This easy lasagna casserole recipe (or baked rotini as it’s also called) is as simple as it is delicious. This recipe combines tender pasta, spices, hearty ground beef, tomato sauce and plenty of cheese. It’s a family favorite dinner at our house. And if you happen to have leftovers, those heat up for an incredible meal the next day.
If you’re looking for more pasta recipe ideas, you should also try baked ziti recipe or baked spaghetti. Don’t forget the dinner rolls on the side!
MORE EASY CASSEROLES:
Cowboy Casserole | Hamburger Casserole
LASAGNA CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
You will need:
- 1 pound of hamburger
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 24- ounce jar of pasta sauce
- 2 cups rotini pasta
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Salt pepper to taste
Ingredient Substitutions:
PASTA: We really like the rotini noodles but certainly shells, bowties, elbows and all manner of pasta shapes work in this recipe. You can even forgo the entire pasta additions and use spaghetti squash for a similar taste.
SAUCE: You can take this mixed up lasagna in a different direction by using an alfredo sauce instead of the more traditional tomato sauce, too. When I do that, I like to use chicken instead of beef. Or make this delicious homemade pasta sauce recipe.
SPICES: Spice-y additions include extra garlic, basil, fennel, oregano, Italian seasoning, dried onion, and parsley.
VEGGIES: In the mom-wants-you-to-eat-more-veggies category, spinach, parsley, olives, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bell peppers have been met with different levels of satisfaction at our house. The trick seems to be to add only an amount of veggies that will not overpower the tomato-cheese flavor.
How to Make Lasagna Casserole
STEP ONE: Boil rotini al dente, according to package directions.
STEP TWO: Fry hamburger with diced onion; season with salt and pepper to your taste.
STEP THREE: Once the meat is no longer pink and the onion is soft, stir in the cottage cheese, tomato sauce and cooked pasta.
STEP FOUR: Spoon mixture into greased 10 x 15 casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE:
I usually add a fresh, salad — try my caesar salad recipe — or simple sauteed vegetables. Pair it with cornbread, beer bread or cheese biscuits! Our cheesy pull apart bread would be great, too.
How to freeze:
Adding to the diversity of this easy lasagna casserole, you can make a double batch and freeze half for future meals. Make sure it is wrapped very tight with aluminum foil and/or a freezer bag.
Just remember it’s best to pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge. You can do that the morning you want to use it for dinner, but it’s even better if it thaws for a couple of days. That’s because the center of the lasagna often remains frozen and then it is a little mushy.
PRO TIP: If you do thaw and eat it the same day, add extra baking time and check to be sure you’re not burning the edges, says the voice of experience who rarely remembers to thaw it for two days.
Three sons, work, school, sports, and extracurricular activities keep me hopping. That’s why I’m thankful my boys like pasta dishes. They’re versatile, easy to cook, and economical. This easy lasagna casserole is very popular in our house.
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Easy Lasagna Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of hamburger
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 24- ounce jar of pasta sauce
- 2 cups rotini pasta
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- Salt pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fry hamburger with diced onion; add salt and pepper to taste.
- Boil rotini al dente, according to package directions.
- Add cottage cheese to hamburger/onion mix.
- Pour pasta sauce over mix.
- Stir in cooked pasta.
- Scoop mixture into greased 10 x 15 casserole dish.
- Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
This recipe was so easy and so delicious!
Thank you for this Easy Lasagna Casserole Recipe! I love the taste!
My family liked this recipe. Very easy and quick to make.
Have made this several times- even better as leftovers!
Can’t Wait To Try This!!!
Can you use something else instead of the cottage cheese?
I use ricotta cheese. Very good as well.
Ricotta cheese
I used Ricotta… dont like cottage cheese
My family won’t eat cottage cheese, so used cream cheese instead… once the hamburger is done, just cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to hamburger and stir until creamy, and add a ladle of pasta water to mixture. I know it kind of changed the recipe up, but followed the rest of the recipe, and it was still good!
This was a hit with my boys! Easy to make and easy clean up! So delicious! Thank you!
Great taste and a nice change from my regular lasagna recipe.
I don’t have a 10 by 15 dish. Will it work in a 9 by 13?
You may need to add a little less to the dish just so you don’t overflow! 🙂