How to Make Lasagna the Really Easy Way

Many people love lasagna. However, many people perceive lasagna as being a difficult dish to make. It can be difficult to make. But – it can also be very easy to make. The most difficult parts of making lasagna are making the sauce, and cooking the lasagna noodles to exactly the right consistency (not too stiff and not too soft). This lasagna recipe avoids both problems. By using pre-made spaghetti sauce you get very tasty lasagna with a fraction of the effort. Because this lasagna recipe has enough liquid in it, there is no need for cooking the noodles separately. The noodles turn out perfect every time, and it is much easier to assemble the lasagna with uncooked noodles. Besides that, it tastes GREAT! Let’s get started!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 jar (26-32 oz) pre-made spaghetti sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 lb cottage cheese, small curd
• 1 lb oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 box (10 – 12 pieces) lasagna noodles
• Aluminum foil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 large skillet
• 1 9” x 13” baking pan
• 1 large mixing bowl
• Large serving spoon or ladle
• Serving spatula
• Stove
• Oven

1. Brown one pound of ground beef in your skillet. Make sure the skillet is large enough to accommodate the ground beef, a full jar of spaghetti sauce, a jar of water, and a small portion more of water.

2. Drain the grease from the browned ground beef.

3. Pour the entire jar of spaghetti sauce into the frying pan with the browned ground beef. After pouring the spaghetti sauce into the pan, fill the jar with water and pour the water into the pan with the sauce and the ground beef. Fill the jar again about a quarter full, and swish the water around to get the last of the spaghetti sauce and pour the water and any remaining sauce into the skillet with the ground beef and spaghetti sauce.

4. Stir the sauce into the ground beef and let simmer on the stove while proceeding to the next step. To simmer the sauce and beef, leave it on the stove with a low flame (or a low setting on an electric stove) and occasionally stir the mixture.

5. Pour one pound of cottage cheese into a large mixing bowl. Also pour one pound of shredded mozzarella cheese into the same bowl. Add just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Then, crack 2 eggs and add them to the mixture. Discard the shells. Mix this concoction thoroughly. If you like, you can use your hands to mix it up. Be sure to wash your hands well both before, and after doing the mixing.

6. Turn off the stove under the ground beef and spaghetti sauce mixture. Stir the mixture well.

7. Using your large serving spoon or ladle, put enough of the ground beef and spaghetti sauce mixture in the 9” x 13” pan to cover the bottom. (from this point on, this pan is called the “lasagna pan”)

8. Lay 3 lasagna noodles side by side in the lasagna pan. Place them lengthwise in the lasagna pan, and all three noodles closer to one end of the pan.

9. Cover the lasagna noodles with a layer of the ground beef and spaghetti sauce mixture. Then, on top of that, put a generous layer of the cheese and egg mixture. Spread the mixture out, but there is no need to have it perfectly layered. As the lasagna cooks, the cheeses will melt and fill in the gaps.

10. Add another layer of lasagna noodles, and repeat the layers of sauce and cheese mixtures. Continue layering the noodles and the mixtures until all have been used. It is not critical how much you use at any point. With the remaining lasagna noodle or two, place them in the more open end of the pan. (the end that the other noodles are not the closest to)

11. Cover the lasagna pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

12. Remove the aluminum foil from the lasagna pan and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

13. Remove the lasagna pan from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for ten to 15 minutes. This lets the lasagna “set up” and meld together.

14. Cut the lasagna into serving size squares and serve with your serving spatula.

Tips & Warnings

• The assembly of the lasagna is not critical. It will turn out well even if it doesn’t look nice at the point you put it in the oven. It doesn’t even matter what layer comes out on top.
• There is no need to purchase “no cook” lasagna noodles. Just buy regular ones. There is enough fluid in this recipe to cook conventional noodles perfectly. The excess fluids will bake off, and be absorbed in the noodles so that your lasagna turns out perfect every time.
• You can tailor the taste of the lasagna by choosing different types of bottled spaghetti sauce. I prefer the sauce that is “flavored with mushrooms” but choose whatever you think you might like. I haven’t found any that didn’t taste great!
• The lasagna will be HOT and hold its heat after removing it from the oven. That is another reason to let it sit before serving.