Simplest Beef Lasagna
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Layers of browned beef simmered in tomato sauce mingled with water to keep it saucy. Uncooked noodles softened by baking steam with ricotta and mozzarella sprinkled in thoughtful portions. Covered tightly for even cooking. Baked until bubbling and tender. Rested well for slicing. Substitutions possible for ricotta with cottage cheese, or swap mozzarella with provolone if needed. Nonstick spray or a smear of olive oil stops noodles sticking. Watch for pasta softness by piercing late in bake – no soggy mush yet no crunch. Measures shifted slightly to tweak moisture and cheese balance. Familiar smells of simmering beef and oregano in sauce, golden cheese melting on top. Because no one likes dry bottom layers or uneven cook with layered pasta. Easy yet forgiving, especially if you tweak sauce thickness or cheese ratios. Keep foil tightly wrapped - no steam escape, no dry edges. Timed bake plus tactile poke with fork tells all.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#Italian-American
#bake
#beef
#lasagna
#comfort food
#cheese blend
#easy dinner
Balking at complicated lasagna logistics? Same here for years. Saucy beef, uncooked pasta—tried reducing soak times, overbaking, soggy noodles. Learned to nudge water ratio up just a smidge, switch ricotta for cottage cheese when fridge runs dry. Mozzarella alone too mild, provolone adds bite and sharper melt. Greasing pan a must; prevents sticky disaster. Foil wrap traps moister steam. Scent of marinara bubbling through the noodles—tell when the whole pan simmers irresistibly. Resting? Crucial. Cuts hold together instead of oozing away. Midweek dinner saver or batch for weekend crowd. Not fussy, but technique matters. Clues come from fork and eyes, not clock alone. Beef browned just right, sauce heated fully before layering—not cold or whole mess soggy. Worth playing with cheese blends or pasta thickness. Feel free to swap ground turkey in, but watch seasoning tweak.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, browned
- 2 1/4 cups marinara sauce (reduce original by 5%)
- 1 1/4 cups water (increased slightly)
- Uncooked lasagna noodles (use no-boil or regular, 12 pieces)
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (swap for cottage cheese or soft tofu for twist)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (increase total shredded cheese by 10%, add provolone mix)
- 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese (new ingredient twist)
- Nonstick spray or olive oil for greasing baking dish
About the ingredients
Ground beef swap? Ground turkey or plant-based crumbles work but adjust seasoning with more garlic and herbs—turkey tends to be bland. For sauce, store-bought marinara is solid convenience, but adding crushed tomatoes or a splash of wine deepens flavor if you have time. Water addition crucial here; too little, pasta stays tough at center, too much and sauce thins out—aim for saucy but not soupy. Cheese-wise, ricotta’s mild creaminess can be replaced with cottage cheese, but blend beforehand to smooth curds. Mozzarella often overused; mix provolone or fontina for complexity and better melt. Nonstick spray or a quick olive oil rub stops noodles from sticking during soak and baking. Use no-boil noodles to simplify or boil regular ones briefly if you want firmer bite. Don’t skip draining grease thoroughly—too fatty layers make dish greasy. Foil wrap essential to steaming pasta tender without drying top layer.
Method
- Start heating oven to 430°F; grease 11x7 pan thoroughly with spray or oil.
- Brown ground beef over med-high heat till crumbly, drain excess fat well or blot with paper towels; return meat to pan over med-low heat.
- Pour in marinara sauce and water, stirring to loosen cooked bits from pan; simmer just enough to blend flavors, no heavy reduction needed.
- Spread about one-fifth of beef sauce evenly on the pan bottom; then cover with a layer of noodles, overlapping slightly but not crowded.
- Dollop half the ricotta (or chosen substitute), spread gently but thoroughly; sprinkle a mix of about one-third mozzarella and provolone cheese.
- Add roughly one-quarter of the remaining sauce atop cheese; then another noodle sheet layer.
- Use rest of ricotta, spread evenly; top with half remaining mozzarella-provolone combo.
- Layer noodles again; pour one-quarter of sauce over this layer.
- Finish with last noodle layer, then cover with final portion of sauce and sprinkle remaining shredded cheeses evenly on top.
- Seal tightly with foil crimped down edges to trap steam during bake.
- Bake around 65 minutes; check tenderness by piercing pasta edge with fork near end—should glide in with slight resistance but no crunch. If crisp, bake longer uncovered up to 10 minutes.
- Let rest uncovered about 10–15 minutes before slicing—juices settle, easier cutting.
Cooking tips
Start with hot oven—425–430°F is sweet spot; too low and the baking drags, pasta won’t soften properly; too high and cheese browns too fast with uneven cook. Brown meat thoroughly till just cooked through, not charred—draining fat prevents grease puddles in final bake. Stir sauce with water in same pan—scraping browned bits off bottom adds flavor punch, but simmer briefly so sauce loosens but doesn’t evaporate too much. Layer carefully: sauce base seals pan, pasta layers separate cheeses and sauce, stopping clumps or dry patches. Cheese spreads best if softened or mixed before spreading. Using a mix of mozzarella and provolone creates richer melty texture. Don’t pile too thick; even layering helps heat distribution. Wrap tightly with foil; crimp edges well or moisture escapes and edges dry out. Bake for about 65 minutes, poke test pasta near edge—fork should sink easily with gentle resistance. Let rest 10–15 mins so juices stabilize—cutting immediately dumps watery mess. Use foil tent to keep warm if needed. Leftovers bake well; add splash water before reheating to prevent dryness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown beef slow med-high heat till crumbly; drain fat completely or blot. Fat too much? Greasy layers. Return beef low heat before sauce. Flavors build in pan bits—scrape gently when adding sauce.
- 💡 Use no-boil noodles or boil just minutes if wanting texture bite. Over-soak kills chew, undercook is crunch pain. Watch pasta edges during bake with fork poke. Slow steam trapped by foil cooks noodles without drying edges.
- 💡 Ricotta swap? Cottage cheese blended smooth works, adds curd texture. Soft tofu alternative for creaminess but no dairy flavor. Mozzarella often bland solo—mix equal provolone for sharper melt and deeper taste. Cheese mix affects final texture hugely.
- 💡 Water addition tricky—too little pasta hard center, too much watery sauce. Adjust slightly up or down based on saucy feel when stirring pan. Aim for sauce flowing, not pooling at bottom after bake. Watch moisture during simmer.
- 💡 Oven heat 425–430 °F sweet spot. Too low drags baking time, pasta won’t soften well; too high browns cheese fast but can dry top. Foil wrap seals steam inside. Crimp edges tightly or steam escapes, dry layers form.
Common questions
How to check pasta doneness?
Fork poke near edge works best. Should sink with gentle resistance. No crunch. Feel slight softness. If firm, bake uncovered 5–10 mins more. Watch carefully not to dry out.
Can I swap ground beef?
Ground turkey or plant crumbles work. Adjust seasoning with garlic, herbs heavier. Turkey bland alone. Plant for veg twist but texture varies. Brown well or risk soggy layers.
What if sauce too thin?
Simmer a bit longer before layering to thicken. Or reduce water slightly. Too watery messes bake—no thick coat on noodles. Lift edges after baking, if sauce pooling, next time reduce liquids.
How store leftovers?
Cover tightly fridge up to 4 days. Reheat covered with splash water so pasta stays moist. Freeze in portions. Thaw in fridge overnight. Reheat slower oven or microwave with foil tent.
