Easy Lasagna Casserole
This easy lasagna casserole has all the flavors of lasagna but comes together in a fraction of the time. We take a shortcut with the sauce by using jarred pasta sauce and canned diced tomatoes. Italian sausage adds flavor to the sauce without a lot of ingredients or long cooking time.
Servings 8
Calories 606kcal
Ingredients
Italian Sausage Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 pound Mild or Hot Italian Sausage casings removed and torn into pieces or use bulk
- 1 (14 ounce) Can Diced Tomatoes do not drain (we use petit dice)
- 1 (24 ounce) Jar Pasta Sauce use your favorite meatless variety and brand
Cheese Mixture Ingredients
- 15-16 ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated or shredded
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Remaining Ingredients
- 12 ounces Rotini Pasta fusilli, ziti, or other tube or twist pasta will work also
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded (for the top of the lasagna casserole at the end)
- Chopped Parsley for garnish – optional
Instructions
Sauce instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or large pot, over medium heat. Add the onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook approximately 5 minutes to brown the meat, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the diced tomatoes and the pasta sauce and stir well to combine. When the sauce comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Keep the sauce at a simmer, if it’s boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit.
Prepare the remaining ingredients while the sauce cooks
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to package directions for al dente.
Cheese mixture instructions
- Combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir well until the ingredients are combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven 350°F
Casserole instructions
- Add a few heaping tablespoons of the meat sauce to a baking dish (about 2.5 quart 8x12 inch). Use enough to just cover the bottom of the pan.
- Layer the lasagna casserole by adding half the pasta, arrange it in an even layer.
- Top with half the Italian sausage sauce.
- Add half of the ricotta cheese mixture by adding dollops over the entire top.
- Sprinkle with ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers (pasta, sauce, ricotta mixture). Hold off on the remaining mozzarella cheese, reserve that for after baking.
- Bake the casserole for 40-45 minutes. Then remove it from the oven, top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese and bake another 2-3 minutes until melted. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Choose a pasta sauce that is not too thick so it will stay saucy when cooked with the sausage, then combined with the pasta and baked.
Nutrition
Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1176mg | Potassium: 608mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1092IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 3mg