Gluten-free lasagna is pure comfort food, cheesy, hearty, and baked until golden and bubbling. This version uses gluten-free no-boil, oven-ready noodles (no precooking required) and a rich tomato sauce with ground chicken sausage for extra protein and flavor. It's cozy, family-friendly, and every bit as satisfying as the classic lasagna you remember-just without the gluten. And no one will know it's gluten-free.
This recipe has been one of my tried-and-true favorites for more than 15 years. I first made it with wheat no-boil noodles, then set it aside after going gluten-free. When gluten-free no-boil noodles finally came to market, I brought back my easy lasagna just the way I loved it-this time fully gluten-free. This version is written and tested specifically for gluten-free no-boil noodles, with a slightly more fluid sauce and layering method that keeps the pasta tender and the slices beautifully structured.
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Why You'll love Gluten-Free Lasagna
- No-boil, lighter feel - Gluten-free oven-ready noodles require no precooking, and bake up a bit lighter than traditional boiled pasta. Easier too!
- Saucy, cheesy comfort - Cozy layers of ricotta, mozzarella, and sausage tomato sauce baked until bubbly and golden.
- Gluten-free that feels "normal" - Tender, satisfying texture that eats like classic lasagna.
For another filled pasta recipe, try these stuffed pasta shells.
Chef's Tips: Gluten-Free No-Boil Noodles Need More Sauce - Gluten-free no-boil lasagna noodles (aka oven-ready noodles) behave differently than wheat. They're more absorbent and hydrate faster as they bake, so more hydration is needed. If the sauce is too thick, the noodles will pull moisture from it and the lasagna can bake up dry or with stiff edges. For this recipe, the sauce will be a bit more fluid than you might expect for traditional lasagna. That extra moisture is what helps the gluten-free noodles bake up tender.
Ingredients You'll Need
Lasagna Sauce
- Olive oil - Helps bloom the aromatics and soften onions without burning.
- Onion + garlic - Aromatic foundation for depth.
- Fennel seed (optional) - Echoes classic Italian sausage flavor.
- Chicken sausage - Choose cooked Italian sausage, adding protein, richness, and savory depth.
- Dry wine (optional) - Red or white, adds acidity and roundness; cooks down and disappears, leaving flavor.
- Crushed tomatoes - The backbone of the sauce. Their texture hydrates no-boil noodles better than thick puree.
- Strained tomatoes (passata) - Pure strained tomatoes that add extra moisture for the gluten-free no-boil noodles without diluting flavor. Look for boxed Pomi, or order passata online if your store doesn't carry it.
- Herbs - Use dried Italian blend seasoning, or a blend of basil and oregano.
- Red pepper flakes - for a little heat and subtle kick.
- Bay leaf - Adds a savory depth of flavor.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, pepper.
Chef's Tip: Passata vs American Tomato Sauce
Passata (like boxed Pomi) is pure Italian strained tomatoes-smooth, with no skins, seeds, or added seasonings. It's looser than tomato sauce, so it adds the extra hydration gluten-free no-boil noodles need without watering down the flavor. Standard tomato sauce is cooked down, thicker, and often seasoned with salt, herbs, or sugar. Using passata keeps the sauce clean, balanced, and designed for no-boil noodles to cook beautifully.
Filling, Noodles, Cheese
- Ricotta - Creamy, mild, and perfect for building structure between layers.
- Parmesan - Umami + salt; sharpens the ricotta's mildness.
- Fresh herbs - Basil + oregano lift richness with brightness.
- Egg - Binds the filling so slices hold.
- Gluten-free no-boil lasagna noodles - I tested with Barilla Oven-Ready GF Noodles.
- Mozzarella - Use low-moisture mozzarella in a block or log and grate it yourself. It melts smoothly without making the lasagna watery. Skip fresh mozzarella packed in brine-that style holds too much moisture for this recipe.
- Parmesan - Finishes the lasagna with savory depth and gentle browning.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, black pepper, and red pepper.
Chef's Tip - Why Freshly Grated Cheese Matters: Better Melt
Pre-grated cheeses contain anti-caking additives that interfere with melting and can create a slightly gritty texture. For the best melt, clean flavor, and creamy layers, use freshly grated cheese instead. It does make a difference.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you can't find passata (Pomi):
- Best option - Blend canned whole or crushed tomatoes until smooth, then press through a fine-mesh strainer to remove skins and seeds. This behaves much like passata.
