever meet: Christmas Eve Lasagna! A twist on classic lasagna bolognese, this dish is layered with rich, hearty homemade bolognese sauce and creamy, herbaceous basil pesto ricotta—creating a beautiful contrast of flavors. With vibrant red and green layers, it’s not just a meal, but a stunning centerpiece for your holiday table.
Whether you’re gathering with family or hosting friends, this lasagna is bound to become a cherished part of your Christmas Eve traditions. It’s equal parts delicious and show-stopping—perfect for making memories this holiday season. I have a feeling you’ll love it just as much as my family does. Happy cooking! ♡
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- one 13.2-ounce box DeLallo No-Boil Lasagna
- Best-Ever Bolognese (below)
- basil pesto ricotta (below)
- 24 ounces shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 6 cups)
- 12 ounces Italian cheese blend, such as asiago, parmesan, etc. (about 3 cups)
for the Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce:
- 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces pancetta, roughly chopped (see Recipe Notes)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- one 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup medium-bodied red wine, such as Chianti
- 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 10–12 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- optional: 1 parmesan rind
- one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for the basil pesto ricotta:
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk or part-skim as desired
- one 6.3-ounce jar DeLallo Simply Basil Pesto
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce:
- Prep:
- Soffritto: Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery and onion to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. The mixture should not be puréed; you should still be able to see small pieces of carrot, celery and onion. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Pestata: Add the pancetta and garlic to the bowl of the same food processor used to make the soffritto (no need to wash it!). Pulse just until the mixture is broken down into fine pieces. Set aside.
- Cook the pestata: Add the olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot (at least 4-quart capacity) over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the pestata mixture from Step 1 and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta renders and the garlic is fragrant, 4-5 minutes.
- Brown the soffritto: Add the soffritto mixture from Step 1 to the pot with the pestata. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and fragrant, 15-20 minutes. If the veggies begin to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Once browned, push the pestata and soffritto mixture to the outer edges of the pot.
- Brown the meat: Generously season the beef and pork with 1 teaspoon kosher salt each. Add the meat to the center of the pot with the soffritto and pestata mixture. Do not touch the meat for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to brown deeply. Turn the meat over and brown the second side for 2-3 minutes. Once browned on both sides, use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart into fine crumbles. Stir to combine with the soffritto mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned completely, 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring to coat the meat and soffritto mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes to brown.
- Deglaze: Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the meat mixture.
- Aromatics: Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves and parmesan rind, if using. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth or water, stirring to combine.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes. If the bolognese begins to reduce too much (losing too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more broth/water, reduce the heat further, and/or cover the pot.
- Finish the bolognese: Stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Basil Pesto Ricotta:
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Mix the basil pesto ricotta: Meanwhile, as the bolognese sauce simmers, prepare the basil pesto ricotta. Add all listed ingredients to a medium mixing bowl, seasoning with ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper, or to taste. Stir until combined. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Christmas Lasagna Assembly:
- Assemble the lasagna: Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (see Recipe Notes, below). Ladle about 1 cup of the bolognese sauce into the baking dish, spreading it out to evenly coat the bottom. This prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the dish as the lasagna bakes. Build your lasagna layer by layer:
- Layer 1: Start by arranging the lasagna such that it covers the bottom of the baking dish. The pasta should create an even layer without overlapping – you may need to get crafty and break the noodles to fill your baking dish nicely (see photos, above, for reference). Ladle half of the remaining bolognese over top, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle some mozzarella and Italian cheeses over top, using about ¼ of the cheese.
- Layer 2: Arrange a second layer of lasagna. Top with ½ of the prepared basil pesto ricotta, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle some the mozzarella and Italian cheeses over top, using about ¼ of the cheese.
- Layer 3 and 4: Repeat Layers 1 and 2, creating 4 alternating layers of bolognese and ricotta. Finish with one last generous sprinkling of cheese, using any remaining mozzarella and Italian cheese.
- Rest: Top with the prepared foil. Transfer to the refrigerator to rest for at least 12 hours before baking.
