Oh boy, the end of the school year is HECTIC! Between recitals, rehearsals, parties, field trips, doctors appointments, and haircuts on top of regular activities, music lessons, and the like…our schedule is just nuts right now. If you’re at all feeling my pain, then I am sure you can appreciate this super easy lasagna recipe that might even be enough to feed your family for more than one night in a row. Plus, we all know lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and no one has time for picky eater complaints right now as well, right? LOL. I hope this helps make the last week (or two) of the school year a little easier for you. Enjoy!
Easy Peasy Classic Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 25 ounce jars your favorite pasta sauce
- 1 box whole-wheat lasagna, boiled according to package directions
- 1 15 ounce container ricotta
- 1 8 ounce block mozzarella, shredded
- freshly grated Parmesan (optional garnish)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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In a large skillet, cook the beef and sausage together over medium heat. While cooking, break it up with a spatula until brown all the way through, 5 to 6 minutes (can add a little olive oil to start if you prefer, but not necessary). Season with salt and pepper. Drain the fat and stir in the pasta sauce.
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In a rectangular baking dish spread a third of the meat sauce on the bottom. I like to jiggle the dish for one nice even layer. Cover with one layer of cooked lasagna noodles (I boil them first, even if the box says not to).
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Then add half the ricotta in dollops over the top. Sprinkle half the shredded mozzarella, then repeat with more sauce, noodles, cheese, noodles, and then the remaining sauce. Top with grated Parmesan if desired. Just to summarize, this is the order in the baking dish...from the bottom to the top:
> Meat sauce (bottom)
> Noodles
> Ricotta
> Mozzarella
> Meat Sauce
> Noodles
> Ricotta
> Mozzarella
> Noodles
> Meat sauce (full coverage over noodles)
> Parmesan (if using, on top)I find this type of list helpful because at the very end the order switches to end with sauce on top covering the noodles. Otherwise the noodles will dry out when baking.
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Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and heated all the way through. Remove the foil, turn the broiler on high, and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes until any cheese on top is golden brown. Let cool slightly and serve.
Recipe Notes
If this dish is made in advance and refrigerated, increase the baking time to ensure it's heated all the way through.
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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The phrase “easy peasy” is music to my ears! Love that this can be made ahead too! Thanks for sharing!
How would you do this to make it and freeze to eat later?
I make ahead lasagna often. Assemble the lasagnas, but do not cook, instead freeze. Allow 2 full days to thaw in the fridge before cooking. I know from experience lasagna that is still frozen in the middle takes forever to cook. Also my recipe uses a pound of meat and makes a 9×13 pan. I put mine in 2 half size rectangle glass Pyrex dishes. The half size pan feeds our family for 1 meal, so we can eat one and freeze one.
And this might help, too. I use these instructions from Taste of Home: Cover and freeze one lasagna for up to 3 months. Cover and bake remaining lasagna at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 375° for 60-70 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
looks colourful and appealing to the eyes.
This has nothing to do with above recipe…Question I’m looking for recipe for cooking beans (pinto?) in foil on the grill. I thought it was from this sight but unable to find:/ thought I saved it. Can anyone help? Thanks
Isn’t Italian sausage (or any other sausages) processed? And pasta sauce comes for a jar, doesn’t it mean it’s also processed? I struggle to identify what real foos is. If you could clarify, that would be great! Thanks Lisa.
Hi there. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/ but also know that Lisa does allow (when not doing the pledge) some room for minimally processed, very low ingredient, items to make life a little easier.
Are you using a 9 x 13 pan?