Lasagna Casserole
Lasagna Casserole is all the flavors of classic lasagna with none of the fussy layering. Hearty ground beef, Italian seasoned tomato sauce, a creamy ricotta and mozzarella mixture, and tender pasta in one dish. It’s faster than traditional lasagna, kid approved, and make ahead and freezer friendly. Made with pantry staples, it comes together in about 45 minutes and serves 8.
My family loves Lasagna. I don’t love how long real lasagna takes, and honestly neither does my family.
Especially on a weeknight when everyone’s hungry an hour ago. So this is the lasagna I actually make.
It’s the same hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and plenty of melty mozzarella, but without the tedious layering of noodles that slide around and never quite behave. You mix, you dump, you bake. It comes together in about 45 minutes and my family ask for it by name, which around here is the highest honor a dinner can receive.
Consider it lazy lasagna, and I mean that as the highest compliment. If you love this version, try my Skillet Lasagna, and my Spicy Lasagna Soup. I never get tired of these flavors.
More Ground Beef Dinners
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti – oven baked spaghetti with cheese topping
- 4 Ingredient Hamburger Casserole – simple weeknight ground beef dinner
- American Goulash – budget friendly ground beef and pasta
- Beefaroni – saucy ground beef and macaroni in tomato sauce
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef – Lean keeps it from getting greasy. Substitute ground pork, Italian sausage, or turkey with no real difference in flavor, in my opinion.
Seasoning – This generates a lot of flavor so don’t skimp. If your store is out, my Homemade Italian Seasoning is easy to whip up.
Pasta – Campanelle, Rotini, or Fusilli are my picks since their ridges and curls hold the sauce, but Penne or Mafalda work too. Use your favorite. If you have lasagna noodles already, just break them into smaller pieces.
Crushed Tomatoes – This makes the base of the sauce. Skip it and use your favorite sauce all together. This is supposed to be easy:)
Ricotta Cheese – The creamy layer that makes it taste like real lasagna. Cottage cheese is a good substitute. Grab the small curd or the family might notice.
Cheese – I like to use mozzarella cheese since it’s super melty. You can swap in and Italian blend or use Monterey Jack in a pinch. Grate or shred it yourself so it melts better.
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How To Make Lasagna Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the excess fat. Add the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and combine, then return the beef to the skillet and stir.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, half the mozzarella, and the beaten egg. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat.
- Spread the pasta and cheese mixture in the pan. Top with the meat and tomato mixture, then the remaining shredded mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let sit 5 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve warm.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1 minute intervals, or in a 350°F oven, covered, until hot in the middle. You might need to add 1-2 tablespoons of sauce if it gets too dry.
Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole but leave the top cheese off, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Take the chill off for 30 minutes, add the cheese, and bake as directed.
Freezer: Assemble it, cover tightly with plastic and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. You can bake from frozen, but it takes much longer.
Portions: Freeze single servings in freezer bags for easy grab and go lunches later.
Variations
Different Protein: Use ground pork, ground turkey, or Italian sausage in place of the beef.
Different Cheese: Swap ricotta for cottage cheese, and add Parmesan on top for extra cheese.
Spicier: Bump up the red pepper flakes, or add a pinch of cayenne. Leave them out entirely for a milder, kid friendly version.
Extra Veggies: Stir in mushrooms, spinach, or diced bell pepper with the onion.
Different Sauce: Use a jar of your favorite marinara sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes for a shortcut.
Servings Suggestions
Don’t come to the table with just this, bring this Italian chopped salad, some Italian Green Beans, and these Garlic Knots.
I always make them when I have this meatball sub casserole and this creamy lemon garlic pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Assemble it without the top cheese, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Let it sit out 30 minutes to take the chill off, add the cheese, and bake as directed.
Absolutely! Assemble it, wrap tightly in plastic and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen with a lot of extra time. Be sure to undercook the pasta so it doesn’t get too mushy in the freezing and baking.
Campanelle, Rotini, and Fusilli hold the sauce best thanks to their ridges and curls, but Penne, Mafalda, or your favorite shape all work fine. You can even swap in some cheese tortellini and leave out the ricotta. Make it even easier on yourself!
Yes you can. Cottage cheese is a substitute for ricotta that my grandmother always used because it was cheaper. It doesn’t change the flavor. Be sure to get the small curd or put in the food processor and the kids won’t notice the difference.
To keep the pasta from getting too mushy. Cook them 1 to 2 minutes short of the package directions. The noodles continue to cook when it bakes.
Up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or a covered oven until hot in the middle.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook the pasta 1 to 2 minutes short of the package directions so it stays al dente after baking.
- Add a splash of pasta water to the meat mixture for a little extra flavor and to thicken up the sauce.
- Use a deep skillet so you have room to stir everything without a separate bowl.
- Add Parmesan on top along with the mozzarella for extra cheesy coverage.
- Let it rest 5 minutes after baking so it sets up before you serve it.
This lazy Lasagna Casserole recipe is cheesy, hearty, and all the flavor of lasagna without the fuss. Make it for your next busy weeknight and watch the whole family come back for seconds!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Easy Lasagna Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 16 ounces pasta Campanelle or Rotini or Fusilli
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes not drained – sub pasta sauce if desired
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese substitute cottage cheese if desired
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain.
- Add the onion, garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Add the ground beef back in and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, and the beaten egg.
- Add in the pasta and stir to combine.
- Spread the cheese and pasta mixture in the pan.
- Top with the meat and tomato mixture.
- Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Remove and let sit 5 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Cook the pasta 1 to 2 minutes short of the package directions so it doesn’t turn mushy after you bake it.
- Add a splash of pasta water to the meat mixture to tighten it up a little bit and add flavor.
- Use a deep skillet so you have room to stir everything without a separate bowl. NO extra dishes!
- Add Parmesan on top along with the mozzarella for extra cheesy coverage.
- Let it rest 5 minutes after baking so it sets up before you serve it.
Nutrition
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