- Bake the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring an oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Remove the lasagna from the refrigerator, and set the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake the lasagna for 60 minutes, carefully removing the foil from the baking dish in the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the top. If desired, turn the broiler on in the last 5 minutes to give the cheesy top an especially golden brown and crispy finish.
- Rest, slice, and serve: Carefully remove the lasagna from the oven. Set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into 12-15 squares and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient and Equipment Notes:
- Pancetta is cured, unsmoked Italian bacon. Widely available at most conventional grocery stores, you can typically find pancetta already diced up in an individual container near the cured meats and bacon, or cut-to-order at the deli counter. Feel free to swap it out with regular ol’ bacon if that’s what you can find easily – thick, center-cut bacon works best for this recipe.
- Baking dish: This recipe was tested and developed using a 9×13 pan, roughly 3 inches in depth. If your baking dish is a little smaller, layer the lasagna using slightly less bolognese sauce than described in Assembly Steps 2-4 above. Any extra bolognese sauce freezes beautifully and will make for a wonderfully easy Pasta Bolognese dinner down the road.
- Make-Ahead Lasagna: Since there are a number of different components involved in this Christmas lasagna recipe, prepping it ahead of time is a great option for the busy holiday season. There are 2 make-ahead approaches you can take depending on the amount of time you have to prep:
- Make-Ahead Approach #1 – Prepping components in advance. If you prefer to prep individual components and assemble the lasagna later, this approach is for you. Prepare the bolognese sauce and mix the basil pesto ricotta, then store the components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, until you’d like to assemble your Christmas lasagna.
- Make-Ahead Approach #2 – Assemble the lasagna in advance. Assemble the Christmas lasagna, then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (As a bonus, the pasta soaks up any excess liquid in the lasagna as it sits, making it much easier to slice and serve picture-perfect pieces!) At dinnertime, simply preheat and bake according to Steps 8 and 10, noting you may have to add 5-10 minutes of baking time to ensure the lasagna warms through.
- Storage, Reheating, and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: Store any leftover Christmas lasagna in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freezer Instructions: This Christmas lasagna is also incredibly freezer-friendly. Transfer cooled leftovers to a freezer container or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – these are my absolute favorite freezer containers! – and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
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I typically make lasagne on Christmas Eve because it’s easy and I can send my adult kids home with freezer meals to lighten their load over the holidays.
I’ve used my aunt’s recipe for years, and it’s great. I really have no idea why I started to look for a new recipe – but I am so glad I did.
I came back to it today to make the bolognese for dinner tonight. It’s definitely the best EVER bolognese.
The lasagne is amazing too – but what I really love about it is the overnight resting period. This freed up so much time for a celebratory night which was such a gift. I made the lasagne and a cheesecake the day before and on Christmas Eve, I made some bread and Ceasar salad dressing in the morning and then prepped the salad, popped the lasagne and bread in the oven and spent the rest of the day enjoying my family without being trapped in the kitchen.
This will be my new tradition!
Hi Amanda, we love the tradition of sending leftovers home with your kids – so honored to be a part of your new traditions, too! 🙂
This is an involved recipe, but worth it!! I didn’t even let the sauce simmer for 90 minutes and I didn’t let it rest for 12 hours because I didn’t read the recipe all the way through 😅 But it still turned out amazing! I’m happily eating leftovers today and pleased with my choice of making this recipe yesterday!
The leftovers are such a great bonus! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Sarah!
We had this last night for our Christmas dinner and it was delicious. I made it on Xmas Eve so it was nice to have it all done! Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Making the lasagna ahead of time is such a game-changer for an easy holiday dinner! So glad you enjoyed, Amanda!
Why in the world don’t you include the 12 hours of rest time in the time to prep and cook? I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that missed that sentence buried in the instructions. Here it is, christmas day and I see that. Ugh. If you have read the responses, why haven’t you changed that?
