I grew up with this lasagna and I’ll never make any other kind. I enjoy others’ lasagna, but I never even order lasagna at a restaurant because I love my mom’s classic lasagna so much. It’s easy, simple and the only prep-work you need to do is brown the ground beef. No cooking noodles, you don’t need to buy special noodles, it has very common ingredients and the kids will love it.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar pasta sauce
- 1½ cups water
- 1 box lasagna noodles (do not have to be quick cook or oven-ready)
- 1 container (15 oz) of ricotta or cottage cheese
- Grated mozzarella cheese (~4 cups)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
First you brown the ground beef and drain off the fat. Add the water and jar of pasta sauce to the beef and you’re ready to assemble the lasagna! Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Cover the bottom of your 9×13″ casserole dish (no need to spray) with ~1/3 of the meat sauce.
- Next cover with a layer of uncooked noodles.
- Spread ½ the cottage or ricotta cheese on top of the noodles and a good layer of mozza and parmesan (I always eyeball to taste, not an exact measurement).
- Add another layer of meat sauce.
- More noodles on top of the meat sauce.
- Spread the remaining cottage/ricotta cheese on top of the noodles and add another layer of mozza and parmesan.
- Top with another layer of noodles.
- Pour remaining meat sauce over the noodles.
- Top with remaining mozza and parmesan cheese.
- Cover tightly with tin foil and set on a cookie sheet as it might boil over.
- Bake 1½ hours at 350ºF and cool on counter for 10 minutes before serving.

- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar pasta sauce
- 1½ cups water
- 1 box lasagna noodles (do not have to be quick cook or oven-ready)
- 1 container (15 oz) of ricotta or cottage cheese
- Grated mozzarella cheese (~4 cups)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add water and pasta sauce to meat mixture.
- Cover the bottom of your 9x13" casserole dish (no need to spray) with ~1/3 of the meat sauce.
- Next cover with a layer of uncooked noodles.
- Spread ½ the cottage or ricotta cheese on top of the noodles and a good layer of mozza and parmesan (I always eyeball to taste, not an exact measurement).
- Add another layer of meat sauce.
- More noodles on top of the meat sauce.
- Spread the remaining cottage/ricotta cheese on top of the noodles and add another layer of mozza and parmesan.
- Top with another layer of noodles.
- Pour remaining meat sauce over the noodles.
- Top with remaining mozza and parmesan cheese.
- Cover tightly with tin foil and set on a cookie sheet as it might boil over.
- Bake 1½ hours at 350ºF and cool on counter for 10 minutes before serving.
You could probably add some veggies in there, but I just keep it simple and enjoy this pasta dish as is!

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looks so good. Which pasta sauce do you use—there are so many out there but yours looks thick and yummo
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Yum! I LOVE lasagna! I usually make the Pioneer Woman's lasagna.. It's wonderful but it's also more involved! This looks like a quick and easy recipe to put in the arsenal! 🙂
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