Lazy Lasagna

Growing up, whenever my mom let me pick dinner, it was always a toss-up between pizza or her famous Lazy Lasagna. Spoiler: the lasagna usually won. I mean, who wants to wrestle slippery noodles when you can just layer up something delicious without all the drama?

This easy lazy lasagna recipe skips the conventional noodle acrobatics and gets straight to the good stuff like cheesy, meaty, saucy comfort food that’s perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or freezing for a future win. It’s also a sneaky way to hide some veggies, and yes, you can microwave it if dinner needs to be fast and fabulous.

This is the no-boil, freezer-friendly dinner that even your pickiest eater won’t question. Make it on a Monday, eat like it’s Sunday.

Lazy Lasagna: The Ultimate Weeknight Hero

For When You Want Comfort Food Without Wrestling Noodles
This crowd-pleasing classic uses shortcut ingredients for maximum flavor and minimal effort. Customize it with hidden veggies, double it for a potluck, or freeze half for your future self.
Bonus: heats like a dream in the microwave when you need dinner now.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, kid friendly, potluck
Servings: 6
Author: Kelly Brakenhoff

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces egg noodles cooked (1 package). I use whatever pasta is in the pantry.
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 16 ounces spaghetti sauce marinara is yummy
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey. Around here we use deer burger.

Instructions

  • Cook noodles.
  • Mix cooled noodles with cheese.
  • If using meat, add the sauce to the meat.
  • You can layer this, but truly you could just throw it all together in a casserole.
  • Layer 1: sauce
  • Layer 2: 1/2 noodle mixture
  • Layer 3: sauce
  • Layer 4: rest of noodles
  • Layer 5: sauce
  • Lightly sprinkle extra cheese on top. If you have fresh tomatoes on hand, slice them and lay them on top too.
  • Bake at 350 for 15 to 30 minutes. Or Microwave with a vented cover for 10 minutes until heated throughout.

Notes

This is a prime veggie-sneaking opportunity. Saute onions, mushrooms, zucchini, or pureed carrots with the meat. Once you add sauce, nobody will notice. You’re a dinner ninja now.
Perfect for potlucks. I double the recipe and serve it in a large crockpot to keep it warm—and yes, people ask for seconds and the recipe.
Freezer-friendly. Make one for now and one for Future You. Or better yet, give the extra to someone you love. And by that, I mean me.
Reheats like a champ in the microwave or oven. Bonus points if you eat it directly out of the container in front of the fridge. (No judgment.)
 
You’re always alone in the kitchen…
…so go ahead and lick the spoon, bend the rules, and turn mistakes into magic. I won’t tell if you don’t.
 
Cassandra Sato Mysteries. Small College, Big Secrets. Background is a college building with a clocktower. Foreground is a young Asian woman wearing a suit and standing with her arms crossed.Whip up this delicious treat, pour yourself a cozy cup of tea, and settle in with one of my Cassandra Sato Mysteries! Nothing pairs better with a fresh-from-the-oven snack than a twisty mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat. 🍵🔍 Happy reading and happy baking!

2 thoughts on “Lazy Lasagna

  1. I I’m like you what’s in the pantry is what goes in my recipes but cheddar cheese in lasagna I just can’t conceive of the idea I use cottage, mozzarella and almost any other white cheese but a cheddar though I use cheddar a lot in my even just to snack on a piece by itself. But not in my lasagna. I’v also used deer,moose and bear mixed with pork for a good fat balance because there is a very low fat ratio in them. Anywhosers I ramble I like the and used your mom’s recipe minus the cheddar. Kat

    1. Thanks for your note Kat! Yes I thought cheddar in lasagna was weird at first, too. I mostly use mozzarella or an Italian blend too. But a few sprinkles of sharp cheddar on top isn’t bad in this recipe. I love how lasagna is never the same twice because it’s easy to play with ingredients. Our freezer is full of deer meat, but I’ve never tried moose or bear. My husband is planning an elk hunting trip, but maybe he’ll have to try moose or bear too!

Comments are closed.

Scroll to top