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Casey's Family Lasagna

Let me be clear about something: this is my wife's family recipe. I have never made it. Not once. I just show up, eat it, and tell her it's delicious—because it is. Tasty as fuck, if I'm being honest. But actually assembling it? That's Casey's territory, and I have chosen to respect that boundary. Call it tradition. Call it laziness. Call it a healthy marriage. Whatever.

I'm sharing it here because it deserves to be shared, and also because she's not going to make a website. Yes, it uses store-bought pasta sauce. I know. I KNOW. But this is a family recipe, and you don't mess with family recipes. You just write them down and let other people judge you on the internet.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 45 min Serves: 8 Difficulty: Easy (allegedly—I wouldn't know)
Casey's Family Lasagna - golden brown cheese on top, layers of meat sauce and cottage cheese visible
This is a photo of my wife's lasagna. She's actually a photographer, but she was busy cooking so I took it with my phone. You're welcome.

Ingredients

About the cottage cheese: Yes, some people use ricotta. This recipe uses cottage cheese. It's creamier, tangier, and frankly better. If you disagree, that's between you and Casey's grandmother.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F. That's hot. Like, actually hot. Make sure you didn't leave anything in there from last time.
  2. Cook the lasagna noodles. Follow the package directions. Big pot, salted water, boil until they're pliable but not mush. Lay them flat on a sheet or cutting board so they don't stick together in a big lasagna noodle orgy. A little olive oil helps.
  3. Brown the beef. In a large pan, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until it's no longer pink. Break it up as you go. Drain the fat if there's a lot, or don't if you want more flavor. I'm not your doctor.
  4. Add the pasta sauce. Dump both cans into the beef. Stir it around. Let it simmer for a few minutes so everything gets friendly. This is your meat sauce. It's not complicated. That's the point.
  5. Mix your cheeses. In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, parmesan, and cottage cheese. Stir it up. This is your cheese mixture. You'll use it for all three layers, so try not to eat it all with a spoon before assembly. (I see you.)
  6. Assemble this thing. Grab a 9x13 baking dish. Here's the layering order:
    • Start with a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom (just enough to coat—this prevents sticking)
    • 3 lasagna noodles
    • ⅓ of the remaining meat sauce
    • ⅓ of the cheese mixture
    • Repeat two more times: noodles, sauce, cheese
    You should end with cheese on top, because obviously.
  7. Cover with aluminum foil. Tightly. This traps the steam and cooks everything through without burning the top.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes. Covered. Leave it alone. Don't open the oven to "check on it." It's fine.
  9. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes. This is where the magic happens. The cheese gets bubbly and golden and your kitchen smells like an Italian grandmother's hug.
  10. Let it rest. I know you want to cut into it immediately. Don't. Give it at least 10 minutes. This lets everything set up so it doesn't turn into a sloppy mess when you serve it. Patience. You can do this.

Stuff You'll Need

A big pot for the noodles. A pan for the meat. A 9x13 baking dish. Aluminum foil. A spouse willing to share their family recipe with the entire internet. (Thanks, Casey.)