When you need a comforting family dinner but don’t have the time (or patience) for a complicated recipe, this Easy Lasagna for Busy Weeknights delivers all the classic lasagna flavor with a lot less fuss.

Unlike traditional lasagna recipes, this version skips the ricotta cheese entirely and relies on layers of seasoned ground beef, jarred pasta sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan for a cheesy, crowd-pleasing dinner that’s easy to assemble. It’s perfect for families with picky eaters, anyone who isn’t a fan of ricotta, or those nights when you just want dinner on the table without dirtying every dish in the kitchen.

I’ve been making this recipe for years because it’s simple, dependable, and always disappears fast. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family, bringing dinner to a friend, or prepping a meal ahead for a busy week, this easy homemade lasagna is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again.

a slice of lasagna on a plate with a fork next to a casserole dish of lasagna

Servings: 8-12 (depending on size made)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp salt
1 box of lasagna noodles
2 pounds lean ground beef
6 cups red pasta sauce (I use jarred Traditional Prego)
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)

Get the full printable instructions at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

More simple dinners for pasta lovers:

Baked Boursin Pasta – quick, creamy, mostly hands off
Chicken Florentine Pasta – fresh ingredients with a light sauce

Step by Step Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375º F. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in bottom of an 11×15 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt and the entire package of lasagna noodles one at a time to pot. Cook according to package instructions. You won’t need all of the noodles, but they sometimes break during cooking, so it’s better to have extra.

Tomato sauce spread in a glass baking dish, ready for baking or cooking.

Step 2: While noodles are cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain fat and discard. Stir in the remaining red sauce and heat over low heat. Carefully drain noodles (the water and steam will be very hot!) and rinse with a bit of cold water. This will cool them down and make them easier to work with.

Step 3: Arrange 5 noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping and place one more in the opposite direction at the end, cutting it to fit. Spread a third of the sauce over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella and 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese over sauce. Arrange 6 more noodles like before (with 1 reserved for the end) and repeat process until all ingredients are used (3 layers).

Step 4: Place foil loosely over the top of the dish and slightly tented so it doesn’t touch the cheese. Bake at 375º F for 20 minutes. Remove foil using oven mitts (foil and pan will be hot) and bake another 10-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy with garlic bread or a side salad!

Aluminum foil wrapped casserole dish for baking.

Prep It Now, Thank Yourself Later

This is so easy to put together that I sometimes make two at a time and freeze one. Just assemble the lasagna and let it cool for a bit before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
For refrigerated – bake at 350º for 25 minutes with the foil on, then bump up the temperature to 375º and continue baking as written.
For freezer – let the lasagna defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes with the foil on, then bump up the temperature to 375º and continue baking as written.

Simply Made Lasagna Tips and Easy Swaps:

Use your favorite homemade red sauce in place of the jarred sauce.
Replace ground beef with Italian sausage or use both.
Substitute grated parmesan cheese in place of shredded, if desired.
Prefer ricotta? No worries! just spread your desired amount on top of the second noodle layer and continue to build your casserole.
This can be made in a 9×13 inch baking dish by reducing the servings to 8 in the recipe card. Follow the rest of the steps, except for step 3. Four noodles slightly overlapping will fit perfectly in a 9×13 inch dish.

Before you go . . .

One of my favorite things about casseroles is that they do most of the heavy lifting. Feed the family tonight, stash some leftovers in the fridge, and suddenly tomorrow’s dinner problem is partially solved.

If you’re looking for another easy comfort food dinner, check out our Sausage Potato Casserole or Beef Shepherd’s Pie. Both are family favorites, both reheat beautifully, and neither requires a culinary degree or a sink full of dirty dishes.

Easy Lasagna for Busy Weeknights (No Ricotta)

This Easy Lasagna for Busy Weeknights skips the ricotta cheese and uses simple ingredients like ground beef, jarred pasta sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan for a comforting family dinner that's easy to assemble and perfect for busy nights.

Beth

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp salt
1 package lasagna noodles (you’ll need 18 noodles for the bigger size and 12 for the smaller)
2 lb lean ground beef
6 cups red pasta sauce (I use jarred Traditional Prego)
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375º F. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in bottom of an 11×15 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to rapid boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt and the entire package of lasagna noodles to pot. Cook according to package instructions. You won’t need all of the noodles, but they sometimes break during cooking, so it’s better to have extra.
While noodles are cooking, brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain fat and discard. Stir in remaining red sauce and heat over low heat. Carefully drain noodles (water and steam will be very hot!) and rinse with a bit of cold water. This will cool them down and make them easier to work with.
Arrange 5 noodles over sauce, slightly overlapping and place one more in the opposite direction at the end, cutting it to fit. Spread a third of the sauce over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella and 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese over sauce. Arrange 6 more noodles like before (with 1 reserved for the end) and repeat process until all ingredients are used (3 layers).
Place foil over top loosely and slightly tented so it doesn’t touch the cheese. Bake at 375º F for 20 minutes. Remove foil using oven mitts (foil and pan will be hot) and bake another 10-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy with garlic bread or a side salad!

Notes

See the tips in the blog post for substitution ideas!
This can be made in a 9×13 inch baking dish by reducing the servings to 8 in the recipe card. Follow the rest of the steps, except for step 3. Four noodles slightly overlapping will fit perfectly in a 9×13 inch dish.