30 Minute Easy Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage)
• 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (freshly shredded)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 9-12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, whisk together the ricotta, cottage cheese, egg, half of the Parmesan, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. 3

   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until deeply browned, breaking it into crumbles. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. 5

   Pour the entire jar of marinara sauce into the skillet with the meat. Stir in 1/4 cup of water. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

6. 6

   Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce (about 1/2 cup) on the bottom of the prepared dish.

7. 7

   Place 3-4 no-boil noodles on top of the sauce, breaking them to fit if needed.

8. 8

   Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce and 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella.

9. 9

   Repeat the layers: noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, more sauce, and more mozzarella.

10. 10

    Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

11. 11

    Cover the dish tightly with foil (spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking). Bake for 25 minutes.

12. 12

    Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

13. 13

    Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the layers to set for clean squares.