Shortcut Sausage Lasagna Recipes

SHORTCUT SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Crumble the sausage into a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover; microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, stirring once; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, onion, green pepper, water, olives and salt. , In a greased 11x7-in. microwave-safe dish, layer 1-1/3 cups meat sauce, three noodles, 1/2 cup ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Cover and microwave at 70% power for 21-24 minutes or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45-60 seconds or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

SHORTCUT INSTANT POT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Add 2 cups water to a 6-quart Instant Pot® and set the rack inside with the handles folded under.
• Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl to combine.
• Spread 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan. Break 4 lasagna noodles into large pieces and arrange in an even layer over the marinara. Spread another 1/2 cup marinara evenly over the noodles followed by a third of the ricotta mixture spread in an even layer. Top with another layer of 4 broken lasagna noodles. Repeat the process 2 more times, for 2 more layers of marinara, noodles, marinara, ricotta, noodles. Top with the remaining marinara and cover tightly with foil, making sure to wrap any excess underneath the pan so that it will fit in the pot.
• Fold an 18-inch piece of foil in half lengthwise, then fold it in half again lengthwise and finally once more in half lengthwise making a 4 1/2-inch-wide foil sling for the pan. Place the lasagna pan in the center of the sling and, lifting the two ends of the sling, lower the pan into the pot.
• Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 25 minutes (see Cook's Note). After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release. After 15 minutes, being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid.
• Remove the lasagna from the pot and let rest 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil (steam will be locked inside) and serve.

ONE-POT SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, mix ricotta and mozzarella cheeses; set aside.
• Place pasta sauce in large bowl; set aside. In 5-quart ovenproof Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, onion, salt and pepper in butter 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is cooked through and onion softens; drain. Stir sausage mixture into sauce in bowl.
• Spread 2 cups sauce mixture in bottom of same Dutch oven. Top with one-third of the lasagna noodles. Top with half of the ricotta mixture. Pour 1 cup of the reserved sauce mixture over ricotta mixture. Top with another one-third of the lasagna noodles. Top with remaining ricotta mixture. Top with remaining lasagna noodles, then top with remaining sauce mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover; bake 15 minutes. Remove cover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pasta is tender and mixture is browned on edges. Top with basil.

JOHNSONVILLE® ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic until pork is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain. Add marinara sauce and oregano; simmer for 5 minutes. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan and spinach.
• In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish, spread 1 cup meat sauce. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce. Spread one-fourth of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, top with 1 cup of meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat process 3 times. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve.

INSTANT POT SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Set a 6-quart Instant Pot® to Saute. Add the olive oil and wait until it gets hot. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of water and scrape up the brown bits, then discard. Wipe down the inside of the pot.
• Stir together the ricotta, egg, oregano, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Break the noodles into approximate thirds (it's okay if little shards break off too).
• Spray a 7-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.
• Spread a little bit of sauce in the bottom of the pan, then top it with a layer of broken lasagna noodles so that they slightly overlap and cover most of the pan. Top with a third of the ricotta mixture and about a third of the mozzarella, then a sprinkle of Parmesan. Sprinkle a third of the sausage over the cheeses, then drizzle with 1 cup marinara sauce. Repeat 2 more times: noodles, ricotta, mozz, Parm, sausage, marinara. Top with one last layer of noodles, a thin layer of the remaining marinara, making sure not to cover completely with sauce, and then the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
• Create a sling for your pan by folding a 24-inch sheet of foil lengthwise twice place under the pan.
• Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot® and add 1 cup water. Set the lasagna on the trivet, then cover the pot. Set the pot to Pressure Cook on high and set for 30 minutes. Manually release the valve when it is done.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Carefully remove the lasagna from the pot, and place on a sheet pan. Broil the lasagna in until bubbling and browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

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.

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!

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.