Lasagna Recipe Without Ricotta Cheese (2024)

A homemade lasagna recipe without ricotta cheese is an Italian lasagna made easier by leaving out the ricotta filling. A hearty and flavorful lasagna comes together quickly with ground beef in a tomato sauce, layers of tender noodles, creamy white sauce and mozzarella cheese. This is a dish that everyone will love and will be asking for seconds.

❤️ Why You'll Love It

• Perfect make ahead meal and reheat as needed.
• Easy to double the recipe.
• So good you'll want to make a second for a friend or your freezer.
• Kids love this cheesy beefy pasta recipe.

No one will be able to resist this fresh-from-the-oven Italian classic dish. Meat lasagna without ricotta cheese is a delicious dish with layers of meat, cheese and noodles that everyone in your home will enjoy. Ground beef lasagna is also perfect for potlucks or family holidays.

📝 Ingredients

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

• Cook lasagna noodles: start by boiling salted water and cook noodles until al dente. Drain the noodles and lay them flat on a baking sheet. Spray with oil spray and place parchment paper in between layers.

• In a large pot saute onions until translucent, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or more.
• Add ground beef, breaking it apart, cook until no longer pink, drain the excess fat.
• Add spices, tomato paste, sauce and mix everything well to combine.
• Bring meat mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

• To make the white sauce, place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes. In a pot over medium heat pour oil, butter and wait until butter has melted. Whisk in flour and cook for a couple of minutes until it turns pale yellow.
• Gradually pour in hot milk while whisking and stirring until mixture is smooth with no lumps.
• Keep cooking until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.

• Before assembling the lasagna, preheat oven to 375°F. In a 13x9 dish spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce at the bottom of the dish.
• Top with 3 sheets of cooked lasagna.
• Spread about 1 cup of the white sauce, then top with a ⅓rd of the remaining meat sauce.
• Sprinkle ¼ of the mozzarella cheese you are using. Repeat these steps for two more times in this order. 3 sheets of noodles, white sauce, meat sauce and mozzarella.

• Lay the final 3 sheets of lasagna and top with the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and top has browned a bit.

💡 Expert Tips

• Do not rinse the lasagna noodles as we need the starch layer forming on them for the sauce to cling to.
• I do not usually drain excess fat when making seasoned ground beef but in this case, it will make the dish so greasy especially if you are using less than 85% lean ground beef.
• Sugar is added to balance the acidity in the meat sauce. If you do not like adding sugar, you can also add a small grated carrot.
• Some people like adding a diced green bell pepper to the meat mixture too.
• I use only 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese as my family does not like it extra cheesy. You can use up to 3 cups or even more depending on your liking.
• In traditional lasagna the meat sauce is simmered for at least 1 ½ hours, this makes for a heavenly rich sauce but unfortunately I do not always have that kind of time. This is an everyday lasagna recipe.
• Authentic Italian lasagna is also made with a mix of pork, beef and pancetta and usually tomato paste. I do not consume pork and I am making my life easier by using regular tomato sauce.
• You can use oven ready lasagna if you wish to, just add a ½ cup of beef broth or water to the sauce. I am not a fan of oven ready lasagna though.

🧺 Storage

Place leftover lasagna in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days, freeze for longer.

⌛ Make Ahead

• You can assemble the dish, make sure it has cooled to room temperature then cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, remove plastic wrap, cover with foil and cook from frozen or let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
• You can also refrigerate the assembled dish for up to 2 days before baking.
• You can also make the sauce(s), refrigerate for up to 2 days then assemble the dish on the day you need to bake it.

🍽️ Serve With

This easy lasagna recipe is a hearty meal that can be served on its own but you can also add a fabulous antipasto or green salad. Breadsticks or garlic bread goes great as well. And if you love cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan always goes well on top too. If you need more side dishes check this out for a complete list of what to serve with lasagna.

👩‍🍳 Variations

• Add flavor by adding a diced green bell pepper to the meat mixture.
• You can also use a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce.
• You can add a mix of ground beef with ground sausage or even ground turkey.
• You can use cheddar or a mild gouda in place of the mozzarella if you wish.

💬 FAQs

• This creamy pasta recipe is so delicious and an easy no boil pasta recipe.
• For a comforting and satisfying meal that's packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients, try this delicious chicken broccoli ziti recipe that will become a family favorite in no time!
• Are you a fan of chicken spaghetti?, try this easy chicken spaghetti recipe with rotel and cheddar cheese. A family favorite.
• Need a quick pasta dish, try this shrimp scampi without wine.
• This chicken tortellini alfredo is made with tender cheese tortellini, creamy sauce and sautéed chicken. It’s perfect for dinner tonight!
• Comforting and simplified Easy Lasagna Casserole for those nights when you are craving the classic Italian dish with minimal effort.
• Pesto Chicken Lasagna with white sauce is a hearty comfort casserole loaded with Mediterranean flavors. Layers of tender noodles, pesto bechamel sauce and three cheese sauce, a rich irresistible dinner.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• This is my go-to weeknight meal when I'm in the mood for something fast and comforting. Easy Beef Stroganoff is creamy delicious and lighter family favorite dinner.
• Kofta kebabs are a delicious and popular Middle Eastern dish that are perfect for grilling or cooking in the oven.
• This moussaka recipe is the ultimate comfort food for a cozy night in. Meaty, saucy with creamy and custardy bechamel layer. Nothing can beat that!
• A delicious and effortless Penne Pizza for hectic weeknight dinners. Serve the best of the two worlds, pasta and pizza, in a tasty cheesy casserole dish an

Some Basics

• These fire roasted tomatoes taste amazing when served as appetizers or side dishes. They're also great for making sauces, soups and dips.

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