Lasagna Casserole

Lasagna Casserole is an easy recipe for those busy weeknights when you want to make something that the whole family will love, without having to take a ton of time to make it.

Lasagna Casserole Recipe 

When it comes to making dinner during those busy nights, I’m always looking for an easy lasagna casserole recipe that my family will enjoy and that won’t take a lot of time to make.

This casserole has all the flavors of traditional lasagna, and is a great way to make comfort food quickly.

I highly recommend trying out this recipe! Even if you make it to store in the freezer for a later date.

This take on a traditional lasagna recipe is a delicious, comforting meal that’s bound to become a family favorite.

And an easy alternative when you want a fast meal without spending too much time during the week.

More hearty, budget friendly dinners? Check out my dump and bake meatball casserole, lasagna casserole, extra cheesy baked spaghetti casserole, and my kid approved Crock Pot Pizza Casserole. Great for a busy weeknight!

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Ingredients Needed

• Lean ground beef – Substitute with ground pork or ground turkey in lasagna casserole with no taste differences.
• Sweet onion – Swap for a yellow onion if you don’t have a sweet one.
• Garlic – I recommend mincing your garlic cloves, but you can also buy pre-minced garlic or opt for garlic powder. 
• Italian seasoning – If all the grocery stores are out of this seasoning, make a homemade Italian seasoning.
• Red pepper flakes – No red pepper flakes? Try using a tiny bit of cayenne pepper or paprika instead.
• Pasta – I recommend Campanelle, Rotini, or Fusilli, but penne pasta and Mafalda pasta are also commonly used. Use your favorite kind of pasta!
• Crushed tomatoes – You can switch this out for a jar of pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce of your choice if you prefer.
• Ricotta cheese – Ricotta can be replaced with cottage cheese or sour cream.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese – If you don’t like mozzarella, swap the cup mozzarella cheese for different kinds of cheese like cheddar or Swiss.
• Pantry staples – Large egg, salt, black pepper.

How To Make Lasagna Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, boil water and cook pasta noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.

4. Add onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until onion is soft and garlic is fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and stir with wooden spoon.
5. Combine pasta layer with cheese mixture and stir. Spread pasta mixture and cheese mixture into baking dish.

6. Top the pasta and cheese mixture with the meat sauce/tomato sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 350, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley or fresh basil and serve warm.

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

What Should I Serve This With? 

I personally love to serve this lasagna casserole with a large bowl of green salad like this Italian Chopped Salad and some hearty garlic knots.

They both fit with the classic Italian flavors of this meal.

You can also serve it with a side of Italian sausage or a small bowl of Caprese salad. Made of tomatoes with mozzarella balls, and drizzled with olive oil, it’s the perfect pairing.

How Can I Store Leftover Lasagna Casserole?

If your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you have leftovers, cover your baking dish with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or transferred to an airtight container.

Once it’s sealed, store it in the fridge where your casserole will stay good for up to 3 days. You can eat it the next day or wait a few before heating it up again. 

To reheat, simply remove it from the fridge and place casserole dish back in the oven at the temperature mentioned in the recipe.

Make sure to heat thoroughly (165F internal temperature) before serving.

Reheat your casserole in the instant pot or slow cooker, turning it on medium heat for a little longer than the recipe suggests. 

Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

You can definitely make this casserole ahead of time and store it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake it. All that you need to do is complete the steps prior to topping it with cheese.

Once you’ve done these, you can cover it tightly and place it in the freezer, where it will be good for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to heat it up, place it in the fridge to defrost and come closer to room temperature before baking according to the instructions.

If you prefer to go straight from the freezer to the oven, you can place your unbaked casserole in for the allotted time listed in the recipe.

Keep in mind that it may take a little longer to heat all the way through because it was frozen.

Best Casserole Tips

• Pro tip – for the perfect al dente lasagna noodles, make sure to cook your pasta for a little bit less than the package directions recommend, usually around 1 – 2 minutes.
• Add a little bit of your pasta water to your meat mixture to help add a little more flavor to your casserole.  
• For this recipe, I recommend using a deep skillet because there are so many ingredients to combine in one place. 
• Save easy portions of lasagne casserole in the freezer by placing each serving into a freezer bag, before sealing and storing. 
• To make sure you get plenty of cheese on top, try adding parmesan cheese on top of your casserole after you’ve completed your ricotta mixture and meat layers.

My first thought when I tried this delicious lazy lasagna casserole recipe for the first time was that I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you.

Not only does it have all the flavors of lasagne that I love, but it’s a great easy dinner idea for a busy day when you want something homemade but don’t have a ton of free time.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

Packed with tons of flavor thanks to ingredients like ground beef, Italian seasoning, and tender pasta, try this Lasagna Casserole the next time you’re looking for great ideas for quick and easy meals.

Craving More Casseroles?

• Is Lasagna a Casserole?
• 4 Ingredient Hamburger Casserole
• Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

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