Alfredo Lasagna swaps tomato sauce for a from-scratch parmesan cream sauce, then layers it with ricotta, mozzarella, and no-boil noodles. The result is a slice that holds its shape but stays saucy, with roughly 285 calories per serving across 6 generous portions.
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Most lasagna recipes fail for one of two reasons: watery sauce or undercooked noodles. This version solves both with a roux-based alfredo that thickens to coat a spoon, and a 25-minute covered bake that hydrates no-boil sheets before the cheese goes on.
You need 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes in the oven. No resting time is required if you bake it covered first, though a 10-minute rest after baking gives cleaner slices.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
12 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8 oz / 225 g)
No-boil sheets save 20 minutes and absorb the extra sauce in this recipe. If using regular noodles, boil them 2 minutes shy of the package time so they do not turn to mush.
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
Butter gives the roux its flavor base; margarine works but browns faster and tastes flatter. Buy unsalted so you control the final salt level against the parmesan.
1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
Flour is the thickener that keeps the alfredo from running. For a gluten-free version, use 1/4 cup cornstarch instead and whisk it in off the heat.
4 cups (960 ml) whole milk, warmed
Warm milk incorporates into the roux without lumps; cold milk seizes the flour. Whole milk is preferred, but 2% works with a slightly thinner sauce.
3 cups (300 g) freshly grated parmesan, divided
Grate your own block parmesan; pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking starch that makes the sauce gritty. Pecorino Romano is a sharper substitute, so use 2 cups.
2 cups (450 g) whole-milk ricotta
Drain ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer for 15 minutes if it looks watery. Cottage cheese blended smooth is a lower-fat substitute at about 40 fewer calories per serving.
2 large eggs
Eggs bind the ricotta layer so slices hold together. Skip them and the filling spreads instead of setting.
3 cups (340 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
Low-moisture mozzarella browns predictably; fresh mozzarella releases water and makes the top soggy. Provolone is a good stretchy swap.
1/2 tsp (3 g) fine salt
Salt balances the dairy; add it to the ricotta mix, not the sauce, so you can taste as you go. Kosher salt needs about 1/4 tsp more by volume.
1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
Nutmeg is the classic alfredo accent and should be barely detectable. Fresh-grated is roughly twice as potent as pre-ground, so start with 1/8 tsp.
2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Parsley adds color and a clean finish. Basil or thyme both work if parsley is not on hand.
Tips & Tricks
- Warm the milk before whisking it into the roux. Cold milk hits the hot flour and clumps instantly; 60 to 90 seconds in the microwave fixes this before it becomes a problem.
- Do not skip the covered bake. The foil traps steam that hydrates no-boil noodles; uncover too early and you get chalky pasta under a browned top.
- Grate parmesan on the fine side of a box grater. Coarse shreds melt unevenly and leave oily pockets in the sauce.
- Let the baked lasagna sit 10 minutes before cutting. This is not for flavor, it is physics: the sauce thickens as it cools, and slices come out clean instead of sliding apart.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the alfredo sauce
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat (about 300 F / 150 C) until foaming but not browning, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup flour and cook 60 seconds until the raw flour smell disappears, then stream in 4 cups warm milk while whisking constantly.
2. Thicken and cheese the sauce
Simmer the sauce 5 to 7 minutes at 195 to 200 F (90 to 93 C) until it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds. Off heat, whisk in 2 cups parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg until completely smooth.
3. Mix the ricotta filling
Stir together 2 cups ricotta, 2 eggs, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a bowl until uniform. The mixture should look thick and slightly stiff, not loose.
4. Preheat and prep
Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Spread 1 cup alfredo across the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan; this prevents the bottom noodles from sticking and burning.
5. Layer the lasagna
Layer 4 noodles, half the ricotta mix, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 cup alfredo; repeat once. Finish with the last 4 noodles, remaining alfredo, and remaining mozzarella.
6. Cover and bake
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25 minutes. The foil traps steam that hydrates the no-boil sheets; without it they stay chalky in the center.
