8x8 Lasagna Recipe

Overhead view of baked easy lasagna recipe in square white baking dish on black tile surface.

4.92 from 12 votes

Try making this Easy Lasagna Recipe! It's easy to make with your favorite jar of sauce, oven ready noodles, plus three different kinds of cheese.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Resting Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy lasagna recipe, lasagna

Servings:

Calories: 345kcal

Author: LaKita Anderson

Equipment

1 8x8-inch square baking dish
1 Large skillet
1 wooden spoon
aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
24 ounces (1 jar) pasta sauce
15 ounces ricotta cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 large egg
½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 to 6 individual oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Begin the recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. and grabbing a square 8x8-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Using a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the 1 pound ground beef and 1 cup chopped onion. Cook until it has browned. Add in the 1 clove minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Drain off any excess fat/liquid and stir in the 24 ounce jar of pasta sauce. Cover the sauce and adjust the heat to medium-low, allowing it to simmer while you prefer the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium size bowl, add the 15 ounces ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
Spoon a third of the meat sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Spread it out in an even layer. Top with a layer of 2 to 3 oven ready lasagna noodles.
Top the noodles with half of the leftover meat sauce and spread it out in a single layer. Add half (½ cup) baby spinach and half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Evenly sprinkle half (1 cup) of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Top the mozzarella cheese with the rest of the lasagna noodles. Followed by a layer of the rest of the meat sauce, (½ cup) baby spinach, ricotta cheese mixture, and (1 cup) mozzarella cheese.
Cover the baking dish with some aluminum foil and place that lasagna into the oven to bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, it should be nice and bubbly.
Lastly, turn on the broiler to high and allow the top of the cheese to lightly brown. Watch it carefully though, you should only need about 2 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting to serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Try to remember in which direction you placed the lasagna noodles and make sure that you repeat the same direction with the second layer to get those perfect layers.
Grate the parmesan cheese yourself or grab the freshly grated version from the deli/prepared food section of the grocery store. Skip the bagged cheese section or grated cheese from the shelf for the best result and fewer added ingredients.
Use a block of mozzarella cheese and shred it yourself using a boxed cheese grater. Trust me, it melts so much better! One 8-ounce block of mozzarella cheese should provide you with enough shredded cheese for this recipe.
Lightly spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray before topping the lasagna. Make sure the side that you sprayed is facing the lasagna. This extra step will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil.

Nutrition