Hi Tara, thanks for bringing this to my attention – we’ve added the rest time to the time in the recipe card. We prefer to let the lasagna rest for the best results, but it will turn out just fine without resting, too. Hope you enjoyed it and had a great Christmas! 🙂
We’ll in spite of my initial review in frustration that the rest time wasn’t included…. I made this without resting and it was THE BEST lasagna I’ve ever tasted. Truly a special meal. I will absolutely make this every Christmas going forward. I will start the day before this time!!!
SO glad to hear it still turned out great for you, Tara! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
Haven’t eaten it yet, but it’s ready to go and looks like a 5 star. What should be the internal temperature to make sure it’s done when I bake it?
Hi Elizabeth, the meat in the lasagna is pre-cooked in the sauce, so there’s no internal temperature to worry about. The lasagna will bake for about 60 minutes, until it’s golden and bubbly! 🙂
Completely delicious!!! You will need to set aside some time to make this one but it’s totally worth it!
We couldn’t agree more, Jessica – this one is totally worth the extra effort 🙂
Best lasagna ever! Made it earlier this week and missed the instructions about letting it sit overnight before starting it. I just assembled it and put it right in the oven, still turned out absolutely amazing!!
So happy to hear that you loved this lasagna and that it turned out great for you, Andie! We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Oh my, me too! I just started panicking because I didn’t read throughly and missed the 12 hrs in the fridge part. I’m happy you posted that, I’m gonna go ahead and give it a try today anyway! Thank you 🙂
Hope it turned out well for you, Nicole! Merry Christmas!
This. Lasagna. Is. Life. Changing. !!! I seriously love the flavors in this version of lasagna! I have made it for Christmas eve and also made it and delivered to friends with new babies and it has always been a huge hit!! Thanks Jess for making such a bomb recipe as well as detailed instructions for success.
That’s the highest praise, we love to hear about our recipes being part of so many huge life moments! Thanks for being part of the PWWB community, Brittany! 🙂
My lasagna is all constructed however it’s very watery. I’m nervous because your photos don’t look the same. I hope this won’t be an issue and the excess water will burn off. I’m putting it in the refrigerator overnight and hopefully that will help. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Melanie, letting the assembled lasagna sit overnight should help it firm up a bit, as will the baking time. It should be just fine! Did you follow the recipe as written? If so, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about! Make sure to let us know how it turns out for you, and Merry Christmas! 🙂
Lasagna came out wonderfully (even with the excess liquid, I’m not sure why that happened). Everyone loved it and it will be a make again for sure! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
This is my absolute favorite lasagna recipe- I make it exactly as written and my guests always rave about it. It’s become my Christmas Eve staple and everyone comes to expect it now.
Hi Angie, we absolutely love to hear that this lasagna is a tradition for your family – it’s one of our favorite traditions, too! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂
Hi! I’m going to make this for my in-laws next week. If I leave out the pork, will I completely ruin it? Multiple family members do not eat pig. Thank you!
Hi Alyssa, you can definitely leave out the pork, the sauce will still be delicious! Can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂
Yum! I already had some of your Bolognese in the freezer so this worked perfectly. We made it Thanksgiving weekend and brought it over to the neighbors. it fed eight adults with leftovers. Some people were self-proclaimed “lasagna snobs”, and they loved it. Will be making it again for Christmas. Thanks for your great recipes.
This lasagna is the PERFECT use for frozen bolognese! So glad to hear everyone loved it, Gretchen! 🙂
This dish was absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe! Also, I was wondering if you could use your short rib ragu in place of the bolognese? Would that work in this recipe?
Hi Megan, you’re definitely welcome to try that! I bet it would be delicious!! Make sure to let us know how you like it with the substitution! 🙂
I have not made this recipe yet, but have a question about the amount of tomato paste as the paste is very bitter. Will adding the whip cream temper the bitterness as it would be a lot of money to have to throw in the garbage if the sauce turned out too bitter to use.
Hi Anna – I don’t think you need to worry about throwing anything in the garbage. 🙂 I have made the recipe as written countless times and it works well (many, many readers have as well over the years, and echo that sentiment). The intense flavor of the tomato paste melds with the rest of the ingredients as everything simmers – browning tomato paste off and slowly simmering the sauce is key.
