Neapolitan Lasagna is a rich and festive baked pasta dish deeply rooted in the culinary tradition of Naples. It's the lasagna prepared for important family gatherings, Sunday lunches and, above all, during Carnival, when the table becomes abundant and generous.
In Italy it's known as Lasagna Napoletana, and what makes it so special is the richness of its layers: pasta sheets, slow-cooked Neapolitan pork ragù, small fried meatballs, creamy ricotta, mozzarella and slices of hard-boiled eggs. Every bite is hearty, comforting and unmistakably Southern Italian.
Like many traditional recipes, each family has its own version. Some adjust the cheeses, others prepare the ragù with different cuts of pork or a mix of meats. But the spirit remains the same: a celebratory lasagna, full of flavor and made to be shared.
Prepare it slowly, layer after layer, and let it rest before slicing, just as tradition suggests. This Neapolitan Lasagna is more than a pasta bake; it is a celebration of family, abundance and authentic Southern Italian flavors. Try it at home and bring a true taste of Naples to your table.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Prep Time: 40 Min | Cook Time: 2 Hours 40 Min | Servings: 8
Doses for a 13x9 inch lasagna pan.
THE MEAT SAUCE
- 350 g (12 oz) pork ribs
- 250 g (9 oz) sausage
- 350 g (12 oz) pork neck
- 100 ml (about ⅓ cup) red wine
- 1 medium white onion
- 1.5 liter (6 cups) tomato passata
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 400 g (14 oz) cooked pork from the meat sauce, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 medium eggs
- 100 g (1 cup) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 100 g (1 cup) bread crumbs, plus more for breading the meatballs
- 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable oil, for frying
THE FILLING
- 500 g (1.1 pound) ricotta cheese
- 200 g (2 cups) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 400 g (14 oz) hard mozzarella cheese
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
FOR LASAGNA SHEETS
- About 10 fresh lasagna sheets. You can make them at home following our homemade pasta recipe, or use authentic Italian flat lasagna sheets by Tuscanini, oven ready and made with durum wheat, so no pre-cooking is necessary.
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce
BEFORE YOU START: To make Neapolitan Lasagna start with the preparation of the pork meat sauce. This preparation requires a lot of time but fortunately, you can make it in advance.
Step 1) - Take the pork neck and the ribs and cut them into small pieces. Leave some meat on the bone, it will make the sauce tastier. Then remove the sausage skin. Put the meats and the sausage aside for the moment.
Step 2) - Now peel the onion and slice it finely. Sautè it in a large pan with the extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes. Then add the sausage and the meats. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat, sometime stirring.
Step 3) - Now pour the red wine, let it evaporate and then add the tomato passata. Add salt to taste, stir and cover with a lid.
Step 4) - Let simmer over low heat for at least two hours. The sauce should not be too thick. If it seems to dry out too much during cooking, add a ladle or two of water. The sauce must be a little liquid to facilitate the cooking of the lasagna noodles afterwards. When ready, turn off the heat and let the pork meat sauce cool.
Make the Meatballs
Step 5) - With a slotted spoon, take about 400 g (~1 pound) of meat from the sauce, draining it very well from the tomato sauce. Place it in a bowl and add the grated Parmigiano, chopped parsley, 100 g (1 cup) of breadcrumbs and two whole eggs.
Step 6) - Transfer the mixture in a food processor and finely mince, until homogeneous. With the mixture make small meatballs, no bigger than a hazelnut and bread them quickly in bread crumbs.
Step 7) - Fry the meatballs in plenty of oil. With a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil, drain well the excess oil, then put them on a plate and set aside.
The Filling
Step 8) - Cut the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. Set aside. Cut the hard mozzarella cheese into thin slices as well and set aside.
Step 9) - Now place the ricotta in a bowl. Add two or three tablespoons of meat sauce and mix everything until you get a homogeneous reddish-cream.
Make the Layers
Step 10) - Take a lasagna pan measuring about 13x9 inches and spread a little meat sauce on the bottom. Then place the first layer of lasagna noodles.
Step 11) - Cover the pasta sheets with the ricotta cream. Then place a few slices of hard-boiled egg, some fried meatballs and some slices of mozzarella.
Step 12) - Finally spread the meat sauce and sprinkle with the grated Parmigiano cheese. Cover with another layer of lasagna sheets.
Step 13) - Keep going with the layers until you run out of ingredients, taking care to make the final layer with only the sauce, mozzarella and grated Parmigiano.
Step 14) - Cover the pan with aluminum foil so that the top does not dry out too much. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 25 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and keep cooking for another 5/10 minutes, depending on whether you like the surface more or less crunchy. Then take out the lasagna and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Now enjoy your Neapolitan Lasagna!
Storage
You can keep Neapolitan Lasagna in the refrigerator, covered with cling film or in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
You can prepare it the day before, kept in the refrigerator covered with cling film to cook the next day.
It's possible to freeze it only if you have used fresh ingredients. Prefer to freeze it when Neapolitan Lasagna is still raw. For cooking it, it's enough to defrost in the refrigerator about 24 hours ahead of time and then bake.
Curiosities
Neapolitan Lasagna is one of the richest and most celebratory dishes of Neapolitan cuisine, a true symbol of abundance and prosperity. Traditionally prepared during Carnival, it represents the festive spirit and generosity of the season just before the period of Lent.
For this reason it is often called Carnival Lasagna. Although it's enjoyed throughout the year in Naples, during Carnival it's considered essential on the table, alongside classic sweets such as Chiacchiere.
