Hearty No Ricotta Lasagna Recipe

This simple Hearty No Ricotta Lasagna Recipe will take your typical weeknight family dinner to the next level. Layers of saucy goodness, gooey mozzarella cheese and floppy noodles come together to make the ultimate family-style lasagna.

What makes this lasagna recipe different is the absence of béchamel sauce and ricotta. While both additions are delicious, this is an easy lasagna recipe that is also a little lighter. It does call for plenty of mozzarella, so you won’t miss any flavor!

Make this easy no ricotta lasagna recipe as a weeknight family dinner, a special treat on a slow Sunday or whenever you want a comforting stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

My mom made a nearly identical version of this hearty lasagna all the time growing up. She never used béchamel sauce, and she does not like ricotta, so a simple mozzarella lasagna was what we had. 

I can still recall a time she was cooking away in the kitchen while I watched the snow fall out a fogged up picture window in our living room. The aroma of onions, garlic powder and browning ground beef filled the house.

Why Make a No Ricotta Lasagna vs Traditional Lasagna

A traditional lasagna recipe calls for a béchamel, or cream sauce, as well as other cheeses, such as ricotta and/or cottage cheese, in addition to mozzarella.

This is a simple mozzarella lasagna — no ricotta, cottage cheese and béchamel sauce. You won’t even miss any of those other possible ingredients, because mozzarella can stand on its own in this recipe. That said, I also love a very creamy traditional lasagna, and I plan to post that recipe sometime in the future.

Looking for a side dish to serve with this no ricotta lasagna recipe? Lasagna pairs perfectly with homemade garlic bread or a light salad using the creamiest homemade Caesar dressing.

Ingredients

As previously mentioned, this no ricotta lasagna recipe is just that — only mozzarella. There is no ricotta, cottage cheese and béchamel sauce, which are typical of a traditional lasagna recipe. I usually save lasagnas for weekend meals, due to the increased prep and cooking time that is involved with this family-style meal.

In terms of the individual quantity of ingredients, this recipe is very forgiving. You can use more or less garlic powder, onion, salt, and mozzarella as it suits your taste.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Lasagna noodles, 1 pound - You will want to cook your lasagna noodles a couple minutes under the time on the box, or al dente, as they will finish cooking in the oven. If you prefer, you can use no-boil lasagna noodles prepared according to the package instructions.
• Ground beef, 1 pound - Protein rich ground beef imparts the meaty stick-to-your-ribs goodness you’ll find in this recipe. We use 100% grass-fed beef, though the flavor is not all that different when using conventional ground beef.
• Yellow onion, ½ finely diced - With an almost buttery flavor, savory yellow onion brings out the natural flavors in the ground beef. Yellow onion really gives lasagna its comfort food status.
• Garlic, 2-4 cloves sliced thin - For an added burst of garlic flavor, thinly slice 2-4 cloves of fresh garlic.
• Garlic powder, 2 teaspoons - The richness of garlic powder stands out in this meal and complements yellow onion perfectly. If you’ve followed along with past posts, you’ll know I highly recommend McFadden Farm 100% Organic Garlic Powder that you can purchase from the McFadden Farm website or on the McFadden Farm Amazon store. It is truly the best garlic in the world, grown right here in the U.S.A.

• Diced tomatoes (no salt added), two 14.5 ounce cans - Given the layers of lasagna noodles, two cans of diced tomatoes balances the noodle to tomato ratio.
• Tomato sauce (no salt added), one 14.5 ounce can - One can of tomato sauce, combined with the two cans of diced tomatoes, ensures the lasagna won’t dry out whilst baking.
• Mozzarella, 12-16 ounces (or more) shredded - Quintessential gooey mozzarella may be considered the star of this lasagna. With no ricotta or bechemal sauce, all the creaminess comes from the mozzarella. You can use 12-16 (or more) ounces to make this lasagna as cheesy as you desire!
• Salt, 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste - Salt the ground beef while it’s browning. You may also want to add more salt to taste once the lasagna is plated. As with many recipes, salt brings out all the other flavors and enhances the dish.

Variations:

• For a slightly sweeter, thicker sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
• Top with parmesan for a burst of flavor.
• Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top to add a little heat.

Equipment to Make Lasagna

You do not need any specialized kitchen equipment to make lasagna. What you do need is a lasagna baker pan or large roasting pan that will fit the long, wide lasagna noodles. 

Keep in mind that the size of the pan you use will dictate how thick your lasagna will be. A narrow pan yields a thicker lasagna, while a wider baking dish will yield a thinner lasagna.

• Sauté pan, large - Some people don’t like stainless steel because they think it’s challenging to clean cooked-on food. However, with a quick soak while you eat, stainless steel pans are one of the best materials you can use for cooking, just ask any chef. This stainless steel cookware set could last a lifetime if you take care of it. I should know; we’ve had our set for over 15 years and it’s still going strong. It’s still made right here in the U.S. in Canonsburg, PA.

• Lasagna baker / pan - A high quality porcelain lasagna or roasting pan provides even heat distribution, which is just one of the many reasons to have at least one on hand. Pillivuyt makes some of the best porcelain bakeware and dinnerware that is still made in France to this day and is free of lead and cadmium. I used a rectangular baker with a lovely pleated bottom, but their rectangular roasting pan would also work. Have I mentioned how amazing food looks when plated on white porcelain?
• Serving utensils - Serve your meals in style with stainless steel kitchen utensils.

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large sauté pan. Once the ground beef is browned, add the yellow onion, sliced garlic cloves, salt, and garlic powder. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 6-10 minutes.
   While the meat cooks, begin preparing the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, until al dente. The goal is to not overcook the noodles, as they will finish cooking in the oven.

2. Add two 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes and one 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce. Stir well to combine. Simmer for about 7-10 minutes on low heat to just heat the sauce through.

3. Shred the mozzarella.

4. In the lasagna baker pan, begin layering by adding a thin coating of the sauce mixture to the bottom. On top of that, create one layer of noodles, add a coating of the sauce mixture on top of the noodles, and sprinkle a generous amount of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce mixture. Repeat creating layers until you have used up the sauce and noodles. Sprinkle the top with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese. You can sprinkle parmesan on the very top if you want.

5. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. For a crispy, caramelized top, broil for 2-5 minutes. Caution: Keep a close eye on the oven to ensure it doesn’t burn.
   Note: Some recipes call for covering the pan with foil for part of the time. This recipe has quite a bit of liquid, so I did not cover it. You can try that if you want to see how it goes.

6. Let cool for 5-15 minutes before serving. Salt (and pepper) to taste at the table.

Serving Suggestions

Lasagna makes a great weekend meal as well as a dish served for special occasions, such as a Sunday family dinner or large gathering. Of course, lasagna pairs nicely with a slice of homemade garlic bread. 

• Appetizer - At your next party, whip up a batch of lasagna as an appetizer served in ramekins or on a small plate. A hearty lasagna tastes great next to a light quinoa salad or perfectly creamy deviled eggs.

• Entree - On its own, lasagna is a very filling comfort food. Serve this entree with a side of homemade garlic bread and roasted veggies, such as green beans.

How to Store Leftover Lasagna

Lasagna, in all its hearty goodness, holds up fairly well to being refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a few days (some well known food websites say up to five days, but I have not tried that), or frozen for up to a few months. As with any cooked food that has been refrigerated or frozen, visually inspect it for any signs of spoilage and smell it before consuming.

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