World's Best Lasagna

"This was actually my mom's recipe, but to this day, I haven't had lasagna that has been able to match this one. We very rarely had leftovers when she made this. But, if you do get leftovers, it's even better the next day after reheating. This particular recipe calls for cottage cheese, but you can certainly use the same amount of ricotta cheese if you like. But, I will tell you, once you taste it, you won't even tell it's cottage cheese that you're eating. My mom just always used it because it's healthier, at least that what she says, but I like it better anyway because it doesn't have that "dry" texture ricotta has. But it's up to you. Also, if you have a little extra mozzarella cheese, you can add some of that to the top after you remove the foil and before putting it back in the oven, if you wish. I hope you enjoy it!!"
 
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photo by SharonChen photo by SharonChen
photo by SharonChen
photo by SharonChen photo by SharonChen
photo by SharonChen photo by SharonChen
photo by SharonChen photo by SharonChen
photo by SharonChen photo by SharonChen
Ready In:
1hr 30mins
Ingredients:
9
Serves:
6-9
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ingredients

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directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine beef and sauce in sauce pan. Put just enough water in sauce jar to rinse sides, shake it up, then add it to sauce. Mix and let simmer.
  • While sauce simmers, combine all 3 cheeses, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste in large mixing bowl and mix well.
  • In 13x9" casserole/baking dish, lay down thin layer of sauce on bottom, just enough to cover so noodles don't stick.
  • Lay down first layer of UNCOOKED noodles, then a layer of sauce, then 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Follow with another layer of noodles, sauce, rest of cheese mixture, another layer of noodles, then finish with the rest of the sauce on top.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, remove foil, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

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Reviews

  1. This was really lovely. I have made this the original way before but I am watching my calories so I skipped the beef, added spinach to the cheese mix (about 2 cups fresh, chopped) and 1.5 cups sliced zucchini on the first layer of cheese. I also used no boil noodles, so it was all done after 55 minutes. Just needed to cool. Big hit with the friends I just had over. Holds together nicely and the sauce on the bottom makes clean up super easy.
     
  2. never ever put cottage cheese in lasagna or any other Italian dish, you must use Ricotta if you want the true Italian flavor.............
     
  3. This is basically the same recipe I've been using for 30+ years. Somewhere all those years ago there was a magazine article or one of the syndicated newspaper recipe columns that encouraged us NOT to cook the lasagna noodles, oh my, but that certainly made making lasagna easier! :) The only thing I do differently, other than my recipe is double this one, with my own (home made) is I mix in about a cup of cheddar cheese with the eggs, cottage cheese and parm instead of the mozerella. I then use mozerella and provolone between the layers, it's a lot cheesier and it adds another depth of flavor that we really like, and nope, not Italian, but I don't have to be to know what tastes good to me! ;)
     
  4. Great recipe ! made some changes out of necessity. I added 3 cans of chopped tomatoes Italian Style, drained and put one can in a blender with a can of Cream Of Mushroom Soup instead of jar spaghetti sauce. Didn't know what to expect but everybody loved it as it brought out the flavor of the spices unlike any sauce I have ever tried. Using a fresh jar of Italian spices really helps.
     
  5. It's too bad this is listed under Italian Food. I'm Polish and have been making lasagna this way for years. Except I make my own sauce, putting anything with tomatoes into the sauce and any dairy into the cheese filling. Bits and pieces of any left over cheeses, some new stuff, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs and parsley. My sauce fills the better part of a 5 quart kettle. Then I start filling all my square casserole dishes and a few cake pans to put in the freezer. Not quite as good as freshly made, but so handy to throw in the oven while you unload the car after a big shopping trip and put stuff away. By the time you've 'taken care of business' and get everything put away and set the table, you have just enough time to make a salad and prepare some cheesy garlic bread (we were farmers so use LOTS of dairy products). I also make lots of pies.....apple and cherry being our favorite, freeze them and throw one of those in the oven with the lasagna. It's also very handy to have this in the freezer when you get unexpected company. Excuse yourself for a few minutes, raid the freezer, throw them in the oven and by the time the delicious aromas permeate the air, it's too late for your company to say they can't stay. Even people that are normally very picky about their lasagna are crazy about this and ask for seconds.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Been doing a similar recipe for decades with the following changes: Italian sausage instead of ground beef, cooked with onions and garlic. Then mushrooms are necessary as well. Like the author, seldom have any left overs. Simple, make ahead quick, and delicious. Serve with Cesar salad, garlic bread and a hearty red like zinfandel.
     
  2. Great recipe ! made some changes out of necessity. I added 3 cans of chopped tomatoes Italian Style, drained and put one can in a blender with a can of Cream Of Mushroom Soup instead of jar spaghetti sauce. Didn't know what to expect but everybody loved it as it brought out the flavor of the spices unlike any sauce I have ever tried. Using a fresh jar of Italian spices really helps.
     

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