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Easy Lasagna

Easy lasagna baked in a white scalloped ceramic dish with melted cheese and fresh herbs
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This Easy Lasagna is a classic, family-style dinner made with seasoned ground beef, oven-ready noodles, a simple cottage cheese layer, and plenty of sauce and cheese. It’s hearty, comforting, and easy to assemble — perfect for busy weeknights, make-ahead meals, or feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 1–2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (per pound of beef)
  • 1 tsp garlic salt (per pound of beef) or garlic powder if preferred
  • 1.5 tsp onion powder (per pound of beef)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups cottage cheese (or ricotta if preferred)
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • ⅛ cup parsley
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 48 oz spaghetti sauce (Homemade, or 2 (24-oz) cans favorite spaghetti sauce)
  • 12-16 oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles
  • ⅛ cup fresh chopped parsley, basil, oregano or 1 tbsp Italian seasoning – for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown ground beef in a large skillet with Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and onion powder; drain excess grease.

  2. In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan, parsley, and egg until well blended. Set aside.

  3. Stir spaghetti sauce into the cooked ground beef until evenly combined.

  4. Spread 1 cup meat sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Top with 3-4 oven-ready noodles, ⅓ of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 remaining meat sauce.

    • Repeat layers 2 more times.

    • Top with remaining 3-4 noodles, remaining meat sauce, remaining mozzarella, and remaining parmesan.

  5. Cover tightly with lightly greased foil.

  6. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

  7. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

  8. Garnish with your choice of parsley, fresh basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning.

Notes

  • Meat Amount:
    This recipe works well with 1–2 pounds of ground beef. Use 1 pound for a lighter lasagna or 2 pounds for a heartier, extra-meaty version.

  • Seasoning Tip:
    Season the ground beef per pound to keep flavors balanced. Adjust salt and pepper after browning to taste.

  • Cheese Options:
    Cottage cheese keeps this lasagna creamy and classic, but ricotta may be substituted 1:1 if preferred.

  • Oven-Ready Noodles:
    Oven-ready (no-boil) noodles are used in this recipe. Be sure the noodles are fully covered with sauce so they soften properly while baking.

  • Noodle Count:
    Depending on the brand and size of your baking dish, you may need 12–16 oven-ready noodles to fully layer the lasagna.

  • Make-Ahead Friendly:
    Lasagna can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance, covered tightly, and refrigerated until ready to bake.

  • Freezer Friendly:
    Assemble, wrap tightly, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

  • Rest Before Cutting:
    Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes after baking to help it set and slice cleanly.

Find it online: https://ourgratefulkitchen.com/easy-lasagna/