If you are still doubtful, feel free to scale back the tomato paste to your tastes.
Hope this helps!
Jess
Can I build more than 4 layers using this recipe?
Hi Ruby, you can definitely increase the number of layers by increasing the amount of each component you use (more bolognese, more ricotta mixture, more noodles, etc.) – you’ll just want to be aware that it may not fit in a casserole dish! The dish we used for our 4-layer lasagna is about 3 inches deep, for reference. Hope that helps!
Christmas lasagna it was and it was delicious with fav reviews. I always appreciate a good break-down of the steps with photos. Thanks for sharing this.
Cheers!
Hi Dani, glad to hear the Christmas Eve Lasagna was a hit!! Hope you had a great holiday! 🙂
I made this for Christmas Eve dinner with the in laws and it was a hit. The work on the front end (which really wasn’t that much) is totally worth it to make the bolognese which makes this so flavorful. The pesto mixed into the ricotta made it unique. And being able to pre-assemble and pop it into the oven the day of was so convenient and the flavors melded so nicely. Another great recipe from Jess. Thank you!
The make-ahead aspect is one of the best parts of Christmas Eve Lasagna! Happy to hear you and your family enjoyed it, Sammy! Merry Christmas!
Wow! I seldom leave a comment But this lasagna was above and beyond all my expectations. Extremely well written instructions. I made three days ahead and it was received with rave reviews on Christmas Eve, I’m eating some leftovers now and enjoying it even more. Served a large platter of roasted vegetables alongside and it was a perfect meal. I won’t be making lasagna any other way from now on. Thank you for such a delicious recipe. Will be trying others from your site soon. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Hi Peggy, so glad to hear the lasagna turned out great, and that you and your family enjoyed it!! Merry Christmas to you, as well! 🙂
Can I make this in a 9×13 enamel coated baking dish? If so, do I adjust any time or temp?
Hi Rebecca – Yes, you can make it in an enamel baking dish and adjusting baking times should not be necessary. Depending on the size/depth of your dish, you may have leftover sauce, so that’s the one thing I’d look out for.
Happy holidays!
Jess
Thank you, Jess! It was delicious and cooked just as directed in the heavy enamel coated baking dish!
This recipe looks fine but Christmas Eve meals in an Italian (Catholic) tradition are always meatless. Lots of fish, and if there is pasta, it would not be a bolognese sauce.
We love how everyone has different traditions for the holidays! Hope you have a chance to try this lasagna another time 🙂
Hi, Jess! We made this for our Christmas dinner and it was the best lasagna we have made! Between the homemade bolognese sauce and the pesto mixture, it was so delicious! Our family was all raving, even the next day about the leftovers. Great prep ahead meal for a holiday and the recipe had all the steps well documented!
Also, we made your French Onion Havarti twice baked potatoes for Christmas Eve (from your stories) and they were delicious!! Definitely going into the rotation 🙂
Hi Michelle! We’re SO glad to hear you loved the lasagna & the Cheesy French Onion Havarti Twice baked potatoes 🙂 sounds like such a delicious holiday celebration & we couldn’t be more grateful these recipes were a part of it!
This was quite a bit of prep work the day before, but when it came out of the oven and I started eating, I seriously thought I might die from total pleasure!!!
OMG! It was sooooo good! Absolutely the best lasagna I have ever had!
. . . and the best part is that there are a lot of left-overs to freeze for another day!
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Hi Dennis! We LOVE to hear it 🙂
We agree the work put in is totally worth the end result!!
WOW this turned out absolutely delicious and though it was a labor of love, your recipe was perfectly written for a first-time-from-scratch- lasagna cook! The sauce is the star of the show – I was nervous about a homemade bolognese sauce since I hadn’t made one before, but omg it turned out SO good. I used gluten free lasagna noodles and ended up having to use ground breakfast sausage and add Italian seasonings – otherwise followed the recipe to a T and got rave reviews from my family. I think this lasagna is going to become an annual Christmas Eve tradition, and I can’t wait to keep making it for years to come. Thanks again!!!
