Shortcut Meatball Lasagna Recipes

MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. , Crumble meatballs into the sauce. In a small bowl, combine egg and ricotta cheese. Spoon 1 cup of the meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with half of the noodles, ricotta mixture, meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layers., Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

EASY SHORTCUT LASAGNA

Steps:

• If Adding Meat Layer:.
• Combine ground beef, egg, finely minced garlic and garlic powder, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan and chopped Italian parsley in a large mixing bowl. Run water over the bread slices to soak them and squeeze the water out. Add a splash of wine if desired.
• Mix meat for several minutes by hand, and roll out into fairly compact and tight meatballs. I make mine about 1 inch to 1.5 inch in size.
• Brown / sear the meatballs while continually rolling them with the utensils of your choice. I use two wooden spoons, but I've also used tongs to do this. The key is to get them browned enough to be "medium rare", not raw, as the cooking time is not long in the lasagna. However, they need to be done well enough to stick mostly together for slicing. I think next time I may chill them in the refrigerator. I put layers of paper towels down on a platter to hold the meatballs while they are cooling off.
• If Adding Spinach Layer:.
• Steam the spinach until it softens somewhat. It will continue to soften further in the lasagna while it's cooking.
• Making the Lasagna:.
• Open the jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce, and heat to a low simmer. If using meatballs, put them in the sauce to soak up some additional flavor.
• Note about the sauce: I am Italian American, and make my own marinara sauce from scratch several times a year. It takes all day, so I freeze it in storage containers for later use. However, when I use store bought sauce, I prefer the sauce made by Del Grosso, a small company in Tipton, Pennsylvania. Their products include both inexpensive sauces, and a line of specialty ones called "La Famiglia Del Grosso that are roughly twice the price of Ragu or Prego ($6-$7 a for a 26 ounce jar). This recipe is about shortcuts, not making things from scratch. The company's "Aunt Mary Ann's Sunday Marinara" tastes very, very much like the sauce I make from scratch, so that is what I used for this recipe.
• Here is the product link:.
• http://www.delgrossosauce.com/content/aunt-mary-anns-sunday-marinara-1.
• Boil the lasagna noodles to just below al dente. What worked for me as a guess was one minute shorter than the lowest recommended time - this was 9 minutes for the Mueller brand noodles that were on sale for 2:1 the day I was shopping for supplies for this project. The noodle layers will also soften while the lasagna is cooking, so do not worry if they are a little stiff.
• If using meat, remove the meatballs from the sauce and slice into roughly ¼ inch slices. Don't worry if the crumble (as some will). These will form the meat layer of the lasagna.
• Wash and chop the Italian parsley and sweet basil into fairly small pieces. In a big mixing bowl, combine evenly the ricotta cheese with the chopped parsley and basil, the ground pepper and the pinch or two of granulated garlic.
• Put a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 11, 10 x 13, or 12 x 11 pan (your sizes may vary somewhat). I used a Pyrex type glassware for mine.
• Layer the lasagna noodles with slight overlapping in the pan. If you need to, don't be afraid to use small "band aid" sections or cross sections to make the layer. You should have plenty of noodles.
• Using a spatula, or spoon of your choice, make a layer of sauce covering the noodles. Add a layer of the ricotta mixture covering the sauce. If adding meat, arrange slices or crumbles of the meatballs next. If not, use the steamed spinach to create a veggie layer. Now sprinkle a later of mozzarella cheese, and top with a light to moderate dusting of parmesan cheese.
• You will now repeat the process at least one more time. Depending on the depth of your pan, and the thickness of the optional meats, it could be twice more:.
• 1) Noodles.
• 2) Sauce.
• 3) Ricotta mixture.
• 4) Meat or spinach.
• 5) Mozzarella cheese.
• 6) Parmesan cheese.
• The last layer does not contain meat or spinach, and will be roughly at the top of the pan itself. That's fine. The top layer should be with noodles, a some sauce and a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
• Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake at 350 F for a total of 45-50 minutes. Remove the foil after the first 30 minutes so that the top can brown lightly into a crust. Let it stand for 15 or 20 minutes before serving to firm up the layers, and avoid burning your tongue.
• Hope this works out for you, but it has become a family favorite in our house, and only takes a short while to prepare when compared to the time investment in a day-long "from scratch" lasagna recipe.

MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Meatballs:: In a bowl, whisk together egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup water, oregano, salt and pepper; mix in beef.
• Shape by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Bake on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven until no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes.
• Tomato Sauce: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions, garlic, carrot, celery, herb seasoning, and salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and tomatoes (presumably with the juice), breaking up with potato masher or some such thing, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Add the meatballs; simmer until a spoon scraped across bottom of pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly, about 10 minutes.
• Bechamel Sauce: Meanwhile, in separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute.
• Add the milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Keep whisking and cooking until bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in ricotta, Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• In large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles until almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and chill in cold water; arrange in single layer on a damp tea towel.
• Without picking up any meatballs, spoon 1 cup of the tomato sauce into a 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles; spread with one-third of the remaining sauce and meatballs, then half of the bechamel sauce. Starting with the noodles, repeat the layers once.
• Top with remaining noodles; spread with the remaining meatball sauce. Sprinkle with Fontina and Parmesan cheeses.
• Cover with foil; bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

QUICK MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Slice thawed meatballs in half.
• Set aside.
• Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with oil spray.
• Spread 1 cup sauce evenly in bottom of dish.
• Place 3 uncooked noodles over sauce.
• Set aside.
• Place egg in 1-quart bowl and beat with whisk.
• Add ricotta cheese to egg and stir well to blend.
• Dollop half of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles.
• Top ricotta with half of the meatballs.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over meatballs and place 3 more uncooked noodles over them.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups of sauce over meatballs.
• Place 3 more noodles over meatballs and pour remaining sauce (about 2 cups) evenly on top, spreading evenly.
• Make sure all noodles are well coated with sauce.
• Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with oil spray, and cover lasagna tightly, oil side down.
• Bake 1 hour at 350ºF.
• Remove dish from oven, uncover.
• Spoon some sauce from edges over exposed top noodles.
• Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly over top.
• Turn oven OFF and place dish, uncovered, in oven for 15 minutes more.
• Serve at once or remove lasana from oven and let rest (up to 15 minutes) until ready to serve.

GRANDMA GUARNASCHELLI'S LASAGNA WITH MINI BEEF MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with 1 tablespoon salt. Stir in the red pepper flakes and sugar, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, with their juices, and the oregano. Cook for a few minutes over high heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, add the basil leaves, and remove from the heat.
• Make the meatballs: Put the beef and veal in a large bowl and spread the meat all over the bottom of the bowl and up the sides a little. (This will help you to distribute the seasonings evenly through the meat.) Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Then sprinkle the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and parsley all over the meat and use your hands to mix the ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and garlic. Drizzle the egg mixture over the meat. Mix the meat thoroughly with your hands.
• Test a meatball: Form 1 small meatball (about 1 inch in diameter) with your hands. Heat a splash of the canola oil in a small skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the meatball, lower the heat, and cook it over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and texture. If it seems too wet, add some more bread crumbs to the mixture in the bowl. If it is too dry, add a splash of water. Adjust the seasoning of the mixture in the bowl as needed. Roll the remaining meat into balls; you should have about 40 very small meatballs.
• Cook the meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half of the remaining canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and add half of the meatballs in a single layer, spreading them apart somewhat so they have a chance to brown instead of steaming. Return the pan to high heat and brown the meatballs, turning them so they brown all around, until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel to drain. Wipe out the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining canola oil and meatballs.
• Cook the pasta: Bring 6 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat and season with 1/2 cup salt. The pasta water should taste like seawater. Add the lasagna sheets, stirring with a slotted spoon to make sure they do not clump or stick to the bottom, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water, and drain again. The pasta should still be very firm to the touch. Separate the sheets carefully so they don't stick together.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Assemble the lasagna: Spoon a thin layer of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Arrange a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce. Sprinkle one-fourth of the mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta, and then add another thin layer of sauce. Dot the surface with about one-third of the meatballs, spacing them evenly. Repeat the layering process two more times. Add a final layer of pasta and top it with the remaining sauce and cheese.
• Bake the lasagna: Cover the dish tightly with foil and put it in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Then raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and remove the foil. Bake the lasagna until the top browns slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes or so before serving.

