Simple Four Cheese Lasagna (No Boil Noodles)

A serving of lasagna on a white plate with a sprig of fresh basil on top with it's corner cut off and held on top of a fork.

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Simple Four Cheese Lasagna (No Boil Noodles)

Master this simple lasagna recipe in just 20 minutes of prep time. Four layers of easy meat sauce, no-boil noodles, and 4 cheeses make this a family favorite!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Resting Time30

Total Time2 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: casserole, lasagna, marinara sauce, pasta

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Ali Mairet

Equipment

9 inch x 13 inch x 2 inch oven proof casserole dish
18 inch x 13 inch x 1 inch cookie sheet

Ingredients

1 pound ground meat beef, pork, or turkey
50 ounces marinara sauce 2 jars of your favorite brand
12 sheets no boil, oven-ready lasagna sheets
3 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese ¾ cup by volume
3 ounces grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ¾ cup by volume
12 ounces cottage cheese 4% milkfat is my preference
1 large egg
¼ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Brown and crumble the meat in a skillet. Remove from heat when done.
Spray your sheet pan with non stick spray.
Combine the cottage cheese, egg, and Italian parsley in a bowl.
To start the layers, spread 4 ounces of marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
Arrange 3 lasagna noodle sheets next to each other on the bottom of the pan over the sauce.
Spoon ¼ of the cottage cheese mixture over the pasta sheets. Just use the spoon to try to layer it as even as you can. It does not have to be exact because it will melt together in the oven.
Hand sprinkle ¼ of the Pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses over the cottage cheese.
Spoon ¼ of the cooked, crumbled meat over the cottage cheese and grated cheese layer.
Pour about 11 ounces or ½ of your jar of marinara sauce over the crumbled ground meat. Save the empty jar.
Spread 1 cup or ½ of a shredded mozzarella cheese package over the marinara sauce. This completes the first layer.
Repeat the layer 3 more times starting with the lasagna sheets for a total of 4 layers.
Add ¼ cup of water to one of the empty marinara sauce jars and shake it for 10 seconds to get the remaining sauce loose. Pour this water into the 2nd marinara jar and shake it up. Next, pour this tomato water around the lasagna casserole.
Line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the casserole dish on top of the cookie sheet to catch the drips. Spray non-stick oil on one side of a second sheet of aluminum foil and cover the casserole dish tightly.
Bake covered in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove the alumimun foil from the casserole dish and bake uncovered 15 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the lasagna before serving.

Notes

Refrigerator

You can assemble it up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, making it perfect for entertaining or preparing for a busy day ahead. Add 15-20 more minutes to the cooking time.

Freezing

Prepare the lasagna and wrap it tightly in foil. Freeze the dish for up to 3 months. Before cooking the lasagna, allow it to defrost in your refrigerator for 2 days before serving. Add up to 15-20 minutes more cooking time to fully cook this dish since it is chilled rather than at room temperature.

Nutrition