7. Brown the top
Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until the cheese is golden brown at the edges and the center reads 165 F (74 C) on an instant-read thermometer. The sauce should bubble visibly at the pan edges.
8. Rest and serve
Rest 10 minutes on a wire rack, then cut into 6 portions and garnish with 2 tbsp parsley. Resting lets the layers set so slices lift cleanly with a spatula.
Delicious Variations
Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
Fold 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken into the ricotta layer and add 1 extra cup of alfredo to compensate for the drier meat.
Spinach Alfredo Lasagna
Squeeze 10 oz (280 g) thawed frozen spinach completely dry and layer it over the ricotta. Skipping the squeeze adds unwanted water.
Mushroom Alfredo Lasagna
Saute 16 oz (450 g) sliced cremini in 2 tbsp butter over high heat (about 400 F / 205 C) for 6 minutes until browned, then layer over the ricotta.
How to Store Alfredo Lasagna
Refrigerator
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Keep slices whole; cut edges dry out faster in the fridge.
Freezer
Freeze baked or unbaked portions wrapped in plastic plus foil up to 3 months. Unbaked freezes better because the noodles have not fully hydrated.
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350 F (175 C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave single slices 90 seconds on 50 percent power to avoid rubbery cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use regular lasagna noodles instead of no-boil?
Yes, but boil them 2 minutes less than the package directs and increase the alfredo by 1 cup. Regular noodles absorb less sauce, so the extra liquid keeps the final bake from drying out.
Q: Why is my alfredo lasagna watery?
Watery lasagna almost always comes from wet ricotta or under-thickened sauce. Drain the ricotta 15 minutes and simmer the alfredo until it coats a spoon before layering.
Q: Can I make Alfredo lasagna ahead of time?
Yes, assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the covered bake time because the pan starts cold.
Q: How many calories are in a serving of Alfredo lasagna?
This recipe runs about 285 calories per serving across 6 portions. Swapping whole milk for 2% and using part-skim mozzarella drops it to roughly 250.
Q: What temperature should lasagna be when it is done?
The center should reach 165 F (74 C) on an instant-read thermometer. At that point the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top cheese is golden brown.
Build this once and you will stop reaching for jarred alfredo. The roux technique transfers to any cream pasta, and the layering ratios scale to a 9×9-inch pan at 4 servings with no other math changes. Invest in your knowledge.
Alfredo Lasagna
Alfredo Lasagna layers no-boil noodles, rich homemade alfredo, ricotta, and mozzarella into one creamy, bubbling baked pasta dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (960 ml) whole milk, warmed
- 3 cups (300 g) freshly grated parmesan, divided
- 2 cups (450 g) whole-milk ricotta
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups (340 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) fine salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
📋 Instructions
- 1Make the alfredo sauce — Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat (about 300 F / 150 C) until foaming but not browning, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup flour and cook 60 seconds until the raw flour smell disappears, then stream in 4 cups warm milk while whisking constantly.
- 2Thicken and cheese the sauce — Simmer the sauce 5 to 7 minutes at 195 to 200 F (90 to 93 C) until it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds. Off heat, whisk in 2 cups parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg until completely smooth.
- 3Mix the ricotta filling — Stir together 2 cups ricotta, 2 eggs, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a bowl until uniform. The mixture should look thick and slightly stiff, not loose.
- 4Preheat and prep — Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Spread 1 cup alfredo across the bottom of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan; this prevents the bottom noodles from sticking and burning.
- 5Layer the lasagna — Layer 4 noodles, half the ricotta mix, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 cup alfredo; repeat once. Finish with the last 4 noodles, remaining alfredo, and remaining mozzarella.
- 6Cover and bake — Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25 minutes. The foil traps steam that hydrates the no-boil sheets; without it they stay chalky in the center.
- 7Brown the top — Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until the cheese is golden brown at the edges and the center reads 165 F (74 C) on an instant-read thermometer. The sauce should bubble visibly at the pan edges.
- 8Rest and serve — Rest 10 minutes on a wire rack, then cut into 6 portions and garnish with 2 tbsp parsley. Resting lets the layers set so slices lift cleanly with a spatula.
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