How to Make NO RECIPE LASAGNA

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No recipe lasagna is SO simple to throw together. Plus you get leftovers, so it is at least 2 meals in one! Make a second one to freeze while you’re at it, and you’ve accomplished at least 4 meals in less than an hour.

Instead of a lasagna recipe, why not just add a few basic lasagna ingredients to your shopping list and wing it? I’ll show you how! My lasagnas ALWAYS come out better when I do it this way.

I’ll show you how to make a lasagna step by step, and I tell you all the basics of making a traditional, classic lasagna. BUT I DON’T confine you with detailed quantities and ingredients. This is all about throwing together what you have on hand (or can quickly pick up at the store) without much thought. I consider a lasagna to be a super simple recipe to throw together for a weeknight dinner for my family. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Get creative, jump on in, and I’m sure you’ll love what comes out – whether it’s “traditional lasagna” or not!!

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NO RECIPE LASAGNA VIDEO

WHAT TO BUY FOR NO RECIPE LASAGNA

Here are the basics of what you’ll need to be sure you have on hand

Sauce

Yes I used my Italian grandmother’s scratch made sauce/gravy. Do you need scratch made sauce for a good lasagna? No! Grab a jar at the grocery store. I do this when I’m out of freezer stock of the “good stuff”. I personally try to aim for no sugar and simple ingredients. For a 9 x 13 pan, you’ll probably need at least 5 cups.

Meat

Meat – Use what you’ve got. Ground beef. Ground turkey. Pork. Sliced meatballs. Sliced Italian sausage. Crumbled Italian sausage. Pepperoni. Salami. Shredded chicken can even be tasty in there! Whatever it is, just make sure it’s already cooked. Or skip the meat and go vegetarian! If you’re cooking this meat specifically for the lasagna, go Italian with the flavors. I cooked ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, a little dried oregano, and some red wine.

Veggies

Let your imagination (or the contents of your crisper drawer in your fridge) be your guide. I recommend you sauté whatever you’re using until it’s a little tender to be sure it isn’t undercooked in the finished product. At the same time, keep in mind it will be spending about a 1/2 hour in the oven, so cook it a little less than you would normally.

Cheese

Parmesan, ricotta & mozzarella are traditional, and I generally aim for those. However, for this lasagna I found myself out of parmesan. Oh well! I made it anyway. Do you have Colby jack in the fridge? Try it out! There are no rules here.

Lasagna Noodles

This one is a must. If you don’t have lasagna pasta, I’m not sure it’s really a lasagna. But if you have something else on hand you could certainly make a delicious casserole that tastes just like lasagna. Whatever you do, make sure you cook them to “al dente”. They will be cooking more in the oven, so you don’t want them to come out overcooked in the end. Also, they WILL stick together and create a horrendous mess before you’re done assembling your lasagna if you let them touch. I put mine on a tray with wax paper between the layers to prevent this.

ASSEMBLING YOUR NO RECIPE LASAGNA

1. Spread some sauce on the bottom of your pan. Just a thin even layer to prevent the pasta from sticking to it.
2. Layer some pasta. The standard lasagna noodles fit perfectly in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Overlap them a little at the edges to create a stable layer. I use 4 noodles across. Some people do 5.
3. Sprinkle/spread your cheese. If you’re using ricotta you may want to let that be the first cheese you put down, because then you can use a spatula to spread it over the pasta. Even if you just drop some dollops down it will be fine though. Sprinkle other cheeses evenly. I wouldn’t skip the cheese though, because it acts as the glue.
4. Meat/veggies time. Sprinkle them evenly over the cheese.
5. Put on some sauce. Don’t go too crazy or your finished lasagna will be too wet and soupy. It doesn’t need to completely cover the cheese. Think about the ratio of sauce to other ingredients you would want if you were mixing it into penne or spaghetti, and go with that.
6. Repeat. You will probably have 2 full layers of pasta/meat/veggies/cheese/sauce. You don’t want to reach the very top of the pan, or it may boil over in the oven, and nobody wants to have to clean that up!
7. Bake according to your pasta box instructions. Mine said 375 degrees for 25 minutes covered, then 5 minutes more uncovered. I actually did about 12 minutes uncovered. LET IT SIT for about 15 minutes before serving. This part is important if you don’t want to serve lasagna soup! It needs to set. Slap your husband’s hand if necessary.
8. AND/OR freeze it! Make sure you cover it well.

GET CREATIVE WITH NO RECIPE LASAGNA

Let your imagination or the shelves of your fridge be your guide. Maybe you end up with cheddar cheese and shredded chicken. Heck, may as well throw in some corn and see how that comes out! Maybe even try mixing in some BBQ sauce with the tomato sauce. Who knows – it may be the next best thing! Okay, that’s a drastic one, but I’m just trying to help you realize that it’s okay to break the rules.

SHOP THIS POST

Pyrex 9×13 baking dish
Pyrex mixing bowl
Calphalon Frying Pan

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE LASAGNA INGREDIENT?

I’d love to know. Leave a comment below!! I’d also like to know what INTIMIDATES you about lasagna, or what your past lasagna mishaps have been.

I love pepperoni and salami in lasagna. You should try it! My only lasagna mishaps have been when I’ve tried to follow a recipe that uses exact measurements. I do SO much better when I make lasagna by feel/instinct.

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Thanks for stopping by!!

XO,
Morgan
The Cheeky Homemaker

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