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Lazy Lasagna is a deconstructed lasagna bake, made with store-bought sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and whatever pasta you have on hand. It’s easy and comforting without a ton of ingredients, and only 15 minutes of prep. This is also a great lasagna without eggs and one of my most popular recipes!
A Quick Look: Lazy Lasagna
- Total time: Only 15 minutes to prep, with 35 minutes to bake the dish.
- Main ingredients: Pasta, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and marinara sauce.
- When to use: This deconstructed lasagna is perfect to make ahead for a busy week, or enjoyable for an easier lasagna recipe for company. This is my go-to recipe for dropping off meals to friends in need or newly postpartum families. Because it freezes and reheats well, I love to prep it ahead for a dinner the day after Thanksgiving!
- Dietary information: This recipe is Mediterranean diet and HYH diet friendly and can also be gluten free. It has 36 grams of protein per serving. This is an egg-free lasagna and it doesn’t have parmesan cheese – so lower sodium than other lasagna recipes!
- Why you’ll love it: One of the most popular recipes on this site, the 5 star reviews don’t lie! Followers have loved this lazy lasagna recipe for years because it’s so easy and a full meal in one dish. It prepped 5 of these to have in my freezer when I had my kids.
This recipe for lazy lasagna is actually inspired by my grandma. It never failed that when we visited, this was on the menu one night, paired with a simple butter lettuce salad.
My grandma was a great baker, but didn’t like to spend a ton of time cooking. Would she ever stand around over a pot of long-simmered tomato sauce that was passed down from ancestors? NO! She didn’t have time for that – she had 6 kids! Her recipes had to be easy and quick.
This easy recipe has become a reader favorite like my Boursin pasta and lazy enchiladas. I promise you’ll love it! For a more traditional lasagna, try this chicken alfredo lasagna.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Pasta – Any type of pasta will work except smaller ones like macaroni. I went with penne here, but sometimes I mix and match whatever is leftover. Rigatoni, ziti, fusilli, farfalle would all be great.
- Ground beef – I just use a 90/10 or 85/15 mixture because it has great flavor without being greasy, but you can also leave this out for a vegetarian lasagna bake.
- Marinara sauce – Whatever your favorite is will work! I have made this with Sauz, Carbone, and Raos. If you’re onion sensitive, I recommend Cucina Antica Garlic Marinara, Fody Marinara, and Sprouts Sensitive Marinara. Store-bought marinara is already so flavorful, this really doesn’t need a lot of extra spices at all. Keep it lazy!
- Ricotta – This is very important. Choose a good quality brand without gums like guar gum, carrageenan, etc. Ricottas without gums are best for baking overall. If you find ricotta to be gritty, it’s because of the brand you’re using. A good whole milk ricotta is luscious and super creamy. Liuzzi, Calabro and BelGiosio are all great ricotta brands.
- Mozzarella – Fresh mozzarella is best, but you can use store-bought shredded to prep faster. I buy a big ball of it and grate it at home using a cheese grater, or just pull it apart in big pieces.
Full ingredients are posted in the recipe card below.
A lasagna without eggs? I’ve made this by leaving the egg out and putting an egg in. The egg does help to bind the cheese mixture a little bit more and coat the pasta, but it’s truly not necessary. In this case, I think one less ingredient is more practical, and leaving it out doesn’t change the flavor.
Variations
- Vegetarian – Leave out the meat and just cook the pasta! Layer the marinara pasta and the ricotta mixture the same way.
- Add extra vegetables – Add about 1 cup of spinach to the beef mixture while cooking so it wilts down.
- Gluten free – Use your favorite gluten free pasta.
- Chicken sausage – Use ground fresh Italian chicken sausage instead of ground beef.
How to Make Lazy Lasagna
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and greasing a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
Step 1: Start by browning the ground beef and boiling the pasta (Picture 1). Add the marinara sauce to the ground beef. Then mix in the al dente pasta with the ground beef marinara mixture.
Step 2: Use the package directions to cook the pasta “al dente”, which means it’s softened, but with a firmer bite to it. About 1-2 minutes less than the recommended time.
Step 3: Mix together the ricotta cheese, garlic, basil, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: In an oiled 9×13 inch pan, add 1/2 the pasta mixture. Then spread the ricotta mix over top. Add the rest of the pasta on top of the ricotta, and place torn mozzarella on top. Cover with foil. If freezing for later, stop here.
Step 5: Bake the lazy lasagna at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, then take the foil off and bake another 10 minutes till light brown on top.
Step 6: Serve warm with fresh parsley or basil on top!
Recipe Tip
For best results, please use a good quality, whole milk ricotta cheese without gums (see brands listed above). Since we don’t add a lot of extra ingredients to this lasagna pasta bake to keep it “lazy”, this helps the texture be a lot more creamy and not gritty.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this lazy lasagna when I need a great, easy comfort food. Here are some ideas that will make this meal even more satisfying.
- Green salad – I recommend a simple salad with ranch dressing from scratch or a apple fennel salad, which can cut the richness of the cheese.
