Lasagna is delicious, but who has time to stack all those layers on a busy weeknight? This lazy lasagna recipe captures all the cheesy, saucy, noodle-y goodness of a classic lasagna recipe—without the time-consuming layering. A store-bought meat pasta sauce comes together with broken lasagna noodles and three cheeses to create a crowd-pleasing casserole. And since everything you mix is already cooked, the dish only takes about 15 minutes to warm through in the oven.
The recipe makes six servings, which is perfect for family dinners or for making leftovers. If you don’t want to make quite so much, we’ll also walk you through how to turn it into lazy lasagna for two.
Ingredients for Lazy Lasagna
- Lasagna noodles: This is the perfect recipe for using up the broken lasagna noodles at the bottom of the box! If you don’t have lasagna noodles on hand, swap in another pasta shape. You can break ribbon-shaped mafalde into 2-inch pieces, or use shapes like egg noodles or bowtie pasta.
- Cheese mixture: The combination of mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheeses creates the creamy layer in this lazy lasagna recipe. Most lasagna recipes add an egg to ricotta cheese (it’s used as a binder to keep the dish from getting watery). However, it’s not necessary here since we’re not layering in the same way we do for traditional lasagna.
- Pasta sauce with meat: A 24-ounce jar of store-bought sauce is a real time saver. Of course, you could absolutely substitute 2-1/2 cups of your favorite homemade pasta sauce recipe.
Directions
Step 1: Make the pasta and the cheese mixture
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the Parmesan cheese. Drain the cooked noodles, and shake off any excess water. Stir the cooked noodles into the cheese mixture.
Test Kitchen Tip: Stir the cooked lasagna noodles into the cheese mixture right after draining. Otherwise, they may stick together. If you cook them ahead of time, follow one of our tips for cooking pasta, and toss the noodles in a small amount of olive oil after draining.
Step 2: Layer the lasagna
Spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce into a greased 11×7-inch baking dish. Layer half of the cheese mixture into the baking dish, followed by 1 cup of pasta sauce. Repeat the layers with the remaining cheese mixture and pasta sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Step 3: Bake the lasagna
Cover the baking dish with greased aluminum foil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through.
Editor’s Tip: This dish doesn’t take long since all the components are already cooked. However, it’s important to bring the lazy lasagna to food-safe cooking temperatures. For casseroles, that’s 165°.
Recipe Variations
- Turn it into lazy lasagna for two: To make dinner for two, stir together 1 cup pasta sauce with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup ricotta cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Fold in 1-1/2 cups of cooked broken lasagna noodles. Pour the contents into two greased 2-cup baking dishes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° until bubbly and warmed through, about 20 minutes.
- Add meat or vegetables: This is a versatile recipe, so feel free to make additions. Add cooked ground beef, sausage or turkey to make it meatier, or use a meatless pasta sauce for a vegetarian version. You can also add veggies to the layers. Since most vegetables have a high water content, we recommend cooking them first. There is one notable exception: Baby spinach doesn’t require chopping or pre-cooking. Simply add a couple of layers to the mix to turn this lazy lasagna recipe into an easy spinach lasagna.
- Change up the cheese: Use an Italian cheese blend instead of mozzarella and Parmesan for a sharper flavor and (bonus!) fewer ingredients. You can also swap in cottage cheese for the ricotta.
How to Store Lazy Lasagna
Store leftover lazy lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave. Or reheat the whole lasagna in a 400° oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until it’s warmed through.
How to Freeze Lazy Lasagna
Lazy lasagna stores exceptionally well in the freezer. It will keep up to three months in the freezer. Freeze it before or after you bake it, and you can freeze it whole in the pan or as individual slices. Check out our complete guide on how to freeze lasagna for more details.
Lazy Lasagna Tips
Can you make lazy lasagna with ravioli?
Yes, substitute frozen ravioli for lasagna noodles, and this lazy lasagna instantly turns into ravioli lasagna! For a cheesy spin, use a four-cheese ravioli. Or add variation by using ravioli filled with mushrooms, spinach, sausage or lobster.
What kind of pasta is best for lazy lasagna?
We use broken lasagna noodles for our lazy lasagna, but most pasta shapes will work; just avoid small shapes (like macaroni or orzo) and long noodles (like spaghetti or fettuccine). Check out our ultimate guide to pasta shapes to be inspired by all the choices.
How long do you let lazy lasagna rest before serving?
You don’t technically need to let this lazy lasagna rest before serving. However, if you have the time, it’s a good idea to let all pasta casseroles rest, uncovered, for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps prevents a watery lasagna by allowing the pasta to reabsorb moisture inside the baking dish.
