This Lazy Lasagna has all of the saucy, cheesy goodness of classic lasagna with a fraction of the work! It’s made with ground beef, sausage, ricotta, and plenty of mozzarella, then baked until hot and bubbly. It’s the BEST easy family dinner!

A white bowl filled with Lazy Lasagna with parsley on top and a fork on the side.

Lazy Lasagna

Welcome to one of my all-time favorite dinner recipes! This Lazy Lasagna has all of the saucy, cheesy goodness of classic lasagna, but it’s so much easier to assemble! Radiatori pasta is tossed right into the savory meat sauce and layered with a creamy ricotta mixture and plenty of mozzarella before baking until hot and bubbly.

This really is one amazing dinner that always impresses family and friends! Be sure to check out my PRO TIPS below!

How to Make It

Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Prepare the meat sauce and add cooked/drained pasta. Stir to combine.

A pot of cooked sausage, ground beef, onions, and garlic with marinara sauce being added next to a pot with pasta being combine with meat sauce.

Transfer half of it to a casserole dish and top with half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining pasta/meat sauce and remaining ricotta mixture.

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A casserole dish with a layer of pasta and meat sauce next to a casserole dish with a ricotta cheese mixture over it.

Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 15 more minutes. Broil for a few minutes at the end if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!

A casserole dish of Lazy Lasagna before and after baking it.

Make-Ahead Method

Option 1:

  • Prepare the meat sauce and ricotta mixture the day before, let those flavors meld in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, boil pasta, assemble, and bake! (This is my preferred method.)

Option 2: 

  • Assemble fully  as outlined but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw completely before baking.
  • Let chilled casserole sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the center is hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end if desired.

Pro Tips

Storage

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers freeze well!
  • To Reheat: Place refrigerated/thawed leftovers it in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Larger portions may require additional time.

A side view of Lazy Lasagna in a white bowl with a fork on the side.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • 8 Quart Pasta Pot: Make sure to use a large pot for boiling the pasta as it’s less likely to stick together. 
  • Deep Casserole Dish: I have this set in blue and in white, the larger one is the perfect size for large casseroles.
  • Box Cheese Grater: Be sure to shred and grate your cheese by hand, it will melt and taste much better than pre-shredded/grated.
  • Spice Rack–This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
  • Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
  • Garlic Twister: Make it easy to mince cloves of garlic, fresh garlic (vs. jarred) is best in this recipe. 
  • Large serving spoon

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Lazy Lasagna in a white bowl with melted mozzarella cheese and parsley on top and a fork on the side.

Lazy Lasagna

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 people
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This Lazy Lasagna has all the saucy, cheesy goodness of classic lasagna with a fraction of the work! It’s made with ground beef, sausage, pasta, ricotta, and plenty of mozzarella, then baked until hot and bubbly.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

  • 15 oz. ricotta cheese, 2 cups
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Meat Sauce & Pasta

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • Salt/pepper
  • ¾ lb. ground beef
  • ¾ lb. ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 40 oz. marinara sauce, see notes
  • ¾ lb. Radiatori pasta, see notes

Topping

  • 2 ¼ cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded

Instructions

  • Combine the ingredients for the ricotta cheese mixture in a medium bowl and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the diced onions. Let them soften for 10 minutes.
  • Lightly season the ground beef with salt/pepper. Add the beef and sausage and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and crumble the meat for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through. Add garlic during the last minute. Drain excess grease.
  • Add the chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the tomato paste, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and let the sauce simmer gently.
  • Meanwhile, boil the pasta for 1 minute less than the al dente cooking time on the package. Important: Set a timer to avoid overcooking. Drain once cooked.
  • Add the drained pasta to the meat sauce and stir gently to combine.
  • Spread half of the pasta/meat sauce mixture in an even layer in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Add half of the ricotta mixture in dollops over the pasta, then gently spread it over the top with a silicone spatula.
  • Top with the remaining pasta/,meat sauce mixture, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture. Sprinkle 2 ¼ cups of mozzarella evenly over the top.
  • Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray and place it spray-side-down on top of the baking dish to prevent the cheese from sticking to it.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes. If desired, broil briefly at the end to brown the top more. Watch it carefully during this time.
  • Remove and garnish with fresh parsley. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic bread with cheese.

Notes

Pro Tips:
Storage:
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers freeze well!
  • To Reheat: Place refrigerated/thawed leftovers it in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Larger portions may require additional time.
Make Ahead Method:
Option 1:
  • Prepare the meat sauce and ricotta mixture the day before, let those flavors meld in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, boil pasta, assemble, and bake! (This is my preferred method.)
Option 2: 
  • Assemble fully  as outlined but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw completely before baking.
  • Let chilled casserole sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the center is hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end if desired.
  •  
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 12 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 1228mg, Potassium: 637mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 931IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 365mg, Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Italian
Author: Stephanie