Easy Lasagna
This easy lasagna skips the two slowest jobs: there is no sauce to simmer and no noodles to boil. Jarred marinara thinned with a little water gives the oven-ready noodles the liquid they need to soften as they bake, and a no-egg ricotta and parmesan layer comes together in one bowl while the beef browns.
By Luca Ferraro
Published
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cook Time
- 50 mins
- Rest
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Servings
- 10 servings
How do you make Easy Lasagna?
Brown 500 g ground beef, then stir in two jars (about 1.4 litres) of marinara and 250 ml water. Mix 475 g ricotta with parmesan and Italian seasoning. Layer sauce, 12 no-boil noodles, ricotta and 340 g mozzarella in a 23 x 33 cm dish. Bake at 190°C (375°F) covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until bubbling and the noodles are tender. Rest 10 minutes.
- Total time
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Calories
- 450 per serving
- Protein
- 30 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Meat sauce
Cheese layer
Layers
Equipment
23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish · Large skillet · Mixing bowl · Aluminum foil
Quick Directions
Brown the beef
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Loosen the sauce
Pour the marinara and water into the skillet with the beef, stir and bring to a simmer.
Mix the cheese layer
In a mixing bowl, stir the ricotta with half the parmesan, the Italian seasoning and the pepper.
Layer
Spread about 250 ml (1 cup) of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
Bake
Cover tightly with foil, tenting it so it doesn't touch the cheese, and bake for 30 minutes.
Rest and serve
Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 10 pieces, so the layers hold together.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect easy lasagna.
Brown the beef
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cook the beef and salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink remaining; ground beef is safe at 71°C (160°F). Spoon off any excess fat.
Loosen the sauce
Pour the marinara and water into the skillet with the beef, stir and bring to a simmer. The sauce should look thinner than you would serve on pasta; no-boil noodles absorb that extra liquid as they bake.
Mix the cheese layer
In a mixing bowl, stir the ricotta with half the parmesan, the Italian seasoning and the pepper.
Layer
Spread about 250 ml (1 cup) of sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Add a single layer of noodles, leaving small gaps between them because they expand. Dollop over half the ricotta and spread it gently, then add a third of the mozzarella and a third of the remaining sauce. Repeat once. Top with the last noodles, the rest of the sauce, making sure every noodle is covered, then the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake
Cover tightly with foil, tenting it so it doesn't touch the cheese, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and spotted with gold, the sauce bubbles at the edges and a knife slides easily through the noodles. The centre should reach 74°C (165°F).
Rest and serve
Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 10 pieces, so the layers hold together.
Recipe Tips
- Cover every edge of the top noodles with sauce. Any corner left dry turns hard and leathery in the oven.
- A tight foil cover traps the steam that softens no-boil noodles, so don't skip it or uncover early.
- Pick a plain marinara or tomato and basil sauce. Very sweet or heavily seasoned jarred sauces become more intense as they bake down.
Variations
- Swap the beef for Italian sausage with the casings removed, cooked until it reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Use regular lasagna noodles boiled for 2 minutes less than the package says, and leave out the 250 ml of water.
- Stir 150 g thawed and squeezed-dry frozen spinach into the ricotta for an extra vegetable layer.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 450 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Saturated fat | 11.5 g |
| Fibre | 3.3 g |
| Sugar | 8.5 g |
| Sodium | 1020 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze baked or unbaked, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, or in single slices, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat covered at 180°C (350°F) for 20-30 minutes for slices, or 45-60 minutes for the whole dish, until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre. Microwave single slices covered for 2-3 minutes.
Easy Lasagna FAQs
Do you have to boil no-boil lasagna noodles?
No. Oven-ready noodles are pre-cooked and dried, so they soften in the oven by absorbing liquid from the sauce. Use a slightly loose sauce, cover every noodle and bake under a tight foil cover.
Why are no-boil lasagna noodles still hard after baking?
Hard noodles mean they did not get enough liquid or steam. Usually the sauce was too thick, some noodles were not covered with sauce, or the dish was baked uncovered too soon. Add a splash of water around the edges, cover and bake for 10 more minutes.
Can you use jarred sauce for lasagna?
Yes. A good jarred marinara saves the time it takes to simmer a sauce from scratch. Browning ground beef into it adds body, and thinning it with a little water helps no-boil noodles cook through.
Can I make easy lasagna ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The noodles start softening in the fridge. Bake straight from the fridge, adding about 15 minutes to the covered time, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).
Do you need egg in the ricotta for lasagna?
No. Egg makes the ricotta layer firmer and more sliceable, but plain ricotta mixed with parmesan and herbs stays creamy and works well, especially when the lasagna rests for 10 minutes before cutting.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
