This is a really simple lasagna recipe to make. I always use the no bake noodles. I know that there are several different schools of thought on this. Yes, I do like the texture of the boiled noodles better but really the noodle is just a vehicle for the sauce and that all gets soaked up into both of them! This recipe will make enough for about 6 people. We increased our from Friday night for enough to fill a 20 X 13 aluminum pan. My sauce is incredible and so easy to make. Do yourself a favor and start making your own sauces. I make one almost the same as this one for our pizza's. I just use chunked tomatoes instead of pureed ones. (What is with my font here???!!! LOL) Homemade Lasagna Ingredients: 1 box no bake Lasagna 1 (15 ounce) container Ricotta cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper pinch of nutmeg 2 eggs 4 cups (1 pound) shredded Mozzarella cheese 5 cups homemade pasta sauce,(see below), or 2 jars Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce, sausage flavor 1 pound bulk Italian sausage, cooked, drained, crumbled | | |||||
| Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg & 1 cup Mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl; mix well. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer with half each of the lasagna, Ricotta cheese mixture, sausage, remaining pasta sauce & Mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering. Bake uncovered 40 minutes or until hot & bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  Pasta Sauce Ingredients: 1 onion, diced 5 cloves of garlic, minced About 5 cups pureed tomatoes (I use ones that I froze last winter) oregano garlic powder salt and pepper to taste Direction: In a small amount of oil cook onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to simmer and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the sauce has reached the consistency of a jarred sauce. The freshness of the sauce still comes through and everyone will wonder what your secret is. They did mine and that is one of the reasons I am posting this now! As Always... Happy Entertaining!!! Judy www.nofearentertaining.com | ||||||
I make this frequently and call it "Lazy Day Lasagna" - it's a fave around my house!
ReplyDeleteI love lasagna..and using the precooked noodles does speed up the process. I use noodles that I get at the Italian market that are in flat or corrugated sheets. I don't cook these either. I add some sauce and then a very little water to cover the bottom of my casserole dish then start layering. The noodles are perfectly cooked in the sauce with out cooking. Way to go Judy!!!
ReplyDeleteReally - don't you just love those no bake noodles? I absolutely love those.
ReplyDelete-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Hi Jen-It is a lazy day meal. I love it made ahead of time and then reheated though!
ReplyDeleteHey Val-Great hint on the noodles. I will have to try that. I always thought that might work but now I have proof!
Hi DTW- The easiest!
The Italian sausage in here is "le difference"...I would have no probs with these leftovers.
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful - I am with you I prefer to cook my noodles first and not a fan of the no bake ones. Love your homemade sauce and making sauce yourself really adds to the dish. Paula Dean has a great sauce as well that I have made a couple times - excellent and easy!!
ReplyDeleteThe sauce you made is a Spanish Sofrito Judy!!!! I make it without the herbs but is mainly the same :D I know what you talk about... it must have been wonderful ;D
ReplyDeleteI have to get out of my old school thinking and give these noodles another try! More sauce I think I need. I saw someone soak them for a couple of minutes on tv once. Did you ever do that? Anyway your lasagna looks moist and delicious!
ReplyDeleteI always use no cook noodles. Apparently you can use regular noodles as well and just not cook them - someone told me about that the other day! :)
ReplyDeleteYour sauce sounds so good! I need to add sausage to mine the next time I make it - sounds yummy! I make a similar sauce, but I always add a tsp of sugar when I make baked pasta dishes with ricotta (like lasagna, stuffed shells, etc.)! My grandmother and mom always did this and now, so do I. LOL!
Hey Peter-The sausage is what makes it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy!
Hey Nuria-Wow-I made Sofrito!!! It really was wonderful!
Hi Maria-Try them. They really are just a vehicle for a ton of cheese and sauce!!!
Hey Jenn-When you use sausage in your sauce be sure to taste it before you add the sugar. The sausage gives a sweet taste to the sauce and you don't want it too sweet!
I love lasagna and this looks great! Also good call on keeping the sauce simple. I know I can get away without cooking the noodles, but my OCD side takes over every time and I just have to cook them, even if just a little. lol, I really need to try not doing that some time. Eliminating work when making lasagna is always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThose no bake noodles make it so much easier don't they! Your lasagna looks delicious...total comfort food for me! I'm going to put sausage in my next lasagna!
ReplyDeleteI love the no bake noodles...but when I make lasagna, I just use the regular noodles like they are no bake-I assemble the whole lasagna leave it in the fridge until ready to bake and they come out just as if I boiled them!
ReplyDeleteThat looks too delicious. When isn't homemade lasagna one of the best things ever? Damn, yet another thing to put on my "must eat soon" list. Geez, I think i could eat for the next six months easy off of that list. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWant to eat it:)
ReplyDeleteOoooooh YUMMY! Lasagna is one of life's best foods, imo. And yes! Homemade sauce is key. I'll have an extra large slice please. :)
ReplyDeleteYou've just reminded me it's been way too long since I made lasagna!!
ReplyDeleteYum.....
who doesn't love lasagna?
ReplyDeleteI love it with or without meat, a vegetable one or even a white sauce lasagna.
Layered noodles are fantastic!
Yours looks very authentic.
Stacey