- Other alternative - Use plain canned tomato sauce with no added herbs or sugar. It will still give the gluten-free no-boil noodles the hydration they need.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lasagna
You'll need an 8"x8" or 9"x9" (2/1 2 - 3" deep) casserole dish. Get your sauce and ricotta mix done before starting to build the lasagna.
Up Front Tip
For gluten-free no-boil noodles, the sauce will be a little looser than you might be used to. As you layer, make sure every noodle has some sauce touching both sides, and keep the ricotta sandwiched between saucy layers instead of pressing it directly onto dry noodles. The lasagna may look slightly more fluid going into the oven, but the gluten-free noodles drink up that extra moisture as they bake, so you end up with a tender, saucy, gluten-free lasagna.
- Pulse chopped sausage in a food processor or chop fine by hand.
- Cook onions in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, 1 minute, then seasonings and wine. Cook wine down by half.
- Stir in ground sausage.
- Add both tomatoes, swirling a little water around in the can of tomatoes and adding. Simmer 30 minutes then cool sauce if making ahead.
- Mix the ricotta, egg, herbs, and Parmesan, salt & pepper for filling.
- Begin assemble of layers. Add ⅔ cup sauce to the baking baking dish. Add 2 noodles.
- Add a little more sauce to the noodles, then ⅓ of the filling mixture.
- Spread the ricotta filling evenly, add a bit more sauce on top.
- Add ⅓ of the mozzarella. Now repeat these steps for 4 layers ending with noodles on top.
- Cover the last set of noodles with the remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese. See recipe card for bake ahead, and bake right away directions.
Baking Gluten-Free Lasagna (Now or Make-Ahead)
Bake Right After Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cover dish tightly with foil and spray the underside with oil.
- Place on a rimmed baking sheet if full to the edge.
- Bake 45 minutes covered, then uncovered 15 minutes longer until bubbly and golden.
- Test noodles with a paring knife in the center.
- If still firm, bake another 10-15 minutes until fully tender.
- Lasagna should reach 165°F, but tender noodles determine doneness with gluten-free.
- Rest 20-30 minutes before slicing.
Make-Ahead and Bake Later (Up to 24 Hours)
Lasagna can be made 1-4 hours in advance and refrigerated to bake later or up to 24 hours ahead. Sauce must be cooled (70°F) before assembly.
- Remove the dish from the refrigerator 1 hour ahead and unwrap.
- When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake 45 minutes covered.
- Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more, until bubbly and golden.
- If noodles feel firm when pierced with a paring knife or your thermometer, bake 10-15 minutes longer until they are tender.
- Lasagna should reach 165°F, but tender noodles determine doneness with gluten-free.
- Rest 20-30 minutes before slicing.
Freezing Lasagna
Many people like to freeze lasagna for make-ahead meals, and Barilla says it works on the box. However, I have not tested freezing this recipe.
If you need freezer-friendly meals, you may freeze unbaked gluten-free lasagna at your discretion-just know that I am not 100% sure at the results.
If you freeze it, thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator, then follow baking directions.
Serving Suggestions
Gluten-free lasagna is a complete meal on its own. Pair it with a big tossed green salad and a simple balsamic vinaigrette. If you'd like to round it out further, add a batch of gluten-free garlic toast for the perfect comfort-food dinner.
Storage
Gluten-free lasagna will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when tightly covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, until the center reaches 165°F. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave until hot. It reheats great!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Today's gluten-free no-boil noodles bake up beautifully, just like the traditional wheat version, but they do require more hydration in the sauce. They keep the process faster and lighter with no precooking required. It's all I use!
Absolutely. Assemble the lasagna in the morning, cover, and refrigerate until baking. Add a few extra minutes of oven time if it's going in cold from the fridge. If you can let it stand at room temperature for awhile before baking, that helps. Bake to 165°.
Passata (or Pomi strained tomatoes) is my first choice because it's just smooth, pure, strained tomatoes and keeps the flavor of the sauce clean. If you can't find it, you can blend and strain canned tomatoes for a similar result. In a pinch, you can use plain canned tomato sauce with no added herbs or sugar.
