Lasagna (but better!)

/ Recipe

I actually hated lasagna growing up, which is strange because I loved pasta. But somewhere along the line I have learned to love it, especially because of the ground beef (more hearty) and punchier sauce! Lasagna is a great family friendly meal because it comes together easily and is good for a few days (if you don’t gobble it up in one sitting!).

Highlights

⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes

🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Serves: 6

🧊 Make Ahead? -Yes, make ahead and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.

❄ Freezer Friendly? – Yes, wrapped tightly you can keep it for up to 3 months!

🌱 Substitutions? – Absolutely – you can swap the ricotta for cottage cheese; use gluten free pasta noodles, or remove the ground beef entirely if you want this vegetarian.

Ingredients List

  • ~15 lasagna noodles, uncooked (note, stack the noodles in your 9×13 pan first to confirm how many you will need based on brand)
  • 1 jar Arrabiata pasta sauce
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2.5 cups shredded mozzarella 
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or similar herb combination)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
  • Parsley (optional)
This recipe contributes 5 items to your weekly list plus 7 pantry staples.

Recipe: Lasagna (but better!)

  1. Heat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles as directed per package. Drain, and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium-hot saucepan on the oven, cook the beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. Drain any fat.
  3. Add about 1/3 of the jar of sauce, and incorporate the garlic powder and onion powder plus black pepper to taste. Simmer for ~5 minutes then set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, lightly beaten egg, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, salt, and parsley.
  5. In a 9×13 baking pan, add a few spoonfuls of the Arrabiata to coat the bottom and prevent sticking. Layer noodles to cover the bottom. Layer with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, and 1/2 of the meat mixture. Repeat noodle layer followed by the rest of the ricotta mixture and the rest of the meat mixture. 
  6. Add the remainder of the sauce jar to cover the top of the lasaga and sprinkle with additional parmesan and mozzarella (plus additional parsley as desired)
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove foil and bake for an additional ~7-10 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling. If desired, lightly broil for 2-4 minutes for a browner top.
  8. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to prevent runny cheese!

Family Tips

  • Lasagna is fun for the whole family to make because there are so many different jobs (making the cheese mixture, stirring the meat, layering the noodles etc.)
  • Tight on time? Make ahead and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. If you are going to do this, I recommend baking for longer – 45 minutes with foil to ensure it is warmed through, and then 10 additional minutes to achieve the gooey top!
  • If you have leftovers you can keep in your fridge for 2-3 days and reheat as needed.
  • This recipe has relatively thin cheese layers but it is absolutely easy to add more. Just add some additional ricotta and mozzarella – no need to add an extra egg. If you find it is too thick you can just add water a tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.