Lasagna, what’s for dinner tonight! I have made so many variations of lasagna over the last decade. Boil the pasta, no-bake pasta, ricotta, cottage cheese, pre-shredded cheese, shred your own, can spaghetti sauce, homemade sauce… I literally could go on with the different types of lasagna that I have made.
What I have come to find, is that once it is baked and served, any type of lasagna is the best. What makes a good lasagna is the care that you put into its assembly and making sure it is served with love. However, I have had Lasagnas that do not turn out as planned. Some are too runny, some turn out with just slightly undercooked pasta, and some are too dry. Whatever the case, it is always good to keep cooking and perfecting recipes.
Disclosure
Published December 16, 2015
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Perfect Layers
When I make Lasagna, I try to make the layers look pretty when it eventually gets cut. Then, when Tyler cuts into it at dinnertime, and the layers are then nice and even and visibly seen, I get excited knowing the hard work paid off. Below is a list of the layers that I use when making Lasagna.
Meat Sauce
Pasta
Cottage cheese mixture
Pasta
Meat Sauce
Pasta
Cottage cheese mixture
Pasta
Remaining sauce
Shredded Cheeses
Lasagna Ingredients
There has been a difference of opinion in our home about what goes into a Cheese Layer for Lasagna. The two polarized thoughts are between Ricotta and Cottage Cheese. Additionally, onions have been a point of distaste in the more recent past. Some of our kids, myself included, like the taste and texture of using Cottage Cheese while Tyler and the rest of our kids like Ricotta instead.
Incidentally, when talking about onion being added to Lasagna, this grouping does get mixed up. For example, I detest raw onion. I will not eat them raw and as a result, end up cooking them with the ground beef. Some of our kids do not appreciate this act of love. They should be happy there are no raw onions in my delicious Lasagna.
Below is a list of ingredients I use when making Lasagna. For this specific recipe, No-Boil Lasagna pasta was used to see if I could perfect the texture when cooked. Stay tuned to the end to find out the result!
Spaghetti sauce jar
1 onion diced
No-boil lasagna pasta
1 large container cottage cheese
Parsley & Oregano
1 egg
Mozzarella & Parmesan cheese
2 pounds ground beef
1 can mushrooms
Are you looking for the perfect dessert to serve with Lasagna? Look no further than my recipe for a Three Berry Crumble! This Dessert is easy to make and so delicious. Click the link to check it out.
Directions for Lasagna
1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook the 2 pounds ground beef until browned. Then, drain any fat and return the pan to the stove.
2. On a cutting board, dice an onion and then add it to the cooking meat. Cook the onion until tender and translucent.
3. If desired, add 1 can of mushrooms to the pan.
4. As this pasta does not need to boil ahead of time, add the recommended water to the meat per the box’s directions, however if you are choosing to use boil pasta, then follow the directions on that box.
5. Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the cooked meat, mushrooms, onion and water, then let this simmer and cook for up to 1 hour before assembling lasagna.
6. Shred 4-oz parmesan cheese and 8-oz mozzarella into a bowl with Cottage Cheese and mix together in a bowl, then set aside.
Additionally, I used my Cuisinart Food Processor to make short work of shredding the cheese. Also, using a blend of cheeses helps to give a bolder flavor to your Lasagna.
7. Spray a 9 X 13-inch Lasagna pan with non-stick spray and then set aside.
8. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Time to Assemble
9. Then spread 1 cup of meat sauce onto the bottom of the Lasagna pan using a spatula. Levi was my adorable helper tonight!
10. Then place 4 uncooked lasagna sheets in the pan on top of the thin layer of sauce. If your pan will not fit a full sheet on one edge, feel free to break a sheet of pasta in half.
11. Top the pasta with half of the Cottage Cheese mixture and then spread around with a spatula.
12. Place the next layer of pasta on top of the Cottage Cheese mixture.
13. Then, using a large spoon, scoop sauce onto pasta carefully – keep 1/3 reserved for the top.
14. Add the next layer of pasta on top of the sauce.
15. Then, repeat each layer a second time.
16. When the last pasta layer is placed, pour the remaining sauce on top and spread it evenly over the pasta.
15. Sprinkle shredded cheese on the top of the Lasagna and then, to avoid drips, place your Lasagna pan on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. This helps cleanup be a breeze!
17. Finally, bake at 425 degrees for 50-55 minutes. When done, remove the Lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
The final result of this Lasagna with No-Boil pasta was fantastic! If you follow the directions with how much water to add to the sauce, the pasta will then come out perfect. The layers were excellent, the flavor was amazing, and there were happy people around the table devouring this dinner.
Enjoy!
~Monica
Lasagna Recipe
Lasagna that is Delicious and Quick
Equipment
- 9 X 13-inch bake dish
- Large Saucepan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Ground Beef
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 jars Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 can Mushrooms
- 1 box No-Boil Lasagna Pasta
- 15 oz Cottage Cheese
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 8 oz Mozzarella shredded
- 4 oz Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large pan, over medium heat, cook the meat until browned.
- Then, drain any fat and return the pan to the stove.
- On a cutting board, dice an onion and then add it to the cooking meat.
- Cook the onion until tender and translucent.
- If desired, add 1 can of mushrooms to the pan.
- As this pasta does not need to boil ahead of time, add the recommended water to the meat per the box's directions.
- If you are choosing to use boil pasta, then follow the directions on that box.
- Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the cooked meat, mushrooms, onion and water, then let this simmer and cook for up to 1 hour before assembling lasagna.
- Pour the cottage cheese into a medium bowl.
- Shred 4-oz parmesan cheese and 8-oz mozzarella into a bowl with Cottage Cheese and mix together in a bowl, then set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Assemble the Lasagna
- Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and then set aside.
- Place 1/4 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan, then spread it around using a spatula.
- Then place 4 uncooked lasagna sheets in the pan on top of the thin layer of sauce.
- Top the pasta with half of the Cottage Cheese mixture and then spread around with a spatula.
- Place the next layer of pasta on top of the Cottage Cheese mixture.
- Then, using a large spoon, scoop sauce onto pasta carefully – keep 1/3 reserved for the top.
- Add the next layer of pasta on top of the sauce.
- Then, repeat each layer twice.
- When the last pasta layer is placed, pour the remaining sauce on top and spread it evenly over the pasta.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on the top of the Lasagna and then, to avoid drips, place your Lasagna pan on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. This helps cleanup be a breeze!
- Finally, bake at 425 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
- Remove the Lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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