Lazy Lasagna: The Ultimate Weeknight Hero
Growing up, whenever my mom let me pick dinner, it was always a toss-up between pizza or her famous Lazy Lasagna. I mean, who has time to wrestle with those slippery long noodles that seem to have a mind of their own? They slide around the pan like they’re auditioning for the Ice Capades, and don’t even get me started on trying to get them to layer neatly. Enter my mom’s secret recipe: the ultimate solution for people who love lasagna but don't have time for all that noodle-wrangling nonsense. The best part? You can even do the final heating in the microwave if you’re in a hurry. Because sometimes, you need lasagna and a win in the kitchen!
Servings 6
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 great opportunity to sneak extra veggies into your family's diet. If you like onions, mushrooms, pureed carrots, or zucchini, you can saute those in with the meat and once you add sauce, no one will see the veggies.
I sometimes double this and bring to potlucks in a large crockpot to keep it warm.
It also freezes well if you want to double the recipe and share half with someone you love. And by that I mean me. You can share it with me.
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!
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!