Article: If you are using no-boil noodles, remove them from the package and place them with the rest of your ingredients. If you are using regular noodles, follow package directions for cooking time, and drain thoroughly. Allow them to cool for a few minutes. They can be very hot to handle while assembling the lasagna. Running cold water over them helps this along, but be sure not to let the noodles sit too long after cooling, as they will stick together. If you're using a smaller pan than the recipe calls for or are only making half the recipe, you can cut the cooked noodles to fit. You can also carefully break the no-boil noodles to fit the shape of your dish. Tuck the ends of your noodles into the pan before baking, as any that extend over the edges may burn or dry out and become hard and brittle. For easier serving and a golden edge, lightly buttering your glass or metal baking dishes before assembly. If using a nonstick surface, butter may be unnecessary. Start with a small amount of sauce at the bottom of your dish to keep your lasagna moist and prevent the bottom layer of pasta from sticking to the pan. Take a sheet of your boiled and strained regular noodles or no-boil noodles and lay them out flat at the base of your dish, overlapping them slightly. The goal is to get the entire bottom of the dish covered in a layer of noodles. Remember, you can cut or break your noodles to fit the size and shape of your pan if necessary. If using no-boil noodles, you may want to break them to fit instead of overlapping them, as the overlapped parts can get hard while baking. Your filling will vary depending on the recipe. Follow your recipe guidelines to create your filling and spread it over your base layer of noodles. Spread about 1/3 of your filling onto the base noodles. Don't let your layers get too thick! This can cause your lasagna to fall apart when serving and eating. Follow your recipe guidelines to create your cheese mixture and cover the surface area of your dish with a thin layer of cheese. Use enough cheese so you can cover the previous layer. If your recipe calls for a ricotta mixture and separate layer of mozzarella, put down the ricotta first and follow it with the mozzarella. Use a spoon to drizzle sauce over your cheese until covered. Depending on the size of your dish, you may need to use more or less sauce. Take care not to use too much sauce; this could create a runny lasagna. When using no-boil noodles, use slightly more sauce. No-boil noodles will absorb more moisture to cook. Once you have laid down the second sauce layer, place another layer of noodles on top, followed by your filling, cheese, and another layer of sauce. The number of layers your lasagna has will vary by recipe and size of your dish. Use your entire filling mixture. Make sure to leave about four noodles, or as many you would need to cover the top of your lasagna. Leave a little bit of extra cheese to sprinkle on top. Finish your lasagna by placing four noodles on the top, one crosswise and three lengthwise. You may need to use more or less depending on the size of your dish. Sprinkle your remaining cheese on top. This will cook to make a nice brown surface. Sprinkles of sweet paprika make a delicious final addition. If you are using no-boil noodles or prefer a more sauce on your lasagna, you can add a thin layer of sauce to the top. If you'd like, you can cover your lasagna dish with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to three months and still bake beautifully. Make sure to let your frozen lasagna completely defrost before baking it, otherwise you may have to increase the cooking time. Remove frozen lasagna from the freezer the night before you plan to bake it and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It's better to cool your lasagna slightly frozen than to let it thaw on the countertop.
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Get your noodles ready. Begin your first layer. Add the filling. Drizzle on the cheese. Pour on some sauce. Repeat the process! Top it off. Freeze your lasagna (optional).