Easy Oven Lasagna

Adapted from the recipe off of a Golden Grain Lasagna box.

No precooking the noodles! This is probably the all time family favorite recipe.
preheat oven 375

I don't recall ever having lasagna growing up--either at home or in a restaurant--but this could just be a faulty memory. When we first got married I was learning to cook (I could bake) and I must've been interested in making lasagna...but all the recipes called for precooking noodles and that seemed so messy and time consuming--until I came across this one! I fell in love with the simplicity and we use this all the time. I went to their website and didn't see this version listed. I've changed the amounts of things which I will list separately.

My version--basically just MORE of everything...and mostly I don't measure

1 lb ground beef
1/2 C water
1 jar* Ragu meat flavor sauce
lasagna noodles
16 oz cottage cheese
1 lb Mozzarella, sliced or grated

*Ragu used to come in a 32 oz jar...over the years it has reduced
in size to 26 oz but I don't really adjust for that and it's worked fine.

Original recipe
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 C water
1 32oz jar marinara sauce (or 2 15oz)
1 tsp salt
1/2 pkg (8 oz) lasagna noodles
1 C Ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
12 oz Mozzarella, sliced or grated
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

In a 2 qt sauce pan, brown ground beef, draining fat. Add sauce and water (I use the water to rinse out the jar). Bring to a boil.


In 9 x 13 baking dish layer sauce, uncooked noodles, cottage cheese, and mozzarella.
Repeat layers, ending with sauce. Garnish with Mozzarella and Parmesan--I don't do this as it sticks to the foil and we just never used the Parmesan anyway

NOTE: Use sauce to just cover bottom of pan so there is enough left for two more applications.


Cover tightly with foil to prevent moisture escaping. Bake 375 for 1 hour. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes 6 servings. This is even better the next day for breakfast...honest!


Can be frozen after baking (why would you?)

Commercial for Longaberger Pottery: For years I went to friend's Longaberger parties but never bought a thing--they were too spendy. Finally, after listening to so many testimonials I tried the 9 x 13 baking dish. The testimonials were all true. This is amazing stuff. Clean up of baked on food is a breeze...just soak and wash it off. EVERYONE should own these baking dishes. I have several pieces now. They are totally worth it.