Lazy Lasagna

Savory sausage, creamy ricotta and mozzarella, and your favorite spaghetti sauce are baked with bowtie pasta in this Lazy Lasagna recipe twist on traditional lasagna.

What Is Lazy Lasagna?

There’s something comforting about a hearty pasta dish. I love the way that pasta is so adaptable. There are thousands of different noodles, sauces, meats, and vegetable combinations. And I love most of them. 

But, I’m just going to say it: playing eight levels of Tetris with wet lasagna noodles has never been my cup of tea. I don’t make lasagna often for that very reason. 

So, this Lazy Lasagna recipe is a dream. It almost feels like cheating, and I’m sure that lasagna purists will agree that it is. But, that doesn’t bother me. 

I’ll be too busy eating before they finish. Plus, the only critics I really care about are the ones that sit at my table, and my family really enjoyed this dish! The kids devoured this one in no time, and it’s already on the schedule to be made again.

Lazy Lasagna is also absolutely fabulous for make-ahead lunches if you’re doing meal prep. It keeps well in the refrigerator. Admittedly, with my hungry crowd at home, it does not last long in mine.

Bowtie Lasagna

Traditional lasagna recipes use lasagna noodles placed in between layers of tomato sauce and cheese. A friend of mine shared a recipe that incorporated store-bought cheese-filled ravioli into the dish as a simpler take on lasagna.

I wasn’t quite sold, but it did get me into the creative mindset to start testing other ways to make a lazy lasagna. 

I have always loved bowtie pasta (or farfalle), so I didn’t have to test many different pastas before deciding on this Bowtie Lasagna recipe.

It doesn’t clump the way that straight noodles are prone to in baked pasta dishes. And, kids love the way that bowtie pasta looks, and sometimes that’s half the battle in getting them to eat well.

Most pasta dishes will benefit by using pork sausage instead of ground beef. It makes the dish so much more flavorful, and you can also choose whichever type (mild, spicy, Italian) you prefer.

My family likes a little bit of heat, so I used a spicy sausage in mine. Feel free to use your favorite variety of sausage for this recipe.

Lasagna Ingredients

• farfalle or bowtie pasta
• sausage: hot, regular, or Italian flavors
• ricotta cheese
• mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• spaghetti sauce
• fresh Italian parsley

Lazy Lasagna Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, cook and crumble the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Drain the cooked pasta and then add the hot pasta to the bowl with the cheese. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
3. Pour 1½ cups of spaghetti sauce into a 9×13 baking dish. Add half the cheesy pasta mixture and top with the cooked sausage. Pour 2 cups of sauce over the meat. Layer the remaining pasta into the dish and top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
4. Grease one side of a piece of foil, either with oil or cooking spray, and place the greased side down over the lasagna. Bake covered until heated through, 20-25 minutes. 
5. Remove the foil and finish baking to toast the top of the cheese, if desired.

Of course, if you’re making any kind of lasagna, you should also make garlic bread to serve with it. Because who doesn’t want another reason to make (and eat!) the crisp deliciousness of toasted buttery garlic bread. It also serves well with this salad or Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts. 

Want a few more easy dinner recipes? Try Country Style Ribs and Beans for a hearty meal that always gets two thumbs up. Zuppa Toscana Soup is a classic that everyone loves.

Love the crock-pot? Salsa Chicken with Black Beans makes the easiest taco night ever. These Sweet and Sour Meatballs are another hit every time we make them. 

Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteaks are a tasty, convenient twist on the classic Philadelphia sandwich. This skillet version is prepared using ground beef instead of thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin steak, making it a quicker and budget-friendly option.