Made with available on hand pantry ingredients, Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce is simple, satisfying and delicious!
Sometimes the best things in life are simple. Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce is not full of fillers or weird stuff. Literally just a hearty, tasty dinner of layered noodles, thick and meaty tomato sauce and melty mozzarella cheese.
This recipe is super easy to throw together on a weeknight, but it is also a great make ahead meal. As a bonus, the leftovers are AMAZING the next day.
What you’ll need to make Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce
- Lasagna Noodles – Dried lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente.
- Ground Beef – One pound. Does not need to be super lean as fat will be drained off after cooking. Ground turkey or chicken may be used instead if you prefer.
- Onion – We use one medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped. This is about 1 cup. White onions, sweet onions, red onions, or even shallots may be used instead.
- Pantry Spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning.
- Spaghetti Sauce – We use pre-made spaghetti sauce, a 24 ounce jar to save time. Any tomato based spaghetti or marinara sauce may be used (3 cups).
- Mozzarella Cheese – 4 cups shredded. Cheesy goodness!
How to make Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Such a simple recipe, free of fillers but yet hearty and delicious. Store bought sauce, a pound of ground beef, some simple pantry spices and an onion are all that you need to create the filling. Just layer with noodles and cheese!
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the dry lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente according to package directions.
In the meantime heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, chopped onion. garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning.
Cook, stirring often until meat has browned and onions have softened.
Drain fat from ground beef and return to skillet. Reduce heat to low and add the spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Drain the lasagna noodles and blot with a paper towel to dry them off.
In a 9×13 inch baking dish, create a layer of lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the noodles layer and then spoon half of the meat mixture over top. Spread an additional cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the meat.
Add the next layer of lasagna noodles in the opposite direction of the first. They can overlap slightly.
Once again add 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the noodles layer and then spoon the remainder of the meat mixture over top. Spread an additional cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the meat.
Top with one last layer of noodles in the opposite direction and spread the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes or until edges are bubbling, cheese is melted, and the lasagna has browned slightly.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic toast if desired. Enjoy!
Other Easy Weeknight Recipes You might like
Creamy Chicken Linguine with Brie – chicken and creamy pasta with hints of fennel and lemon.
Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef – This is a delicious take on traditional Mongolian Beef that takes a fraction of the time and has delicious results!
Simple Weeknight Meatloaf – Simple and easy comfort food that is a throwback to childhood and a piece of cake to throw together on a weeknight. You can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven too!
Weeknight Shrimp Portofino – a simple family pasta recipe of marinated artichoke hearts, shrimp and angel hair pasta topped with a tasty lemon and garlic butter sauce.
Spinach and Sausage Spaghetti Pie – With Italian sausage and spinach hidden inside this is an unexpectedly good (and super easy!) weeknight creation that the entire family will love.
Weeknight Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- dry lasagna noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning plus more for sprinkling
- 24 ounce jar of pre-made spaghetti sauce
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the dry lasagna noodles. Cook until al dente according to package directions.
- In the meantime heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, chopped onion. garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring often until meat has browned and onions have softened.
- Drain fat from ground beef and return to skillet. Reduce heat to low and add the spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Drain the lasagna noodles and blot with a paper towel to dry them off.
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, create a layer of lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the noodles layer and then spoon half of the meat mixture over top. Spread an additional cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the meat.
- Add the next layer of lasagna noodles in the opposite direction of the first. They can overlap slightly.
- Once again add 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the noodles layer and then spoon the remainder of the meat mixture over top. Spread an additional cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the meat.
- Top with one last layer of noodles in the opposite direction and spread the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the cheese.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until edges are bubbling, cheese is melted, and the lasagna has browned slightly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic toast if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Carol says
I’ve used the oven ready lasagna noodles and it turned out great.
The Bandit says
Great idea Carol! I always forget you can buy those! ❤️