Hi Natalie! Thanks so much for your comment, we are SO glad you & your family loved the lasagna & that the recipe could be a part of your holiday celebration 🙂
Hi!
I somehow missed the step of stirring in the heavy cream and parm to finish the bolognese (but at least I had the Parmesan rind in there!). The lasagna is in the fridge for the night and I went ahead and poured the cream around the edges of the finished lasagna hoping it will sink down in while cooking and magically turn out ok!
Anyway, just wondering what you sprinkled on top of your lasagna for serving – looks so pretty in the picture!
Merry Christmas!! 🙂
Hey Jen! I’m sure the lasagna is going to turn out beautifully. 🙌🏼 In the photos, I just topped with some parsley or basil, crushed red pepper flakes & grated parmesan. Pretty simple! Let me know how the lasagna turns out & I hope you enjoy! Jess
i think im going blind… i dont see anywhere how much heavy cream and parm to add to the meat sauce?
You’re not going blind, those fell off – but they’re back! ½ cup each, listed in the Ingredients List.
Hey Jess!
I can’t find heavy cream in the ingredients but I see it in the steps to combine with the parmesan. Am I missing it? Halp!
You’re amazing thank you!
Hi Emily! Thanks for bringing this to my attention! This is fixed now, you’ll need ½ cup heavy cream.
Hi, Jess –
I’m planning to make this while my 4 college kids are home over winter break. One question: can I substitute fesh raw baby spinach for the pesto with the ricotta mixture? My kids love my spinach lasagna, but they don’t appreciate pesto yet🤷🏻♀️
Hi there! That should be fine to substitute if that’s your preference! It will definitely have a different flavor profile for that layer but still be delicious. We’d recommend wilting the spinach on the stovetop, letting it cool slightly, and pressing out any excess moisture with a paper towel prior to adding to the ricotta cheese. Hope that helps & hope you enjoy! 🙂
I love that, as described, I could stretch the cooking of this recipe across 3 days, and finishing it off on Christmas Day was completely stress free! Even if this were more work to cook (which really, it’s not), it would totally make up for it with the ridiculously rich and satisfying taste. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe that our family will enjoy for years to come!
Didn’t see the note about letting it sit in the fridge over night. Ooops! but I’m making it for dinner tonight so wish me luck!
The sauce, so far, tastes amazing!!
Hi Pamela! Hope all went well & that you enjoyed!! 💜
Whoops. I’m making in now too for tonight and missed the refrigerator part when I read the recipe yesterday. Hope it turns out
Hi Mark – It will. Be sure to let it rest a good 15-20 minutes when it comes out of the oven to help let everything set back up and you should be fine.
Merry Christmas!
Jess
I let it rest while the garlic bread was baking. The lasagna was a smash hit! Thanks for sharing this recipe with the world! Merry Christmas!
Sounds perfect, Mark. So glad you enjoyed.
Merry Christmas!
Jess
I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely amazing. Best lasagna I’ve ever made.
Hi Holly! Thanks so much for sharing – it is a PWWB fave!!
Have you tried to freeze it? I am planning on making an extra for an easy dinner but don’t want it to be ruined.
This recipe was delicious. I made it without the meat and it was great. Coming from an Italian family it is important to make a good lasagna. My mother in law made a great lasagna and even my picky husband loved it!
Hi Debra! Thanks so much for leaving a comment & review! It means so much to hear that you enjoyed the recipe & that your family enjoyed too! 💜
Can this lasagna be frozen before is cooked? I’m trying to think of different dishes I can actually freeze and then simply bake. After leaving this overnight, can I just freeze it?
I can’t rate this recipe since I haven’t made it yet. It looks delicious. Can this be made in advance and frozen?
Amazing lasagna! The best we’ve ever had actually… the only way to improve would be if I made the pasta from scratch.🎯 It’s an easy to follow recipe and worth every step. Thanks for the wonderful new recipe💃🏻
I was looking for some inspiration for Christmas Eve dinner (my first time cooking it for the family) and this recipe was both easy to execute and still impressive! It was delicious and honestly may be a new tradition in my family.
