Lasagna Casserole: it may not be your Nonna’s layered perfection, but it sure will taste like it!
When I crave lasagna, which is (probably too) often, the many hours it takes to prepare usually means I have to postpone sitting down to that cheesy, meaty, noodly goodness because I just don’t have the time to make it. But now, with this recipe for Lasagna Casserole, I can have this dish I love whenever I want.
I remember my grandmother draping the cooked lasagna noodles over the sides of pots and across wide empty bowls as they waited to be layered with her homemade meat sauce and creamy ricotta mixture…it was an all-day affair and you could taste her effort—and love—in every bite. Lasagna Casserole brings all the flavors and textures and nostalgia of old-school lasagna in a fraction of the time.
Substituting shells, or any short pasta you like, for lasagna noodles is an obvious time-saver. And like most recipes calling for ground beef, you can change that out for ground turkey or ground pork or even crumbled sausage instead. The cheese mixture—mozzarella, ricotta, a beaten egg, and some dried parsley—brings the salty creamy element we love in a lasagna and of course the whole thing is topped with a tangy layer of mozzarella that will turn golden and crispy when the casserole is done.
In this recipe, the assembling process begins by covering the bottom of the baking dish with the cheese mixture, into which you have added the cooked pasta; next, a layer of the cooked ground beef, which is then topped with a layer of the pasta sauce and after the first 50 minutes of covered baking, a generous layer of mozzarella, which uncovered will bubble and brown at the end of the cooking process. This layering technique is also a time-saver but there’s no reason why you can’t double the recipe and make a higher version by repeating the layering process a second time.
Top Tips For a Perfect Lasagna Casserole
- Don’t overcook your pasta; al dente or even a bit under will ensure perfectly tender pasta after the baking.
- Most of us always have a jar of spaghetti sauce in our pantry, but if you have a can of plum tomatoes, why not make your own sauce? Simply cook down the tomatoes in a pot on low heat with a little butter or olive oil and some salt; when the tomatoes are softened, blend with an immersion blender or in your food processor.
- For a richer version of Lasagna Casserole, replace the shells or short pasta with cooked cheese raviolis.
- I’ve made this dish in my muffin pans—these individual servings are great for kids, for parties, even for a snack! Just spray your muffin pan with cooking spray and layer the ingredients in as you would in the baking dish.
What if I wanted to use lasagna noodles instead of shells?
Then you’d have lasagna! But this recipe calls for the cooked pasta to be combined with the cheese mixture so unless you wanted to cut up the lasagna noodles, I’m not sure how that would work. Still, it’s worth a try if you prefer the flat noodle.
Serving Suggestions
Lasagna Casserole would, of course, be good with a fresh green salad tossed in vinaigrette or a Caesar Salad, but it pairs just as well with cooked vegetables, such as Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Parmesan or Italian Green Beans sauteed in butter with garlic, basil, and oregano.
Naturally, garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment to all-things pasta, but why not try some compound butters—softened butter mixed with other ingredients—to spread on good crusty Italian bread instead? Some of my favorite compound butters are garlic & parsley, Parmesan and black pepper, and Pesto (just stir some store-bought pesto into the softened butter—you won’t believe how delicious this is!).
How to Store Lasagna Casserole
Store leftover cooked Lasagna Casserole (if there is any!) in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Lasagna Casserole can be assembled and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Just make sure to cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap for storage.
Baked or unbaked, Lasagna Casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months: wrap the casserole tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake or warm through.
Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cups Pasta shells
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 12 oz pasta sauce
- Sprig of fresh basil leaves
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the chopped onions and cook for another 3 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles. Season with salt and pepper.
- According to the package instructions, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain and set aside. Combine the cooked pasta, ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and top with the cooked beef. Top with the pasta sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the lasagna casserole from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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