More Italian Inspired Recipes
From stuffed shells, to a hearty classic Tuscan soup, or an easy one-pan chicken dinner, try some of these Italian-inspired dishes. And that ragu? Delicious.
Did You Make This?
If you make gluten-free lasagna, please let me know how it came out for you and how you enjoyed it. I love to hear from you and other readers appreciate it too. And consider leaving a star rating please. Any questions, I am here to help.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Lasagna
Equipment
- 8"x8" or 9"x9" deep casserole dish 2 ½" - 3" deep, straight sides, ceramic or stoneware
- 4-5 quart pot for sauce
- Food Processor to grind sausage, or use a chefs knife and chop by hand
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped fine
- ¾ teaspoon ground fennel seed or wild fennel pollen
- 6 ounces pre-cooked chicken sausage usually 2 links
- ⅓ cup dry wine, red or white optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried Italain seasoning blend or combo oregano and basil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes preferably san marzano
- ½ cup pure strained Italian tomatoes called passata or Pomi in the box (same)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Filling
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh finely chopped basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
- 2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped oregano leaves or ¾ tablespoon dried
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Noodles and Cheese
- 6 ounces gluten-free no-boil lasagna noodles (oven-ready) 8 noodles
- 8 ounces grated low-moisture mozzarella block or log grate it yourself, skip pre-grated
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese to top the lasagna
Instructions
Sauce
- Chop the sausage into chunks. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the sausage chunks until fairly finely, about 12 pulses.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan (4-5 quarts) over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, then add the Italian seasoning blend, fennel, and wine. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
- Add ground sausage, both tomatoes, salt and peppers. Swirl a little water in the crushed tomato can to wash it out and pour into the pan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside and cool.Note - If making the lasagna ahead and refrigerating overnight, cool the sauce below 70°, then assemble the lasagna. The fastest way is using an ice bath in the sink as you would to cool chicken broth.
Filling
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, herbs, egg and seasoning. Set aside.
Layer the lasagna (4 layers)
- If serving right away. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F degrees.
- Spread ⅔ cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Add 2 noodles, then top with ⅓ of the ricotta mixture, a little sauce, and ⅓ of the mozzarella. Repeat this layering two more times (noodles, ricotta, sauce, mozzarella). For the top layer, place the final 2 noodles, cover with the remaining sauce, and finish with Parmesan.
To Bake Now
- Spray a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, until the top is lightly golden and bubbly. Check the internal temperature-it should read 165-170°F.If the noodles still feel firm when pierced: loosely re-cover, lower the oven to 350°F, and bake 10–15 minutes more until tender.Rest: Let stand 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving for the cleanest cuts.
To Bake for Later
- Spray a piece of foil with nonstick spray and tightly cover the baking dish. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.About 1 hour before baking, remove the dish from the refrigerator to take off the chill. Preheat the oven to 375°F and follow the same baking directions as above.
Notes
Nutrition
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Barbara Werth says
Love this dish! Best gluten free lasagna I have ever had!!
Sally Cameron says
Thanks for commenting Barbara! So glad you enjoyed it!
Lavinia Ceausu says
Probably the best lasagna I’ve ever had! You cannot tell at all that it’s gluten-free. I’ve made it a couple of times and the family loves it!
Nora Szekely says
Delicious, can’t tell that it was gluten free, not heavy, absolutely recommend!
Meghan @ DeLallo Foods says
I see you're using our noodles! Thanks for your support and kudos on your site!
Love & spaghetti,
Meghan
Sally says
Sally,
I was suspect of no-boil lasagna noodles until I experimented with a "rainbow" lasagna with colorful summer veggies and béchamel sauce. I want to try yours now, with whole wheat noodles and tomato sauce . You can never have too many recipes for lasagna! This one is sure to be a winner.
LoyoyaNL says
That looks really good :). I just love pasta.
Stephanie Weaver says
Sally,
This is a great tip for people wanting to lower their fat without compromising on taste! Thanks for the terrific step-by-step pix too! I'll let you know when I post my gluten-free lasagne. 🙂
Chef Sally says
Sounds good Steph! Let me know and I'll put a link to your recipe for readers to check out.