Hey Caroline! We are so so glad it was a hit – this is a great recipe to serve the whole family! Thanks for trusting us with your first Christmas Eve dinner!!
I made this lasagna for my family for Christmas and it was a big hit! It was super nice to be able to make the bolognese and pesto ricotta earlier in the week and then assemble the day before so that on Christmas Day I didn’t have to spend it in the kitchen! The fillings were really flavorful and creamy and delicious! Definitely will be making this my go-to lasagna recipe!
Lisa, thank you SO much for sharing! We are so glad to hear that this lasagna was a hit & that you got to take advantage of the make-ahead aspects of this recipe & enjoy your Christmas day!!
Can I assemble and freeze? Or must I cook it, cool down, then freeze?
Thanks a mil!
Made this for Christmas Day since it’s just me, my husband and our son this year. My husband just learned he’s 20% Italian (I’m jealous!) so I thought this was called for! It’s well worth the effort and I enjoyed making it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Maria! Such a wonderful way to celebrate & glad you enjoyed making it & sharing with your family!
I don’t know how you fit all of this into a 9×13?!! (I only have pyrex or an aluminum one that is the same depth as pyrex 9×13) I had a feeling that wouldn’t work, so I used a 10×15…and it is packed above the rim!! I hope it bakes up ok tomorrow! I’m so excited! I know the sauce is bomb, I couldn’t stop taste-testing it! I’ll update later.
Hi Sara! Great call out – this recipe was tested & developed using a 9×13 pan, roughly 3 inches in depth. If your baking dish is a little smaller, you’ll want to layer the lasagna using slightly less bolognese sauce than described in Assembly Steps 2-4. Then we recommend freezing the extra bolognese sauce. It make for a wonderfully easy Pasta Bolognese dinner down the road. Hope the lasagna was a hit!
Well I completely forgot to update, until I see my comment because I’m totally making this again this year, and I’m already drooling about it!! Such a delicious lasagna!! And I do remember the 10×15 dish worked fine; but I’m looking to buy a deep dish 9×13 haha.
I’m not even a big lasagna person, but I loved this so much. I can’t wait until it is safe to host again, this is at the top of my list of recipes to serve to a group you want to impress.
I was so proud to serve this lasagna to my family at Christmas, and it was a hit! My husband and I kept stealing samples of the bolognese as it simmered all day, and have talked about it for months since then. Can’t wait to make it again this holiday season!
Thank you for sharing & including PWWB in your holiday celebration – that means SO much! & haha sounds like you have a good built in taste-tester at home. Again, so glad you enjoyed!!
Looks delicious! But I would probably change the title of this recipe. Italians do not eat meat on Christmas Eve!
Melanie, thanks for the comment. As I mention in the blog post, it’s a tradition at my home & that’s what inspired the recipe.
Yes I read your blog post, I was mostly just referring to the “Eve” part of the title. Nothing wrong with calling it “Christmas Lasagna”! 🙂
This recipe is expensive to make and a lot of work, but WORTH IT FOR THE BEST LASAGNA YOU’VE EVER HAD. I use GF noodles so that it’s not a gluten bomb and it still turns out delicious. (Side note- i first made this around Christmas, and am making it again now in April because it’s that good!)
Do not sleep on this recipe. It the best lasagna I’ve ever had! You haven’t lived until you’ve had basil pesto ricotta!
Haha, I’m so glad you loved it, Jodi! Basil pesto ricotta on everything, please!!!
Decided to make this for our Italian themed Christmas Eve dinner….wow….it was perfect and delicious! I used regular noodles not no boil and it turned out perfectly after sitting in the fridge assembled over night. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you!
We LOVE the idea of an Italian themed Christmas Eve dinner & are so happy to hear you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment – it means so much!
Everytime I see this recipe on Pinterest I seriously start droooooling. Those layers are INSANE!
Aw, thanks so much girl!! xx