Lazy Lasagna

This lazy lasagna is ready in under one hour. It’s quicker to make than a traditional lasagna, and has simple ingredients that the whole family will enjoy.

Why you’ll love this easy lazy lasagna casserole recipe with beef

I love lasagna! One day, I had planned to make it but discovered I didn’t have lasagna noodles. I could not face a run to the various grocery stores as we had a busy night ahead. I was determined to satisfy my craving. I decided to try making it with the noodles I had on hand instead. And the best part is, we now have this easy recipe for a lazy lasagna, which I might add has become a family favorite.

Don’t get me wrong, nothing beats a regular lasagna, but sometimes you need a deconstructed version as part of your easy dinner recipes. You get all the flavors of classic lasagna, and it’s great for a weeknight or works perfectly for a family gathering.

• Versatile pasta dish – You can choose your favorite protein, use different pasta, and you can also sneak in some extra veggies, all while maintaining great flavors.
• Great for meal prep – This lazy version is great for the next day, or you can freeze it in an airtight container, and you’ll have lazy lasagna casserole on hand for whenever you may need it.
• Shareable dish – This cheesy recipe is perfect for a potluck or a friend in need. It transports easily in the casserole dish.

Serve it with some garlic bread or these breadsticks, or this no-knead artisan bread. Or if you prefer something a little lighter, make a salad, and you have to try this easy Caesar salad dressing with it.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this high protein lazy lasagna. The complete ingredient list is in the recipe card below.

• Ground beef – I’ve used ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, Italian sausage, or ground turkey. If you use lean ground beef, the sauce will be a little drier.
• Tomatoes – Use a can of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. You can use a delicious store-bought sauce like marinara sauce or pasta sauce in place of all 3 if you like. You will need about 36 oz of sauce.
• Pasta – You can use ziti or penne that’s cooked just before al dente. Check the package directions.
• Cheese – I like to use ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, and shredded parmesan. I would not recommend cottage cheese as the layer is less dense.

How to make the deconstructed lasagna. STEP BY STEP

Here are the steps to make this pasta recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large saucepan, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic until the meat is cooked. Drain excess fat and return to the pan. 
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and simmer over medium-low heat for at least 10-15 minutes while you prep the rest of the dish.

1. Boil the noodles until about 2 minutes shy of al dente in a large pot of salted water. They will soften more in the oven. Drain well when finished cooking. In another bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper while the pasta cooks.
2. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and toss to coat evenly. Now it’s time to assemble your dish.

How to assemble

Here’s a step-by-step on how to assemble this versatile recipe.

1. Pour about ½ cup of tomato sauce into the bottom of your baking dish to coat the pan. 
2. Add ½ of the noodle mixture and spread evenly. 

1. Pour half the remaining sauce over the noodles evenly, and then sprinkle half of the remaining shredded cheese over the sauce. Repeat this process for the second half of the noodles, sauce, and cheese.
2. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Make ahead instructions

You can prep the meat sauce, pasta, and cheese mix in advance. If you’re short on time, you can assemble it and bake it when you want to.

Storage & Reheating

• Store – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Freeze – Let it cool completely, and then cover the casserole dish in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
• Reheat – You can reheat it in the microwave by placing a serving on a microwave-safe plate and heating on high in 30-second intervals until hot. Or warm it in a 350°F oven covered with foil for 15–20 minutes (removing the foil during the last 3–5 minutes for a crisp top).

Additions & Substitutions

You can swap out the suggested pasta for any pasta that is tubular and sturdy. Avoid thin or flat noodles as they will turn to mush. Feel free to use gluten-free pasta.

Add hidden veggies in the pasta sauce by grating or pureeing carrots, zucchini, and spinach into the tomato mixture before simmering.

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Recipe originally posted 1/14/20 and updated with improvements on 6/5/25.

Lazy Lasagna

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This lazy lasagna is an easy dinner all done in under 1 hour.

• Author: Brianna
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: Feeds about 6

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 pound of ziti or penne (about 2 ¾ of a cup) cooked to just before al dente *see note
• 8 oz ricotta cheese (half of a 15 oz container)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup shredded parmesan, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse-ground pepper
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic until the meat is cooked through. Drain excess fat and return to the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and simmer on low heat for at least 10-15 minutes while you prep the rest of the dish.
3. Boil the noodles to soften them to about 2 minutes shy of al dente in a salted pot of water. They will soften more in the oven. Drain well when finished cooking.
4. In another bowl, while pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, egg, ½ cup mozzarella and ¼ parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta into the cheese mixture and toss to coat evenly.
5. Pour about ½ cup of tomato sauce into the bottom of your baking dish to coat the bottom of the pan. Add ½ of the noodle mixture and spread evenly. Pour half the remaining sauce over the noodles evenly and then sprinkle half of the remaining shredded cheese over the sauce. Repeat this process for the second half of the noodles, sauce, and cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
7. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Enjoy with garlic bread, breadsticks, and a nice Caesar salad.

Notes

• Don’t cook the pasta too soft or even to al dente or you’ll have very, very soft noodles after baking.
• Cook your pasta in salted water. I usually add about 1 tablespoon to a large pot.
• You can use a jarred pasta sauce instead. You will need about 36 oz of sauce. If you use jarred sauce, you can skip the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Pour the jarred sauce over the meat and onion mixture and prepare as directed after that.