Description
A delicious and easy no-boil noodle lasagna recipe featuring a savory blend of ground beef, Italian sausage, rich ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and a flavorful spaghetti sauce. Perfect for a comforting homemade Italian meal that requires minimal prep and bakes to cheesy perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 48 ounces spaghetti sauce (your favorite sauce)
Cheese Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided: 2 cups for mixture, 1 cup for topping)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided: ½ cup for mixture, remaining for topping)
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 4 tablespoons freshly snipped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Other
- 12 lasagna noodles (no-boil)
- ¼ cup water (optional, depending on sauce consistency)
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare dish: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and generously spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together until fully cooked. Drain off excess fat. Stir in the minced garlic and your favorite spaghetti sauce. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Mix the cheese filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, eggs, ½ cup grated Parmesan, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Assemble the lasagna – first layer: Spread about ¾ cup of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Arrange 3 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, then spread ⅓ of the cheese mixture on top, followed by ¼ of the sauce.
- Repeat layering: Continue layering by adding noodles, another third of the cheese mixture, and more sauce, repeating this sequence once more for a total of three cheese layers and three noodle layers.
- Final layer and add water if needed: Top the final layer with 3 noodles, the remaining sauce, and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top. Depending on how thick or runny your sauce is, add about ¼ cup water to the edges of the pan to prevent drying out during baking.
- Cover and bake: Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole dish with the sprayed side down to avoid cheese sticking. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes covered.
- Finish baking uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Rest and serve: Allow the lasagna to stand for 10 minutes after baking to set, making it easier to cut and serve.
Notes
- No-boil noodles save time and effort by eliminating the boiling step before assembly.
- Adjust the amount of water added based on sauce thickness to maintain moisture in the lasagna.
- Using a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage gives the dish a richer flavor.
- Letting the lasagna rest after baking helps it firm up for cleaner slices.
- Spraying the foil prevents cheese from sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
