Hear me out: lasagna with potatoes instead of noodles. It's downright delicious.
I Made Lasagna with Potatoes, and I’ll Never Go Back to Noodles
Published on May 11, 2025
There’s more than one way to make lasagna. You may know lasagna as having layers of ground beef and pork, cheese and red sauce, but Julia Child made hers with leftovers and cottage cheese. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what the layers are, as long as each one is assembled with love and purpose.
That’s why I didn’t immediately cry blasphemy when this recipe for potato lasagna appeared mid-scroll. I’m willing to try creative and unique adaptations, and you know what? This one is a winner.
Why You Should Use Potatoes Instead of Noodles
While I will forever love a traditional béchamel lasagna with layers of hearty meat sauce, tender noodles and cheesy goodness, sometimes a change of pace is warranted, either due to time, dietary restrictions or simply wanting to try something new.
I love potato lasagna for all these reasons and more. First, the prep and cook time is considerably shorter than that of most traditional lasagna recipes—we’re talking almost 30 minutes shorter. While you do need to roast the potatoes before assembling, you can work on prepping the other layers while the oven works its magic on the taters.
Second, potatoes are gluten-free, making this a great lasagna option for those who follow a gluten-free diet. Sure, many gluten-free pastas exist, but potatoes are an affordable, unprocessed alternative that are packed with nutrients.
Finally, cooking the same old thing can get boring. Using potatoes in lasagna offers a wonderful textural and flavor change that transforms the dish into a new yet familiar recipe.
How to Make Lasagna with Potatoes
To make a potato lasagna, put your pasta pot away and grab a sheet pan. Begin by roasting sliced potatoes coated with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper until tender, then let cool. Meanwhile, brown your favorite Italian sausage in a skillet and mix together ricotta, bread crumbs, spinach and spices in a medium bowl.
To assemble, evenly arrange a third of the potatoes on the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish. Then, top with half of the spinach mixture, followed by half of the sausage. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over the sausage and then repeat the layering process again, ending with a final layer of potatoes and grated Parmesan cheese.
From here, the whole thing is baked uncovered in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top layer of potatoes is golden and crisp. Let it stand for a few minutes before digging in with a spatula to serve.
What I Love About Potato Lasagna
While purists will say that this isn’t a real lasagna recipe, they will have to concede that potato lasagna is delicious. It’s basically a lasagna version of zuppa Toscana. What I love most about this recipe is the array of textures and flavors in every layer. The top layer of potatoes offers a crispy contrast to the creamy cheese, zesty sausage and tender potatoes on the inside.
Another great feature of potato lasagna is that it’s so versatile. Like all good recipes, once you master the method of using potatoes in lasagna, you can change up the other ingredients to just about anything you please. Replace the Italian sausage with ground beef in marinara for a traditional spin, or do a potato version of our Buffalo chicken lasagna. Vegetarian? Omit the sausage and draw inspiration from all-veggie lasagna. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination and willingness to try something new.
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