Simple Weeknight Lasagna – A Hearty Comfort Meal

There is nothing quite like a warm, bubbling lasagna baking away in the oven. But with SO many recipes out there, why not try a lasagna recipe that requires simple ingredients that can be assembled quickly, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or as a special occasion meal on the weekends.

Lasagna is one of the best comfort meals. There’s nothing quite like a big slice of warm, cheesy, meaty goodness on your plate to make you feel right at home. With its layers of rich, flavorful meat sauce, tender pasta, and loads of cheese, it’s the perfect meal to feed a hungry crowd or your family.

Whether it’s a simple weeknight meal with the family or a gathering to feed a crowd, lasagna is the perfect recipe. And while it might seem like a tedious labor of love, assembling a lasagna doesn’t have to be complicated.

The best part is that you can even assemble all of the ingredients together in a heavy-duty aluminum foil pan and freeze the lasagna for later if you want. Simply thaw it out overnight in the refrigerator, and you have a hearty dinner ready to go!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple, from-scratch ingredients – There are no complicated steps or special ingredients.
• Classic comfort food – Rich, flavorful meat sauce and gooey cheeses for a hearty meal.
• Amazing leftovers – Any leftover lasagna is just as good, if not better, the next day.
• Customizable – Swap the ground sausage for ground beef or try using different types of cheeses.
• Make ahead option – Assemble the ingredients and stick the dish in your refrigerator to bake later in the day.
• Freezer friendly – Freeze now for a simple meal in the future.

Ingredients For Simple Weeknight Lasagna

Don’t let the longer list of ingredients intimidate you. Most of these items you likely already have on hand in your pantry or refrigerator, aside from maybe the cottage cheese and ricotta. I’ve broken down the recipe into three main parts: the meat sauce, the cheese sauce, and the additional ingredients.

Meat Sauce

You will make the meat sauce in a large, 12-inch skillet. I like to use either my late grandma’s cast iron skillet or my 12″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet (Product Link), but any large one you have on hand will work. You can also use a small Dutch oven if you don’t have a skillet large enough.

• Ground Sausage – We like to use ground sausage in this recipe. If using Italian sausage, reduce the amount of Italian seasoning you add, or omit it altogether. You can also swap the sausage out for lean ground beef if that is what you have on hand. (I also like to use ground sausage in my Dutch Oven Lasagna Soup recipe.)
• Minced Onion – You can use either dried minced onion or freshly chopped onion. Just use what you have on hand or what is easiest for you.
• Pasta Sauce – Choose your favorite store-bought sauce or use canned pasta sauce that you processed during the summer months.
• Spices: Salt, Pepper, Basil, and Italian Seasoning – These spices help to flavor the meat sauce.

Cheese Sauce

You will combine the cheese sauce in a separate medium-sized bowl.

• Cottage & Ricotta Cheeses – We like to use a combination of cottage cheese and ricotta cheese. The cottage cheese is chunkier and helps to add a tangy, salty flavor to the cheese sauce, while the ricotta is smoother and tends to be slightly sweeter and creamier than cottage cheese. You can also swap one for the other if you so choose.
• Egg – The egg acts as the binding ingredient in the cheese sauce and helps to meld everything together. It also adds a bit of richness to the sauce.
• Parsley – The dried parsley is added for coloring as well as a light flavoring.

Other Ingredients

• Lasagna Noodles – This recipe is intended to be made with regular lasagna noodles that are cooked ahead of time. I know it’s an additional step, but it is easy to do and the result is much better. There is always a big debate over whether you can use oven-ready lasagna noodles or not. I have never really had great success using oven-ready noodles, but feel free to experiment if you’d like. I would suggest increasing the amount of pasta sauce you use if you are using oven-ready noodles, though.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – The shredded mozzarella cheese on its own is one of the layers in the lasagna. You will divide it into four equal amounts for the recipe.

Instructions For Simple Weeknight Lasagna

Preheat your oven to 375º Fahrenheit. While that is heating up, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a bit of salt and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente. Do not overcook the noodles. Drain and separate out noodles. Add a bit of oil so they don’t stick together while you prepare the other ingredients. Set them aside for now.

Meanwhile, cook the ground sausage and minced onion in a large 12″ skillet until browned. Break apart and drain off any excess fat.

In the same skillet, stir in the pasta sauce, salt, pepper, basil, and Italian seasoning. Cook over low heat until the meat sauce is heated through. Set it aside for now.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, and parsley. Mix well until the cheese sauce comes together.

Assemble & Bake The Lasagna

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish. Add a quarter of the meat mixture and spread it out evenly over the bottom of the dish. Next, add a single layer of the cooked lasagna noodles. The amount you use will vary depending on the shape and size of your dish.

Evenly top the noodles with about a third of the cheese sauce. Lastly, sprinkle about half a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Repeat the layering twice more. End with the last quarter of meat sauce, then sprinkle the last ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. So your layers are as follows:

• Meat > Noodles > Cheese Sauce > Shredded Cheese
• Meat > Noodles > Cheese Sauce > Shredded Cheese
• Meat > Noodles > Cheese Sauce > Shredded Cheese
• Meat > Shredded Cheese

Cover the dish with aluminum foil. You can either bake the lasagna right away, store it in your refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before baking, or freeze it for a future meal. (More info on freezing below.)

When it’s time for baking, place the lasagna in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly. If you want crispier edges, uncover for the last 15 minutes. Let the dish stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Freezing & Reheating – Simple Weeknight Lasagna

To Freeze and Thaw an Unbaked Lasagna (Preferred Method for Freezing): Use a heavy-duty aluminum pan and prepare the ingredients as instructed. Allow the assembled lasagna to cool to room temperature. Instead of baking, wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil or a Food-Safe 2.5 Gallon Storage Bag (Product Link). Label and store in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.

To bake: Allow the lasagna to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking and serving. Once it is thawed, you can bake it according to the instructions. You may need to add about 5 minutes to the baking time since the lasagna is still cold.  

To Freeze and Thaw a Baked Lasagna: Use a heavy-duty aluminum pan to assemble the ingredients in. Bake as instructed. Allow the lasagna to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Add a layer of foil or place the dish in a food-safe storage bag. Label and store in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.

To bake: Allow the lasagna to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking and serving. Once it is thawed, bake it as instructed until the cheese is nice and bubbly again, and the ingredients are heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reheat leftover Simple Weeknight lasagna? This is one of those meals that only gets better the longer it sits. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in your microwave. Alternatively, cover the casserole dish with foil and reheat in a 350º F oven until heated through.

Can I prepare the lasagna ahead of time? Yes, you can make and assemble the ingredients ahead of time, then place the lasagna covered in your refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Remove from your fridge and bake as instructed. You may need to add about 5 minutes to the baking time since the lasagna is still cold.  

I don’t like ricotta/cottage cheese. Can I use something else instead? If you don’t like ricotta or cottage cheese, you can make an even swap for one or the other. They are interchangeable for the most part.

Can I use oven-ready noodles? I haven’t had the best success using these noodles. If you want to try, I would suggest upping the amount of pasta sauce you use. I have read that oven-ready noodles work better when you plan on freezing the lasagna before baking and serving. The extra time allows the noodles to fully soften.

For Other Recipes

Try some of my other lasagna-inspired recipes:

• Personal Sized Freezer Lasagnas
• Dutch Oven Lasagna Soup
• Pepperoni Pizza Casserole (Not really lasagna, but it eats like a lasagna!)

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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