I’m so excited to give you guys this lazy lasagna recipe. I LOVE lasagna, I mean who doesn’t?  But it can be super time consuming, and time is a thing I don’t have a lot of these days; I’m sure you can relate.

I made this lasagna recipe on whim a couple weeks ago and since then, it has quickly moved itself to top ten recipes in this house. We have already made it and ate it a few more times and we even froze a batch for a later day.

The best thing about this recipe is it doesn’t take a couple hours, in fact it takes less than hour from start to devouring it.

This easy lazy lasagna is as simple as it is delicious. This recipe incorporates all the good stuff without the fuss.  It is perfect for busy nights and the leftovers are incredible.  I don’t know about you but I feel like lasagna leftovers are almost better than it is the day you make it. 

Why you should try this lasagna recipe

It is WAY less time consuming. Here’s the thing, everyone loves lasagna, me included but I just don’t love the time it takes to make it. And for that reason we don’t have it very often. This recipe takes half the amount of time, and still yields an incredible lasagna. 

Although the recipe is fairly detailed, it is also simple.  It is all done in one pan, then moved to a casserole dish to bake the cheese. 

It is SO flavourful.  This recipe may be a lazy version, but I promise you this lazy lasagna recipe is NOT lazy on flavour. It is packed with flavour and ooey gooey cheese.

It’s a great way to get in some extra veggies. I add spinach, carrots and mushrooms to this recipe and they are delicious additions. Plus you can add whatever veggies you like that you have on hand; peppers or zucchini would be be great too. 

What you need for lazy lasagna

A standard 9″ x 13″ casserole dish, I love our ceramic dish, it is deep enough to not make a huge mess in the oven.  You could actually just do this in a cast iron skillet if you have one that is large enough.

Lasagna noodles  we use the Catelli Whole Grain lasagna noodles, but you can use any lasagna noodle or any noodle for that matter.

Lean ground beef, you could also use a mild Italian sausage or a mix of both – any which way you decide, it will be delicious.

Onions and garlic, you will of course need the standard onions and garlic for this lasagna recipe. And I like to add a few extras. We love mushrooms in this house, so that is a must. We also add grated carrots and frozen spinach. It’s the perfect place to add more veggies to ensure everyone in the house is eating enough, adults included. Plus – they taste delicious in this lazy lasagna. We use these frozen spinach pucks from Walmart. They are awesome, so easy to add to anything, just toss the puck in frozen and it will thaw in a pan within minutes.

Tomato sauce  if you have a jar of store bought sauce, this is the perfect place to use it. Just leave out the crushed tomatoes and red wine. But making the sauce for this lazy lasagna recipe is also easy and will taste like you worked a lot harder on it than you did. 

Spices are so important in this lasagna recipe. If you’re wondering, the cinnamon is fantastic in here, it just adds a little depth without all the work. 

Cheese, is of course the best part. I add a bit of cream cheese into the sauce (it is to die for). Then I top the lasagna off with a mix of mozzarella and parmesan. You can also do pecorino, gran padano or asiago in place of the parmesan and it will still yield great tasting results. 

Making this lazy lasagna casserole

This lasagna recipe has all the flavour and cheesy goodness of a regular lasagna recipe, it just doesn’t take nearly as long.  Wondering why? Well the biggest thing is, we don’t spend any time layering all the ingredients, all you do is make the delicious meat sauce, throw it in a casserole dish with broken cooked lasagna noodles, mix it together and top it with cheese. It’s that easy, a simple a no-fuss version. Because honestly, it all tastes the same going down anyways. My Italian friends are cursing me right now for saying that.

Saute the onions and garlic in a little oil. Once the onions start to soften you’re going to add the ground beef. Then you’ll add the mushrooms (if you want) and a little salt. Strain the grease off if necessary and add the other veggies you’re using in there.

Cook the noodles while the beef and veggies are cooking. That way they’re ready to go for when you need them. Just break them up into pieces, throw ’em in a pot of salted boiling water and cook according to instructions on the box.

Add the spices  and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then add in the red wine and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Don’t worry the alcohol will burn off. Then add in your crushed tomatoes and cream cheese.

Pour the meat sauce into a casserole dish and add the cooked lasagna noodles. Stir it up until the noodles are mixed in and top with cheese. Bake for 15-20 min or until the cheese is melted and getting crispy and you’re done! Let it cool for a couple minutes, then cut, scoop onto a plate and enjoy.

The best thing is it doesn’t even really take that long to bake because the ingredients are already warm and ready to eat. You could really just toss the lasagna in the oven and broil it to melt and crisp up that cheese. Either way it will work.

What to serve with lazy lasagna

Garlic toast is a must in my family anyways.

Caesar salad is always a welcome addition to any lasagna recipe. 

Red wine if you’re a wine drinker.

Honestly I love this lasagna recipe because it saves me a ton of time but tastes like it took me a ton of time and that’s a win in my books. 

You can use this lasagna recipe as a base for what you have on hand. Maybe next time you have sausage on hand so you use that with zucchini, peppers and penne noodles?  It’s going to be damn delicious with almost any substitution.

I hope you enjoy and if you’re looking for another hearty dinner recipe, check out my slow cooker Moroccan beef stew.

If you make this, I’d love to hear all about it.  Please comment below, post it on Instagram and tag me @mysweetmess and hashtag #mysweetmess.  And if you really love it, please share the link with friends and family.

Other recipes you might enjoy

Till the next recipe,

Kristen xo