Lazy Lasagna
This lasagna bake takes all the best parts of lasagna (the gooey cheese, pasta, and sauce!) but saves you a little time and a lot of effort when it comes to layering. Can be made gluten free and vegetarian.
Servings: 6 people
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 9x13 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!
Video
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
Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 988mg | Potassium: 799mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1002IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 4mg
