Tomato Cheese Lasagna Recipes

TOMATO & CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Take the onion and garlic, and sauté in olive oil in a large pot for a few minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, herbs, crushed red pepper, and prosciutto or ham bone.
• Simmer gently for about an hour and a half.
• Remove the bone, puree the sauce (carefully, since this will be hot), and taste for seasoning.
• The cheeses: Keep parmesan and mozzarella in separate piles.
• Add the chopped basil and parsley to the ricotta, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Layer the lasagne: In a dish that is 10x6x2, begin with a light layer of sauce on the bottom.
• Cover with a sheet of pasta, and spread it with sauce.
• Sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella.
• Cover with another sheet of pasta and sauce.
• Put half of the ricotta and herb mixture on this layer.
• Repeat with a layer of pasta, sauce, and mozzarella and parmesan, then another layer of pasta, topped with remaining ricotta.
• Make one more layer of pasta and mozzarella and parmesan, ending with a top layer of pasta and sauce and parmesan.
• Cover the lasagna with foil and bake 20 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.
• Remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes or so, until the top is crusty and golden.
• Let sit for 5 or so minutes after removing from the oven.
• Cut into portions, grate with fresh parmesan and serve.
• Note: You can use store-bought sauce as a time-saver, but if you have the time its worth the wait.
• This may also be made earlier in the day: assemble and keep in the fridge until ready to cook.

CHEESE AND TOMATO LASAGNA

Steps:

• FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients in bowl until well combined; set aside.
• FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, sugar, pepper flakes, oregano and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, cheese and tomato paste; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• FOR THE LASAGNA: While sauce simmers, lay noodles in 9 by 13-inch baking dish and cover with boiling water. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, separating noodles with tip of paring knife to prevent sticking. Place dish in sink, pour off water and run cold water over noodles. Pat noodles dry with clean dish towel; dry dish. Cut two noodles in half crosswise (short side).
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce in bottom of dish. Lay 3 noodles lengthwise in dish with ends touching 1 short side of the pan, leaving space on opposite short side. Lay 1 half noodle crosswise in empty space to create even layer of noodles. Spread half of cheese sauce over noodles, followed by 1/2 cup fontina. Repeat layering of noodles, alternating which short side gets half noodle (alternating sides will prevent lasagna from buckling). Spread 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce over second layer of noodles, followed by 1/2 cup fontina. Create third layer using 3 1/2 noodles (reversing arrangement again), remaining cheese sauce, and 1/2 cup fontina.
• Lay remaining 3 1/2 noodles over cheese sauce. Spread remaining tomato sauce over noodles. Toss remaining 1/2 cup fontina with 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch, then sprinkle over tomato sauce, followed by Pecorino.
• Spray sheet of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray and cover lasagna. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
• Remove foil from lasagna, return to oven, and continue to bake until top is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let lasagna cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil, cut into pieces, and serve.

GRILLED CHEESE AND TOMATO SOUP LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter both sides of each piece of bread with the softened butter and arrange on 2 baking sheets. Bake, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and toasted, about 15 minutes.
• Line the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with 6 slices of toasted bread and toss together the Cheddar and mozzarella in a bowl. Sprinkle the toast evenly with about 1 cup of the cheese mixture and a third of the scallions, then sprinkle with a few grinds of the pepper. Repeat this process with another layer of 6 slices of toast, 1 cup of cheese, a third of the scallions and black pepper. Add the final pieces of toast on top.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the tomato soup, milk and eggs until smooth and well-combined. Pour the tomato soup mixture over the casserole evenly so all of the toast is coated and covered. Finish off the top with the remaining cheese and scallions.
• Bake the lasagna until the sides are bubbling and the top is browned in spots, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

CREAMY TOMATO LASAGNA WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes or until they have given up most of their juices.
• Crumble sausage and beef into saucepan. Cook 10 minutes, breaking up and stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
• Increase heat to medium-high and stir in wine. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wine nearly evaporates. Add 1 cup milk and cook about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until no liquid remains. Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, basil, black pepper and pepper flakes. Heat to simmer, then simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in mascarpone and remove sauce from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (Mixture should be saucy in order to hydrate the noodles during baking.)
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly and making sure mixture does not brown. Remove from heat.
• Gradually beat in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly (especially the corners), and boil 3 minutes or until thickened. (Not cooking the whole time will leave your sauce tasting floury.) Remove from heat and stir in salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (Do not add too much salt because you will be adding salty cheese.)
• Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, mix mozzarella and Parmesan; set aside.
• Spread about 1 1/4 cups of the meat sauce evenly over bottom of baking dish (it may not completely cover the bottom); top with 3 noodles. Top noodles with 1/2 cup of the white sauce, spreading it as best as you can. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese mixture. Top cheese with 1 1/4 cups of the meat sauce. Place 3 noodles on top of meat sauce. Repeat the following layers twice: 1/2 cup white sauce, 1 cup cheese mixture, 1 1/4 cups meat sauce, 3 noodles. Spread remaining white sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups cheese. You will be at the top of baking dish.
• Tear off piece of foil large enough to amply cover top of baking dish. Spray one side of foil with cooking spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down. (Lasagna can be refrigerated up to 12 hours at this point.)
• Bake 30 minutes (if lasagna was refrigerated, bake 40 minutes). Carefully remove foil and bake 20 minutes longer or until top is lightly brown in spots and edges are hot and bubbly.

CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and lay lasagna flat on foil to cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper; mix well.
• In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute garlic for 2 minutes; stir in spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Heat sauce until warmed through, stirring occasionally, 2 to 5 minutes.
• Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread half the ricotta mixture over noodles; top with another noodle layer. Pour 1 1/2 cups of sauce over noodles, and spread the remaining ricotta over the sauce. Top with remaining noodles and sauce and sprinkle mozzarella over all. Cover with greased foil.
• Bake 45 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and top is golden.

EASY LASAGNA III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a skillet, brown ground beef. Using a fork, mix cottage cheese, eggs, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl combine tomato paste and tomato sauce.
• In a 9x13 inch baking pan, layer noodles, ground beef, tomato sauce mixture and cottage cheese mixture. Two layers of each will fit. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove tin foil the last 8 minutes of baking time.

CHEESY LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato paste, water, brown sugar, oregano, vinegar and garlic powder., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spread 1 cup of meat sauce. Layer with three noodles, 1 cup meat sauce and mozzarella cheese; three noodles, 1 cup meat sauce and Monterey Jack cheese; three noodles, 1 cup meat sauce, provolone cheese and the Parmesan cheese., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

TOMATO-SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Fill a 9-by-13-inch baking dish two-thirds of the way with hot tap water. Add noodles, and arrange them in alternating directions to prevent sticking. Let soak while preparing sauce.
• Make sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their puree, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. (You should have about 8 cups of sauce.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain noodles, transfer to a baking sheet; dry dish with paper towels. Spoon 1 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Fit 4 noodles in dish (crosswise if using short noodles, lengthwise if using long), overlapping slightly. Cover with 2 cups sauce, 2 cups mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with another layer, then top with remaining noodles, 3 cups sauce, and the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour.
• Remove foil, and continue baking until bubbly and browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 20 minutes. Cut and serve.