PREP TIME: 20 mins – 25 mins | COOK TIME: 1 hr 10 mins – 1 hr 30 mins | YIELD: Serves 8 – 10
Making our favourite lasagna does not have to be complicated and this easy recipe proves that. Delicious lasagna made with your favourite store-bought sauce and noodles that are cooked right in the sauce. And no matter how tempted you are to simply dig straight in, make sure to let the lasagna cool and set for at least 15 minutes ere serving.
INGREDIENTS
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1 medium yellow onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (24 to 25-oz.) jar marinara sauce (3 c.), such as Rao’s or Newman’s Own
12 oz. low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 c.), divided
15 dry lasagna noodles (not no-boil, about 2/3 of a 1 lb box), divided
15 to 16 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 2 c.), divided
How to make Easy Lasagna
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2: In a 12-inch or larger regular or cast-iron skillet, heat a tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, a pound of ground beef, half tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper to the skillet and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces using a wooden spoon until the beef is cooked through. Set the ground beef mixture aside when done and cool for at least 5 minutes.
Step 3: In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Add the rest of the sauce to the ground beef mixture and stir.
Step 4: If needed, shred 12-ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups). In the baking dish, place 5 lasagna noodles. If needed, break the noodles to make only one layer, slightly overlapping the noodles. Over the noodles, dollop or spread a cup of ricotta cheese, top with 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with a cup of the mozzarella. Do another layer once, then top with 5 more noodles and the rest of the sauce. Make sure to spread the sauce thin to fully cover the noodles. Set the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella aside for later. Tightly tent the dish with aluminium foil.
Step 5: Place in the preheated and bake for about an hour. Poke the lasagna using a knife to check if the noodles are done. Once the knife easily slides through the layers the lasagna is set, if not cover it again and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the lasagna from the oven and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top, then return to the oven and finish baking until the cheese has melted and turned light brown and the sauce is bubbling. This takes an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 7: Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire rack, then serve.
NOTES:
You can easily make this lasagna ahead. Just assemble and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month. Before baking, completely thaw the lasagna if frozen for about 2 days.
Tightly wrap any leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (24 to 25-oz.) jar marinara sauce (3 c.), such as Rao's or Newman's Own
- 12 oz. low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 c.), divided
- 15 dry lasagna noodles (not no-boil, about 2/3 of a 1 lb box), divided
- 15 to 16 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 2 c.), divided
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2: In a 12-inch or larger regular or cast-iron skillet, heat a tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, a pound of ground beef, half tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper to the skillet and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces using a wooden spoon until the beef is cooked through. Set the ground beef mixture aside when done and cool for at least 5 minutes.
Step 3: In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Add the rest of the sauce to the ground beef mixture and stir.
Step 4: If needed, shred 12-ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups). In the baking dish, place 5 lasagna noodles. If needed, break the noodles to make only one layer, slightly overlapping the noodles. Over the noodles, dollop or spread a cup of ricotta cheese, top with 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with a cup of the mozzarella. Do another layer once, then top with 5 more noodles and the rest of the sauce. Make sure to spread the sauce thin to fully cover the noodles. Set the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella aside for later. Tightly tent the dish with aluminium foil.
Step 5: Place in the preheated and bake for about an hour. Poke the lasagna using a knife to check if the noodles are done. Once the knife easily slides through the layers the lasagna is set, if not cover it again and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the lasagna from the oven and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella on top, then return to the oven and finish baking until the cheese has melted and turned light brown and the sauce is bubbling. This takes an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 7: Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire rack, then serve.
Notes
You can easily make this lasagna ahead. Just assemble and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month. Before baking, completely thaw the lasagna if frozen for about 2 days. Tightly wrap any leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.