Semi-Homemade Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those meals that many dread because they think it takes so long, & is so much work, that they rarely make it from scratch. This version, is semi-homemade; you are using store-bought pasta sauce instead of homemade, & you use cottage cheese to replace any ricotta mixture that other lasagnas have. So mostly you are boiling noodles, cooking ground beef & then using ready-to-use, store-bought ingredients to assemble your lasagna. Easy! Don’t freak out that I have 18 steps to this lasagna. I explain how to layer the lasagna step-by-step so you don’t get lost & confused.

My husband actually said this was the best lasagna he has ever had! I really enjoyed it as well. It was nice & filling with all the thick layers of hearty meat & melty cheese. This lasagna is fast to throw together. The longest part is waiting for it to finish in the oven! Double the recipe to make two lasagnas at a time & freeze the second one for later to give you a mess-free weeknight meal!

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Semi-Homemade Lasagna

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Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles (about 1/2 box)
• 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Homemade Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix (*Recipe to follow)
• 1-2 (1lb 8oz) Jar(s) favorite red pasta sauce (I used 1 1/2 jars)
• 1 (24oz) tub 2% Small Cottage Cheese Curd
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Dried parsley

Instructions

1. Boil lasagna noodles according to directions on the box. Drain & set aside.
2. Brown ground beef with italian seasoning in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon. Once browned, drain fat & set aside.
3. In a greased 13x9" baking dish, spread a small amount of pasta sauce on the bottom.
4. Layer 3 noodles.
5. Evenly spread half the cottage cheese over the noodles.
6. Evenly sprinkle half the meat over the cottage cheese.
7. Evenly spread ⅓ of the pasta sauce over the meat.
8. Evenly sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella cheese.
9. Layer 3 noodles.
10. Evenly spread the second half of the cottage cheese over the noodles.
11. Evenly sprinkle the second half of the meat over the cottage cheese.
12. Evenly spread another ⅓ of the pasta sauce over the meat.
13. Evenly sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella cheese.
14. Top with 3 remaining noodles.
15. Spread last ⅓ of the pasta sauce.
16. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Shake a little dried parsley over the top.
17. Cover with foil & bake at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & cheese is melted, removing foil the last 10 minutes of bake time.
18. Allow lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before cutting & serving, allowing juices to absorb into the pasta. Enjoy!
19. **If cooking a frozen lasagna: Bake at 350*F for 75-90 minutes, removing foil last 10 minutes to melt cheese.

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Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp garlic salt or powder
• 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 4 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 4 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in a cool, dry place.

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Italian Salad Dressing

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dry Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix

Instructions

1. Blend or whisk together until smooth. Serve over your favorite salads.

Recipe from Deals to Meals