World’s Best Easy Beef Lasagna

Beef lasagna is a classic Italian dish that combines layers of pasta, ground beef, and cheese into a comforting and flavorful meal. Here’s a detailed recipe for a delicious beef lasagna:

I am giving this 5 stars for ease alone….I didn’t even cook the lasagna noodle. One layer sauce on the bottom of the pan – noodles then a layer of sauce. I assembled in the morning using homemade leftover sauce and put in the refrigerator. I took it out and popped it in the oven – for about 45 minutes – took the foil off and cooked an additional 10. Perfect and oh so easy.

UPDATE – I made this with Johnsonville Italian sausage and it was great.

I never know how many stars to leave when I make changes. Just for personal preference, I’d give it 4 stars because I don’t care for the cottage cheese/egg layer, and leave that out. Usually when I make my own lasagna I don’t precook my noodles, and we prefer shredded chicken over ground beef. Other than that, this is pretty close to how I make mine!

I probably use more cheese, and sometimes cheddar in addition to the mozzarella. For variety, if we have veggies that need to be used I might add sliced zucchini and/or spinach as well. But this recipe is a good, solid, simple lasagna, and you should try it!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients :

• 12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 4 ½ cups tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

How to make this Beef Lasagna :

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1. Prepare the Meat Sauce:
   • Place a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 lb ground beef, and diced onion. Saute, breaking up the meat, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.
   • Add minced garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant.
   • Add 1/4 cup wine and stir for 2 minutes or until wine is nearly evaporated.
   • Add 3 cups marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook 5 minutes.
2. Assemble the Lasagna:
   • Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
   • Lay 4 noodles, overlapping to cover the bottom of the dish.
   • Spread half of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles, then cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup per layer).
   • Add about 1/3 of the sauce to the top of the cheese, making sure the cheese is all covered with sauce.
   • Repeat with another layer of noodles, then remaining cheese mixture, more noodles, then remaining sauce and finally 1 more layer of noodles.
   • Top the final layer of noodles with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the grated cheeses.
3. Bake the Lasagna:
   • Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, then cover the baking dish and place the lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
   • Uncover and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
4. Rest the Lasagna:
   • Let the lasagna cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Safety Notes

• Ensure the oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
• Use oven mitts when handling hot dishes.

Substitutions

• Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or pork.
• Marinara sauce can be replaced with homemade tomato sauce.

Storage

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Lasagna can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Pro Tips

• Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor.
• Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
• Ensure the noodles are cooked al dente to prevent them from becoming mushy during baking.