Festive Christmas Lasagna Recipe for Holiday Dinner

Christmas Lasagna is a festive take on classic Italian comfort food, brightened with red and green bell peppers for extra flavor and holiday color.

When you picture holiday meals you might think of turkey, ham, and plenty of sweets. Lasagna isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind, but this Christmas Lasagna proves it belongs on the festive table.

This recipe is a holiday favorite because it’s hearty, comforting, and easy to prepare ahead of time. Packed with Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and plenty of mozzarella, it’s simple to assemble, refrigerate, and bake when you’re ready — making it a perfect make-ahead main for busy celebrations.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple to prepare and always well received by a crowd.
• Classic lasagna flavors enhanced by festive red and green bell peppers.
• Rich layers of sausage, ricotta, and two kinds of mozzarella.
• Uses straightforward ingredients and can be made ahead.

🛒Ingredients

This is essentially a classic lasagna with bell peppers added for color. The full quantities are listed in the recipe card below; here are the main components:

• Italian sausage
• Spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade)
• Ricotta cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Lasagna noodles
• Shredded mozzarella
• Fresh block mozzarella, shredded
• Red and green bell peppers

🔪 How to Make Christmas Lasagna

This recipe is straightforward and follows the familiar lasagna layering method. It’s ideal for cooks of any level.

Step 1: Make the Meat Sauce

Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet, drain excess fat, then return the meat to the pan. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and add 1/2 cup of water to the empty sauce jar to loosen any remaining sauce, then pour it into the pan. Simmer briefly to combine flavors.

Step 2: Make the Cheese Filling

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese with eggs and mix until smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Construct the Lasagna

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread a thin layer of sauce across the bottom. Lay a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half the ricotta mixture across the noodles, then sprinkle with half the shredded mozzarella. Spoon half the meat sauce over the cheese.

Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, and the rest of the shredded mozzarella. Add a final layer of noodles and the remaining sauce. Finish with the freshly shredded mozzarella and arrange green bell pepper slices and chopped red bell pepper on top for a festive look. Cover tightly with a lightly greased piece of foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 24 hours).

Step 4: Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the covered lasagna for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is golden. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

📝Variations

Here are a few easy ways to adapt the recipe:

• Protein: Substitute ground beef, hot Italian sausage, or breakfast sausage.
• Red pepper swap: Use sun-dried tomatoes instead of chopped red bell pepper for a deeper flavor.
• Green pepper swap: Add fresh spinach in place of green bell pepper for extra greens.

For another variation, try a cheesy chicken and spinach lasagna recipe for a lighter twist.

🥄 Equipment

You only need basic kitchen tools to make this dish:

• Skillet or pan
• Mixing bowls
• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Aluminum foil

🥫 Storage

Store leftover lasagna covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container or keep the assembled dish wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

💭 Tips

A few practical notes to ensure success:

• Use regular lasagna noodles (not no-boil) as specified; the recipe accounts for cooking during baking.
• Grease the baking dish well so slices release cleanly after baking.

⁉️ FAQ

Common questions about lasagna preparation:

🍽 More Recipes

If you enjoy pasta dishes, consider trying other family-friendly casseroles and stuffed pasta recipes.

• Unstuffed Shells Casserole
• Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

📌 PIN IT!!

🧾Recipe Card

Use the recipe card below for exact measurements, prep times, and full instructions so you can make this lasagna for your next holiday gathering.

Christmas Lasagna

Christmas lasagna takes the classic dish we all know and love and makes it festive with red and green bell peppers for holiday color.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Rest Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Servings

Calories: 612kcal

Equipment

• Pan
• Mixing bowls
• Baking dish
• Foil

Ingredients

• 1 pound italian sausage
• 24 ounces spaghetti sauce
• ½ cup water
• 32 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 16 ounces lasagna noodles
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces block fresh mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1 small green bell pepper sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper chopped
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

• In a saucepan brown and drain the grease from the sausage.
• Add the spaghetti sauce to the pan with the sausage.
• Put ½ cup water in the sauce jar, shake to loosen remaining sauce, and pour into the pan.
• Stir the meat and sauce to combine and simmer briefly.
• In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese with the eggs and mix until smooth.
• Spoon a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan.
• Lay a layer of uncooked noodles over the sauce.
• Spoon half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, covering each noodle.
• Sprinkle half the pre-shredded mozzarella on top.
• Spread half the sauce over the cheese layer.
• Add another layer of noodles.
• Add the remaining ricotta mixture.
• Top with the rest of the pre-shredded mozzarella.
• Add a final layer of noodles and the remaining sauce.
• Top with shredded fresh mozzarella, green pepper slices, and chopped red pepper.
• Cover loosely with a lightly greased piece of foil.
• Refrigerate for 3 hours or up to 24 hours before baking.
• Bake covered at 350°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 30 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze assembled or leftover portions for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You can substitute ground beef or a different sausage if preferred.

Any nutritional data provided is an approximation and may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes.

Disclaimer

Any nutritional data provided is an approximation and actual values may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 37g