Easy Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (Use beef with 15–20% fat content.)
• 1 onion (Medium, finely diced.)
• 2 garlic cloves (Large, minced or pressed.)
• 0.25 cup dry red wine (Beef broth may be substituted.)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (For sautéing.)
• 28 oz marinara sauce
• 0.5 tsp sea salt (For the meat sauce.)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (Ground.)
• 0.25 tsp dried thyme (Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano may be substituted.)
• 0.5 tsp granulated sugar (Balances the acidity of the marinara sauce.)
• 2 tbsp parsley (Finely chopped; for the meat sauce.)
• 9 lasagna noodles (Cooked al dente; no-boil noodles may also be used.)
• 16 oz low-fat cottage cheese
• 15 oz reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 egg (Large.)
• 2 tbsp parsley (Finely chopped, plus more for garnish; for the cheese sauce.)
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese (Shredded and divided; 1 cup goes into the cheese sauce and the remainder is used for layering and topping.)
• salt (For the pasta cooking water.)

Steps

1. 1

   Make the meat sauce: Place a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, ground beef, and diced onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion has softened.

2. 2

   Add the minced or pressed garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Pour in the red wine and stir for about 2 minutes, scraping the pan as needed, until the wine is nearly evaporated.

4. 4

   Add the marinara sauce, sea salt, black pepper, dried thyme, sugar, and chopped parsley. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Make the cheese sauce: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, egg, and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.

6. 6

   Make the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a very large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

7. 7

   Add the lasagna noodles to the boiling water. Cook according to the package directions until al dente—firm to the bite, since the noodles will continue cooking in the oven. Stir several times, especially immediately after adding them, to prevent sticking.

8. 8

   Drain the noodles and cover them with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent them from sticking together.

9. 9

   Spread 1/2 cup of meat sauce over the bottom of a deep 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.

10. 10

    Place 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the remaining meat sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella.

11. 11

    Spoon half of the cheese sauce over the mozzarella layer and spread it evenly.

12. 12

    Repeat the layering until there are 3 layers of noodles, finishing with the remaining meat sauce and mozzarella as directed by the assembly sequence.

13. 13

    Insert 9–12 toothpicks across the surface of the lasagna so the foil will not touch and stick to the cheese. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

14. 14

    Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges.

15. 15

    Remove the foil and broil for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is golden brown.

16. 16

    Let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes before removing the toothpicks and slicing. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.

Notes

The meat sauce can be made 1–2 days ahead. Lasagna can be frozen before or after baking for up to 3 months when well wrapped or stored airtight. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake according to the recipe; reheating directly from frozen may take 60–90 minutes. Leftovers can be reheated covered with foil at 350°F until warmed through. Cottage cheese provides a lighter filling while ricotta adds creaminess. Half of the beef may be replaced with Italian sausage.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian
• baked
• casserole
• comfort food
• family dinner
• meal prep
• make-ahead