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!

Semi-Homemade Lasagna

Yield: 12 Servings
5 from 1 rating
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Ingredients

  • 9 lasagna noodles, (about ½ box)
  • 1 lb ground beef, (85/15)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Homemade Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix, (*Recipe in Notes)
  • 1-2 (24oz) jar(s) favorite red pasta sauce, (I used 1 ½ jars)
  • 1 (24oz) tub 2% Small Cottage Cheese Curd
  • 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Dried parsley

Instructions
 

  • Boil lasagna noodles according to directions on the box. Drain & set aside.
  • Brown ground beef with italian seasoning in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon. Once browned, drain fat & set aside.
  • In a greased 13×9″ baking dish, spread a small amount of pasta sauce on the bottom.
  • Layer 3 noodles.
  • Evenly spread half the cottage cheese over the noodles.
  • Evenly sprinkle half the meat over the cottage cheese.
  • Evenly spread ⅓ of the pasta sauce over the meat.
  • Evenly sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella cheese.
  • Layer 3 noodles.
  • Evenly spread the second half of the cottage cheese over the noodles.
  • Evenly sprinkle the second half of the meat over the cottage cheese.
  • Evenly spread another ⅓ of the pasta sauce over the meat.
  • Evenly sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella cheese.
  • Top with 3 remaining noodles.
  • Spread last ⅓ of the pasta sauce.
  • Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Shake a little dried parsley over the top.
  • 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.
  • Allow lasagna to rest for 10 minutes before cutting & serving, allowing juices to absorb into the pasta. Enjoy!

Notes

**If cooking a frozen lasagna: Bake at 350˚F for 75-90 minutes, removing foil last 10 minutes to melt cheese.
Homemade Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix
  • 2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • ½ tsp celery salt
  • 4 Tbsp salt 
  • ½ tsp paprika
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in a cool, dry place.
Italian Salad Dressing made with Homemade Mix (above)
  • ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp white vinegar
  • ⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 ½ Tbsp dry Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix
Blend or whisk together until smooth. Serve over your favorite salads.
Author: Amber Brady
Beef Pasta

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