This easy lasagna recipe takes almost no effort to prepare. Fresh herbs and Italian sausage add gently spicy flavor, while ricotta brings out the richness.
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20minutes
Cook Time 40minutes
Total Time 1hour
Servings 6servings
Calories 1189kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
2tablespoonolive oil
2cupssliced mushrooms
1 1/2poundmild Italian sausage(removed from casing and crumbled)
One25-ounce jartomato sauce
1packageno-boil lasagna noodles
5cupsricotta cheese
3cupsshredded cheese(I made a four-cheese mix that included mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan
1bunchfresh basil or parsley leavestorn by hand (optional, if it’s in season)
2tablespoonswater
Freshly chopped parsleyfor garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Add crumbled sausage and lower heat to medium. Continue cooking until sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce to pan and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat.
Spread a thin layer of tomato and meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×9 pan. Top with a layer of uncooked noodles (you may have to break a few to fill in the gaps) and scatter with torn basil or parsley leaves (optional). Add a few big dollops of ricotta on top of the noodles, spreading it around a bit, and follow with a few big dollops of sauce, which you’ll also spread around a bit. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheese and top with another layer of noodles. Continue layering until you've almost filled the pan, finishing with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water.
Cover pan with foil and slide it into the oven. Cook for 40 minutes. Turn heat up to 450°F (232°C), remove foil from pan, cover with more cheese and allow to cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot, sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutritional analysis is based on using 4 different types of cheese, approx 3/4 cup of each.