Easy Beef and Ricotta Lasagna

Create a delicious dinner that the whole family will love with this easy cheesy Beef and Ricotta Lasagna recipe that tastes like you spent all day making it without all of the work.

Be sure to sign up for my email… to get new recipes and ideas in your inbox!

It’s no secret, I like easy dinners.  I love to bake, but when it comes to dinner, I like something that requires little work on my part 😉

Most of the time when you think of a dish like lasagna, you think cheesy, gooey comfort food……..but time-consuming.  But not this beef and ricotta lasagna recipe!!  I’ve been making this dish since I was about 15.  It’s the lasagna recipe I made in junior high home ec class. Why do they no longer call it “junior high”…..it’s now called middle school.

I digress, I was so excited to make this fabulous lasagna for my parents and brother back then, it doesn’t take a lot of skills, but makes one heck of an Italian dish, any level cook would be proud to put on the table!

After that night, I was dubbed “lasagna maker” in the family, and now 30 years later, it’s still the same lasagna recipe I use.  I first posted this easy lasagna recipe back in 2009 and I thought it was time to bring this star of our family recipes back out!  I made a few tiny changes that involved cheese last week.   Total cheese-fest = best batch of lasagna ever!

Since back to school is looming around the corner, and schedules are going to start getting busy, this is a great recipe for any weeknight or, make a big batch for Sunday dinner and freeze a pan for a really quick weeknight meal!  Read this post for pasta fix it and freeze it tips.

Be sure to serve this family favorite lasagna with a stack of napkins! 😉

More Lasagna Recipes you might enjoy:

White Vegetable Lasagna Recipe on TidyMom

Back of the Box Creamette Lasagna Recipe from Amanda’s Cookin’

White Pizza Lasagna from How Sweet it Is

Lasagna Bread Pizza from Taste and Tell

Veggie Lasagna from Baked Bree

Sausage and Mushroom Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups from Bev Cooks

Pesto Lasagna from The Italian Dish

Like This Beef and Ricotta Lasagna Recipe? Pin It!

Continue to Content

Easy Beef and Ricotta Lasagna

Yield: 10-12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Print

A delicious dinner that the whole family will love with this easy cheesy lasagna recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• garlic salt
• pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomato
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 pkg spaghetti sauce mix (I use McCormicks
• 9-12 lasagna noodles
• 6-8 ounces ricotta
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2-3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (sometimes I use mozzarella & provolone cheese)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, cook ground beef over medium high heat just until meat is no longer pink. Season with garlic salt and pepper Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning packet. Simmer, covered, for about 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. While sauce is simmering, prepare water for the lasagna noodles and boil according to directions Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Add cream cheese to meat sauce and stir until melted and blended, then remove meat sauce from heat. Stir in ricotta cheese.
5. To assemble, line the bottom of a greased 9×13 glass pan with 3 or 4 noodles, spread 1/3 of meat & cheese sauce over noodles. Top with 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with 1/3 of Parmesan cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving, so lasagna can hold together.

Notes

• ricotta can be replaced with cottage cheese, but after years of using cottage cheese, we found ricotta to be SO much better.
• sometimes I use Italian sausage instead of ground beef.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  White 9x13 Rectangular Baking Dish 
• 
  Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 5-Quart Oval Dutch Oven, White
• 
  Non-Stick Spatula Turner
• 
  Buffalo Check Plaid Pot Holders

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 582Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 800mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 41g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.