- Roasted vegetables – Honey roasted carrots and parsnips or bang bang brussels sprouts would be a great way to add additional vegetables.
If you have additional ricotta cheese leftover, don’t miss this whipped ricotta dip, ricotta chicken, or butternut squash stuffed shells.
Storage Information
This easy recipe is ideal for meal prepping. All you have to do is pre-cook the pasta, meat (if using), and layer the dish. Here are a few of my freezer tips.
- Prepare the pan – Cover the bottom of your baking dish with tin foil so you can easily lift the casserole out of the pan, once frozen, and transfer it to a bag or different storage container if needed.
- Freezer instructions – If you’ll consume fairly quickly, you can place saran wrap directly over the top of the casserole so it’s touching the pasta. Then cover that with press and seal and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Baking from frozen – Use the same baking times and temperatures as a base. Then add an additional 10-15 minutes.
How to prep – The penne pasta lasagna can be prepped ahead, unbaked, and placed in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
Lazy Lasagna FAQ
One thing that helps with the texture is to cook the pasta slightly al dente. And if you haven’t heard of this before, it’s really easy to do. Just pull out your pasta about 1-2 minutes before the “final time” posted on the package. The pasta should be a little firm, but still soft enough to chew.
Fresh herbs can help increase the flavor of your lasagna. Feel free to add more garlic if you’re a garlic lover, play around with your store-bought marinara (this recipe works with so many different types) or add additional herbs.
A few tips can help make your lasagna bake less watery. 1. Drain the meat well, and you can even blot with a paper towel. 2. Use GOOD ricotta cheese, like the brands mentioned above. This will help a ton. 3. Fully drain the pasta before adding to the sauce.
That’s what makes this recipe lazy! It works with several different kinds of pasta, making it perfect to make with whatever you have on hand. While traditional lasagna uses lasagna noodles, this lazy man lasagna is great with penne, rigatoni, and fusilli. I just don’t recommend smaller noodles or thin noodles, like macaroni or spaghetti.
More Baked Pasta Recipes
Pasta
Boursin Orzo Bake
High Protein
Chicken Orzo Bake with Boursin
Pasta
Chicken Alfredo Lasagna with Boursin
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Lazy Lasagna
Video
Ingredients
- 12 oz dried pasta (I used penne)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 25 oz marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ cups ricotta cheese
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn or shredded
- parsley for garnish
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃) and prep a 9×13 inch pan, rubbing with a little bit of olive oil to coat it. Meanwhile boil water and cook pasta just 1-2 minutes short of package directions until al dente (firm, but cooked through). At the same time, brown ground beef in a large saute pan until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes, and drain if there is a lot of excess moisture. Season the beef with kosher salt and black pepper, then add marinara sauce.
- In a separate bowl, combine the basil, garlic, oregano with ricotta cheese until well mixed.
- Drain pasta and toss with the marinara/beef mixture till coated. Layer 1/2 the pasta in the bottom of the pan. Then top with all of the ricotta/garlic/basil mixture. Spread the rest of the pasta over the top of the ricotta mixture, then dot with mozzarella tears all over the top (save 2 or 3 slices for a snack!!).
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375℉ for 20-25 minutes until warmed through and bubbling. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until lightly browned on top. (If you want yours a little more brown like mine, you may have to broil for 1-2 minutes on high)
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with a side salad!
Notes
- Pastas that would work well here -Rigatoni, Penne. Fusilli, Cavatappi, Ziti. Gluten free pasta also works.
- Use a high quality ricotta for best results. This won’t be grainy. BelGiosio, Calabro, or Liuzzi are my recommendations.
- Marinara sauce – I like to use Rao’s or Carbone’s, but feel free to sub any one that works for your needs. This recipe works with all types!
- To prep ahead – Make the lazy lasagna up to baking, then cover and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. Or you can freeze like this for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now it could be my eyesight but where in the steps/instructions does it say to put the beef in?
I mean, when I “build the lasagne”, it doesn’t say when to add the meat.
please help
You brown the beef in the first step and then mix it in together with the pasta and sauce so that’s your bottom layer! There are step by step pictures in the post that show it more clearly. 🙂
tysm tastes very good
I can’t wait to try.
Make this all the time!
Only changes are that I layer the pasta and meat sauce separately, use ground turkey instead of beef, and use shredded motz and parmesan on top ❤️
Thank you, Katy! Good tips!
Hi Alicia- I completely missed the salt and pepper edition in this recipe. Cannot see it in the instructions. It turned out well, but just wondering!
Ah, that was addition of S & P, not edition lol
Hey! You’d just add it to season the ground beef!
So good. My first time making lasagna. My hubby’s fave meal. Thank you so much.
Lori L.
Easy yet so cozy, delicious and filling! I sometimes make it without the ground beef and pair it with meatballs or sausage. Makes plenty of leftovers too. I use and love Rao’s jarred sauce (the sensitive without onions type) for this.
So so good and easy. Our Sunday go to.