Food & Recipes

Make-Ahead Lasagna

Use this recipe for a tasteful lasagna classic that keeps well when you make it ahead of time.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 3 TB. olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¹⁄₂ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. oregano
• ¹⁄₂ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 lb. lasagna noodles
• 1 batch 20-Minute Tomato Sauce
• 1 (2-lb.) container ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
• 1 lb. mozzarella, shredded
• ¹⁄₃ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté for five minutes.
3. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for about eight minutes, until browned and cooked through.
4. While beef is cooking, boil water for lasagna noodles over high heat in a large cooking pot and cook noodles to al dente (still slightly firm). Remove from water and rinse with cold water to stop softening.
5. In a large casserole or baking dish, layer as follows:
   
   Enough sauce to cover bottom
   One layer noodles
   Half the ricotta
   Half the spinach
   Half the mozzarella
   Half the remaining sauce
   Repeat, starting with pasta.
6. Reserve ¹⁄₂ cup mozzarella to put on top.
7. Top with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella.
8. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until top is bubbly and any protruding noodles are crispy.
9. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to 20-Minute Meals © 2003 by CWL Publishing Enterprises, Inc., John Woods, President. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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