The best of both worlds is yours!! Yes, you can have all the cheesy, gooey, warm layers of a lasagna, without all the tedious work. Give this easy lasagna recipe a try next time you're craving the perfect comfort food.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then cook the lasagna noodles for 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
12 dried lasagna noodles
While the noodles cook, add the ground beef to a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon as cooks, until it is mostly brown. Add the onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent. If there is a lot of fat in the pan, drain it off.
1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and bring the pot to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer while you prep the white sauce. Stir in the parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper before using.
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, Salt and pepper, ¼ cup tomato paste
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg.
2 cups ricotta cheese, 2 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup minced parsley, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 1 large egg
To assemble the lasagna. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Add 3 lasagna noodles, ¼ of the tomato sauce, and ¼ of the white sauce. Continue layering the noodles, tomato sauce, and white three more times.
Finish with a layer of mozzarella cheese and then cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the lasagna is hot and bubbling.
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Optional step: Remove the foil and turn your oven to broil. Broil the lasagna for a few minutes, until the cheese is golden brown in many spots. IMPORTANT: Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it.