Why this 5 Cheese Lasagna Is So Easy To Make

This 5 cheese lasagna happens to be a family recipe, or what I like to call leftover lasagna. It’s a spin on the classic lasagna recipe made with ricotta cheese. One day, the refrigerator had empty space and few ingredients. However, our kitchen still had a blend of cheeses, ground beef, noodles, sauce, and seasoning from the spice cabinet.

This recipe is easy because you can make it with simple ingredients that you can find at your local supermarket. Best yet, the variety of cheeses makes it creamy and flavorful. Most importantly, this is the right meal for you if you don’t enjoy vegetables inside your main dish.

There’s nothing better than a homemade dinner that’s quick and easy to make. Plus, it’s a relief to know your food doesn’t contain preservatives like the one’s inside frozen lasagna. Cheesy lasagna made with meat sauce provides the best of both worlds.

Ingredients

Recipe Success Tips

First, one of the main challenges of making lasagna is getting the noodles just right. Use a timer to prevent the noodles from overcooking. If the noodles become mushy, each layer may fall apart after slicing.

You can avoid these issues by following the directions on the box. Follow the recommended cooking time for best results.

Also, cook a few extra noodles. Sometimes noodles break when transferred to the pan. I have made this recipe in a ceramic Lasagna pan along with  9″ x13″ aluminum foil pans. Typically, 9″ x13″ aluminum foil pans use 12 to 15 lasagna noodles, while lasagna pans use more.

How to Make 5 Cheese Lasagna

To make this dish you’ll need a large cooking pot and a large skillet or Sauté pan. I use a Sauté pan so the meat has enough room to cook evenly. Plus, you don’t have to worry about overcrowding when using a large pan.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sea salt to the water if desired. Next, carefully add the noodles to the pot. Once the pasta is cooked use a colander to strain it, then set aside.
2. Now you can start cooking the ground beef on medium heat. Season the meat with pepper and seasoning salt. Then combine the beef with diced onions. Once the beef starts to brown it becomes aromatic.

3. At this point change the setting to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Now it’s time to prepare the pan. Fill a cooking spoon with sauce and pour it onto the pan. Use the back of the spoon to spread the meat sauce all over the pan.

4. First, add a single layer of pasta to the pan. The only time I add the pasta horizontally is if there are gaps on the top or bottom of the pan. Then add 1/3 of the sauce onto the first layer. Finally, pour a cup of shredded cheese over the sauce. Make sure that the meat sauce and cheese are evenly distributed across the pan. Repeat this process until you have 3 layers. Top the final layer with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Note: If there are any pasta edges sticking out cut the edges off with a clean pair of kitchen scissors. if you bake the lasagna with the edges of the noodles sticking out those edges will be exposed to more heat in the oven. This causes crispy edges that are overcooked.

If you forget this step, it’s okay. Cut the edges off after you take the lasagna out of the oven.

Beef Options

It’s no surprise that quality meat makes a meal far more enjoyable. I recommend using grass fed beef or 75% lean ground beef. Both options are great to use. Cooking with meat with high fat content negatively impacts the texture. Usually, the fat gives the meat an excessively chewy texture.

In addition, using seasoning salt instead of table salt gives the meat a well-rounded flavor. It’s a great addition to savory dishes because it allows you to enjoy a meal that’s not overwhelming.

Ingredient Substitutions for 5 Cheese Lasagna

This recipe calls for half an onion. However, if you don’t have any onions, you can substitute the onion with dried chopped onion to taste. I don’t recommend substituting the sauce. Sometimes marinara sauce has a tendency to have a bland taste. For this reason, using a store-bought marinara sauce that is full of flavor is ideal.

Making homemade marinara sauce is another option, but for the sake of time Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce works just fine.

Lasagna Storage

Once the lasagna has rested, cover tightly with foil or store in freezer-safe containers. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.

More Recipes

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5 Cheese Lasagna

5 cheese lasagna is an easy, delicious meal that is worth every bite. This lasagna recipe has rich flavor with layers of melted cheese. This cheesy lasagna makes for a savory dinner that's ready in an hour.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 5 cheese lasagna

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 486kcal

Author Lala McCullough

Ingredients

• 12 Lasagna Sheets
• 3 pounds Ground Beef
• ½ Onion, chopped
• ½ tsp Crushed Black Pepper
• ½ tsp Seasoning Salt
• 2 28 oz Jars of Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce
• 3 cups 4 Cheese Blend Shredded Cheese (Monterey Jack, Medium Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero Cheddar)
• grated fresh parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375℉.
• Add the noodles to a large pot of boiling water. Pour a dash of olive oil into the water. After the noodles are cooked, use a colander to drain the water from the noodles and set aside.
• Add the ground beef to a large skillet on medium heat. Then add the salt, pepper, and chopped onion to the pan.
• Once the ground beef is cooked, drain the oil from the ground beef. Pour the marinara sauce on top of the ground beef. Stir together. Change the stove temperature to low for 3 minutes.
• Pour a spoonful of sauce onto an aluminum foil pan or lasagna dish. Use the back of the spoon to spread the sauce until it covers the whole pan.
• Add a single layer of pasta to the pan. Typically 4 lasagna sheets for each layer works fine. Pour one third of the meat sauce onto the pasta. Cover the sauce with one cup of shredded cheese.
• Repeat this process until you have 3 layers.
• Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
• Uncover the lasagna and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

*Calories are an estimate.