More Italian Carnival Recipes
- Migliaccio Napoletano Recipe (Italian Semolina Ricotta Cake)
- Tortelli di Carnevale (Italian Carnival Doughnuts)
- Frittelle di Riso (Traditional Italian Sweet Rice Fritters)
History
Neapolitan Lasagna recipe was born during the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Chefs of the Bourbon court used to make very rich and substantial dishes, as a symbol of wealth and well-being.
They created this recipe, placing between the layers of lasagna noodles many ingredients including meat, eggs, sauce and cheese.
It seems that Frencesco II, the last ruler of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies, was affectionately nicknamed "King Lasagna" by his father Ferdinand II, because he loved this dish so much!
Lasagna Napoletana is therefore a delicacy of royal origins. Over time has become a typical recipe of the Italian traditional cuisine.
Lasagna Napoletana Recipe: FAQs
Neapolitan lasagna is traditionally prepared during Carnival, a festive period associated with abundance before the austerity of Lent. Its rich combination of pork ragù, meatballs, cheeses and eggs perfectly reflects the celebratory spirit of this season.
The traditional ragù is made primarily with pork, often including ribs, sausage and pork neck. After slow cooking, part of the meat is finely chopped and used to prepare the small fried meatballs layered inside the lasagna.
Yes. Traditional Lasagna Napoletana includes slices of hard-boiled eggs layered between the pasta sheets. They are one of the elements that make this version richer and different from other Italian lasagna recipes. However, some families choose to omit them according to personal preference.
Yes. In fact, it tastes even better when prepared in advance. You can assemble it a few hours before baking or even the day before, then bake it just before serving. Let it rest after baking to allow the layers to set properly.
More Neapolitan Recipes
- Casatiello Napoletano (Traditional Neapolitan Easter Bread)
- Pasta alla Genovese (Authentic Neapolitan Recipe)
- Pastiera Napoletana Recipe
Recipe Card
Neapolitan Lasagna Recipe with Meatballs and Eggs
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 350 g pork ribs - 12 oz
- 250 g sausage - 9 oz
- 350 g pork neck - 12 oz
- 100 ml red wine - about ⅓ cup
- 1 white onion -
- 1.5 liter tomato passata - 6 cups
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt - to taste
For the Meatballs
- 400 g cooked pork from the meat sauce - 14 oz, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 medium eggs
- 100 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - 1 cup
- 100 g bread crumbs - 1 cup, plus more for breading the meatballs
- 1 liter vegetable oil - 4 cups, for frying
For the Filling
- 500 g ricotta cheese - 1.1 pound
- 200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano - 2 cup
- 400 g hard mozzarella cheese - 14 oz
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
For the Lasagna Sheets
- 10 lasagna sheets
Instructions
MAKE THE MEAT SAUCE
- Take the pork neck and the ribs and cut them into small pieces. Leave some meat on the bone, it will make the sauce tastier. Then remove the sausage skin. Put the meats and the sausage aside for the moment.
- Now peel the onion and slice it finely. Sautè it in a large pan with the extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes. Then add the sausage and the meats. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat, sometime stirring.
- Pour the red wine, let it evaporate and then add the tomato passata. Add salt to taste, stir and cover with a lid.
- Let simmer over low heat for at least two hours. The sauce should not be too thick. If it seems to dry out too much during cooking, add a ladle or two of water. The sauce must be a little liquid to facilitate the cooking of the lasagna noodles afterwards. When ready, turn off the heat and let the pork meat sauce cool.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS
- With a slotted spoon, take about 400 g (~1 pound) of meat from the sauce, draining it very well from the tomato sauce. Place it in a bowl and add the grated Parmigiano, chopped parsley, 100 g (1 cup) of breadcrumbs and two whole eggs.
- Transfer the mixture in a food processor and finely mince, until homogeneous. With the mixture make small meatballs, no bigger than a hazelnut and bread them quickly in bread crumbs.
- Fry the meatballs in plenty of oil. With a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil, drain well the excess oil, then put them on a plate and set aside.
THE FILLING
- Cut the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices and set aside. Cut the hard mozzarella cheese into thin slices as well and set aside.
- Now place the ricotta in a bowl. Add two or three tablespoons of meat sauce and mix everything until you get a homogeneous reddish-cream.
MAKE THE LAYERS
- Take a lasagna pan measuring about 13x9 inches and spread a little meat sauce on the bottom. Then place the first layer of lasagna noodles.
- Cover the pasta sheets with the ricotta cream. Then place a few slices of hard-boiled egg, some fried meatballs and some slices of mozzarella.
- Finally spread the meat sauce and sprinkle with the grated Parmigiano cheese. Cover with another layer of lasagna sheets.
- Keep going with the layers until you run out of ingredients, taking care to make the final layer with only the sauce, mozzarella and grated Parmigiano.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil so that the top does not dry out too much. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 25 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and keep cooking for another 5/10 minutes, depending on whether you like the surface more or less crunchy. Then take out the lasagna and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Now enjoy your Neapolitan Lasagna!
Cece says
Che bellissima! This lasagna is exactly what I have been missing since leaving Italia after a short stay in Napoli! This isn’t an easy recipe but I’ll dio mio once you try this recipe once you’ll never go back to any other recipe! Grazie Silvana!
Silvana Nava says
Hi Cece,
You are right, this is a truly amazing dish born from the creativity of Neapolitans!
Reggie says
I like your recipes!