Lazy Lasagna Casserole

Lazy Lasagna Casserole is a deconstructed spin on traditional lasagna but made even easier with the same delicious ingredients like ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, ground beef, and mini lasagna noodles.

It’s the foolproof, easy recipe you need to make when you need to feed the whole family and want an easy cleanup!

Why you will love this Lazy Lasagna Recipe

• 15 minute prep. This easy lasagna recipe is perfect for busy, time-strapped home cooks!
• Versatile. Customize with your favorite vegetables or proteins (I use ground turkey or ground chicken too). You can even make it a vegan lasagna! You can even adapt this recipe to make an instant pot lazy lasagna.
• Crowd-pleaser. A guaranteed hit, whether you’re serving a small family dinner or a larger gathering.
• Make-ahead. Perfect for meal prep, you can assemble it in advance and bake when ready.
• Leftover and freezer friendly. Tastes even better the next day, making it a great option for leftovers.

Italian pasta dishes are by far my favorite easy dinner recipes because they don’t take long to make and are full of delicious flavors.

While I love a classic lasagna, this deconstructed version is so much easier and just as tasty! It’s a delicious meal even picky eaters will love.

If you love lasagna as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to give this One Pot Lasagna Soup a try. You might also enjoy this hamburger rice casserole!

Ingredients you will need

• Malfada corta pasta: is what I like to use because it’s the perfect size and looks just like lasagna! You can also use another short pasta like penne, bow tie pasta, ziti, or medium shells.
• Lean ground beef: is recommended because it isn’t too fatty, which will give the casserole a great flavor without being too greasy. If you have 80/20 ground beef, you can still use that; just drain out the excess grease. You can also use ground chicken, ground turkey or Italian sausage if you prefer that over beef.
• Veggies and herbs: you will need a white or yellow onion, garlic, fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and fresh oregano.
• Marinara Sauce: Rao’s tomato sauce is my #1 go-to because they make their sauce in small batches and use fresh ingredients.
• Egg: helps fluff up the ricotta cheese and binds the cheese together so that it doesn’t ooze out and get too thin.
• Cheese: you will need ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. If you don’t have ricotta cheese, you can use cottage cheese instead!

Tip: if you really want to cut down on time you can substitute the noodles and ricotta mixture for cheese ravioli! You’ll still want to use some shredded mozzarella in your layers though.

How to Make Lazy Lasagna Casserole

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (about 2 minutes shy of the package instructions). Drain the pasta, then rinse with cool water and set aside.

2. Brown the beef. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef, and allow it to sit until the edges are browned and crispy when you lift it up. Do not move or touch it while it’s browning. Once the first side is browned, flip it and brown on the other side.

3. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven and brush a thin layer of olive oil inside a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

4. Cook the beef. Break up the beef using a meat masher, then add the diced onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook over medium heat, tossing occasionally, or until the onion is translucent and you have brown beef that is no longer pink.

5. Prepare the lasagna. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Add the pasta sauce, basil, and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until warmed through. Stir in the cooked pasta, remove from the heat and set aside.

6. Prepare the ricotta filling. Add the ricotta and egg to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until fully combined. Then mix in half of the shredded mozzarella, 1 minced garlic clove, half of the Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper.

7. Bake the lasagna. Place half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish and spoon the cheese mixture evenly on top. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and cover loosely with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover the lasagna and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh basil and serve in a pasta dish or on a plate.

Can I use any kind of pasta?

Many different kinds of pasta will work for this recipe, but I like to use malfada corta (or mini lasagna noodles), penne, bowtie pasta, ziti, or medium shells. Any shorter pasta will work.

I also don’t recommend using long noodles like spaghetti because they will not give you the “lasagna casserole” feel; it will feel more like baked spaghetti or traditional lasagna.

Do you cover lasagna when baking?

When you place your lazy lasagna bake in the oven, make sure you cover it with aluminum foil. This will prevent it from burning, losing moisture, and keep the noodles from drying out.

If you’d like it to be a little more brown on top when serving, I would take the aluminum foil off about 5 minutes before taking it out of the oven completely. This will allow the top to become a beautiful golden brown but not too dark or burnt. I would keep your eye on it, though, just in case.

Should you rest lasagna covered or uncovered?

I recommend letting your lasagna rest uncovered so it doesn’t continue cooking. After baking, your lazy lasagna casserole will need time to set or rest without being touched.

During this time, I would refrain from covering with aluminum foil so that it doesn’t overcook and become too soft. Keeping the cover on your lasagna will continue the cooking process, and because most ingredients in your lasagna are already cooked, you want to stop that as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Can I make lasagna ahead of time without cooking?

Yes! This is a great meal to make ahead, especially if you want to meal prep, make it the next day, or freeze it.

If you’re keeping your made-ahead lasagna in the fridge without cooking it, I would only keep it for about 24-36 hours before cooking or freezing. If you wait longer than that, your lasagna may become a little mushy.

How do I make sure my lasagna does not get mushy?

Don’t overcook your pasta! The number one cause of mushy lasagna casserole is if you overcook your pasta. A great rule of thumb is to cook your pasta al dente, especially since we put the pasta in the oven, which will cause it to continue cooking.

Read the instructions on your package of pasta. If it doesn’t tell you what the al dente cook time is, just subtract about two minutes from the cook time, and that should be the best time to drain. Your noodles should still be a little firm and chewy but not crunchy.

How do I prevent a watery lasagna?

There are a few different steps that you can take to prevent your lasagna from becoming watery:

• Use lean meat or drain your meat very well. I like to blot mine with a paper towel to soak up any excess grease.
• Drain the pasta completely before adding it to your sauce mixture, which can definitely be a cause of watery sauce.
• I recommend using good, part-skim ricotta cheese, which isn’t as watery as whole milk ricotta but still has a delicious creamy texture.

How to Freeze Lazy Lasagna Casserole

This is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze for busy nights, Sunday dinners or family get-togethers. Once you’ve topped the lasagna with the beef and pasta mixture, let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, place your dish (uncooked) in the freezer covered in heavy-duty aluminum foil while being sure the edges are tightly crimped, or you can use an airtight container if you want to freeze in small servings. You don’t want any air getting into your dish, or it may become freezer burnt. 

What to Serve with Lazy Lasagna Casserole

I love serving this lasagna with fresh garlic bread in the cooler months and this little gem salad during the warmer months. Honey roasted carrots and asparagus salad are a great way to add some veggies to the table!

Be sure to try out this Caprese Pasta, Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce, Hamburger Rice Casserole, or this crispy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan next!

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