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Reasons to Love this Rice

Crock Pot rice is a convenient way to cook dinner. It allows you to cook multiple dishes at the same time. If you need to use the stove to make a sauce or sauté vegetables this is the perfect way to cook a meal. In addition, if you use an instant pot to slow cook meat and vegetables you can use the crock pot to cook everything at the same time.

Long grain white rice is light. The texture is firm enough to be paired with meat cooked with sauce. It goes with a wide variety of dishes. Cooking rice on the stove can be tricky. If you cook it for too long, it will over-cook. As a result, the rice burns. Under-cooking the rice causes the rice to be crunchy. For this reason, cooking rice over the stove requires some patience.

This recipe is the perfect solution if you are new to cooking rice or if you don’t enjoy making it.

Ingredients

These ingredients can be found at your local market or grocery store. This rice is simple to make with less than 5 ingredients!

Long Grain Rice: Long grain rice has a fluffy texture. Long grain rice is not sticky and it’s very light.

Water: This recipe uses water instead of chicken broth. Chicken broth tends to be salty. Also, it influences the flavor. Water maintains the neutral flavor of a white rice. Pairing this rice with a bold, flavorful main dish provides a balance that prevents the meal from being overpowering.

Sea Salt: Even with a slow cooker it’s important to add salt to the water. Salt plays a part in preventing it from tasting bland.

Room Temperature Butter: Rubbing the inside of the slow cooker with butter prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom. Room temperature butter is easier to work with. Plus, it’s another way to add flavor. Butter is a great option if you don’t have non-stick cooking spray.

How to Make Rice in the Crock Pot

To make this side dish you’ll need to start with a small pot or medium size bowl. Most grains contain dirt or other particles that need to be filtered out. For this reason, measure the rice and transfer it to a small pot. Rinse the rice several times. Draining the water from the pot after each rinse. You’ll notice that the water becomes clearer as you continue to go through this process.

I add heaping cups of rice to the pot because some of the rice gets lost during the rinsing process. Next, spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Avocado or canola oil cooking spray is a great option. Now it’s time to pour the rice into the slow cooker. Cover the rice with water and add salt.

Traditionally rice is cooked with a higher ratio of water compared to rice. However, I tested this rice using more water. In this instance, the rice has inconsistent results. Sometimes, the rice is completely cooked, and the excess water needs to be drained. Sometimes the rice becomes gummy or mushy.

This crock pot rice is wonderful because you have the flexibility to add seasoning to transform the flavor. Cajun seasoning works great with this rice. First, you can start with paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, and 21 seasoning. A 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper works for those who enjoy a subtle level of spiciness. For a more intense flavor use 3/4 teaspoon.

What to Serve with this Crock Pot Dish

Crock Pot Rice is a versatile side dish. I have used this rice to make a variety of dishes. It’s great to serve for dinner with main dishes like air fryer wild salmon, orange chicken, and Chicken Provençal.

In addition, you can use this rice for a quick stir fry. You can find shrimp stir fry kits at the supermarket. It’s easy to make with a single pan. Just 3 simple steps. Cook the stir fry, add the sauce, combine the rice and you have a delicious meal ready to go!

Overall, this rice is easy to make and makes dinner preparation a breeze!

Cooking Tips

Adjust the cooking time as needed: The rice may take a longer time to cook. If the rice is not cooked at the end of the cooking time, add 1/4 cup of water. Set the Crock Pot to High and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Stir Occasionally: Remember to stir occasionally to promote even cooking. Not stirring the rice may cause the seasoning to burn.

How to Store Leftovers:

Store leftover rice in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

If you want ideas for dessert, try out these desserts to feed a crowd that taste amazing!

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Crock Pot Rice

Enjoy perfectly cooked rice every time. Crock pot rice makes dinner preparation much simpler. There are many ways to create a mouthwatering meal with this rice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword crock pot rice

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Rest Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 461kcal

Equipment

• Crock-Pot Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 4 cups Long Grain White Rice
• 2 cups Water
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• unsalted butter optional

Instructions

• Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Pour the rice into a small pot. Thoroughly rinse with water.
• Drain all water from the pot. Then pour the rice into the Crock Pot.
• Add water and salt.
• Cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• If the rice is not cooked, add 1/4 cup water. Continue cooking in 15 minute intervals.

Notes

Cooking Spray Alternative: If you don’t have cooking spray you can rub butter onto the slow cooker instead.

Storing: Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

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