SHORTCUT MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water. Drain well; set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, mozzarella cheese, & the parmesan cheese; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together meatballs and one-third (about 1 cup) of the pasta sauce; set aside.
• To assemble: spread a small amount of the reserved sauce over bottom of a 2 quart square baking dish. Layer 3 cooked noodles in the dish. Spoon meatball mixture over noodles. Layer 3 more noodles over meatballs. Spread half of the remaining sauce over noodles. Spoon ricotta mixture over sauce and spread evenly. Top with remaining noodles & remaining sauce.
• Cover dish with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil & sprinkle remaining mozzarella over lasagna. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese melts. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

THREE-CHEESE MEATBALL LASAGNE

Steps:

• Squeeze the meat from the sausages and roll into meatballs - you'll get about four balls from each sausage. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide, deep frying pan or casserole dish. Cook the meatballs in batches, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan, until they're all golden brown. Put them aside on a plate when they're ready.
• Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and add the onion. Cook for 8-10 mins until soft, then stir in the garlic, fennel, oregano and chilli, if using. Stir around for a min or 2, then add the sugar, passata and tomatoes. Swish a little water around the containers to wash out all the tomatoes and add to the pan. Season well and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 mins over a gentle heat until the sauce thickens and the chopped tomatoes break down.
• Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the bay leaves and let them sizzle in the butter for 1 min, then add the flour. Whisk to make a smooth paste, then add the milk, a little at a time, stirring continuously until it's all incorporated and you have a thick white sauce. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning. Leave over a low heat for 5 mins to allow the bay to infuse, whisking every now and then.
• Keep about 10 meatballs aside and add the rest to the tomato sauce. Spoon half the tomato sauce and meatballs into a baking dish (ours was 25cm x 35cm). Top with half the spinach, the basil and a little parmesan. Pour over about a third of the white sauce, and top with a layer of lasagne sheets, breaking them up to fit the dish if you need to.
• Repeat the layers once more; meatballs and sauce, spinach, basil, parmesan, white sauce, pasta. Pour the remaining white sauce over the lasagne, spreading it to the corners to cover the pasta. Dot with the meatballs you set aside earlier and the mozzarella, then scatter over a generous helping of parmesan and cheddar. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Or if not eating straight away, chill for up to 24 hrs or freeze for two months (defrost in the fridge overnight before cooking).
• Bake the lasagne for 40-50 mins until bubbling and golden with lots of crusty cheesy bits around the edges. Leave to sit for 5-10 mins before serving.

MEATLESS MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, and parsley; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add thawed meatballs and break up with a spoon; cook until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce, sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce; cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix ricotta, yogurt, and feta together in a large bowl.
• Ladle 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce mixture into the bottom of two 9x13-inch baking pans. Place 3 dry lasagna noodles over top, then spoon ricotta mixture over noodles, and top with mozzarella cheese and more sauce. Repeat layers once more: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and sprinkle Parmesan over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Watch so cheese does not burn and cover if needed. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

SHORTCUT LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce mix and vegetable juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. , Remove from the heat. Cover the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9-in. baking dish with a thin layer of meat sauce. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, one-third of the cottage cheese, one-third of the mozzarella cheese and one-third of the remaining meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. , Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

SHORTCUT LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook and stir meat, onion, salt and garlic powder until meat is brown and onion is tender. If meat created a lot of grease, you can drain. But it will be hard keeping all the onions, they get stuck in strainer.
• Stir in Spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15mins, stirring occasionally.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley flakes together.
• In an 11 x 7 ungreased baking dish (like a pyrex glass dish) cover the bottom with the 8 oz can of tomato sauce. This is to prevent the lasagna noodle from sticking and will also cook them.
• Start placing the lasagna noodle on top for the sauce. You may need to "cut" the corners of the pasta to fit it in the pan. they should overlay a bit.
• After your first layer of noodles add sauce, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese mixture.
• Repeat with the noodles now going in the opposite direction. (so horizontal first then the next layer Parallel).
• Now you have 2 layers, add on more layer of noodle and top off with sauce and shredded cheese. you should have used most of the cottage cheese mixture on the first two layers.
• Cover with tin-foil and bake 40 to 45 minutes
• Let stand at room temperature for 10mins uncovered.
• Cut into squares and enjoy!