Easy Lasagna Recipes for Kids

White Sauce Lasagna

This homemade lasagna combines a beef and tomato sauce with a creamy mozzarella white sauce. Instead of using a ricotta or cottage cheese filling, the white sauce becomes the creamy layer between the noodles.

Tomato Meat Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 6 cups crushed, diced or pureed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

White Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For Assembly

• 1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles, enough for a 9x13-inch baking dish
• Additional shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese for topping, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, oregano and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes while you prepare the white sauce. Remove the bay leaves before assembling the lasagna.
6. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
7. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
8. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
9. Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
10. Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella cheese until melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
11. Spread a thin layer of tomato meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
12. Add a layer of oven-ready noodles, followed by tomato sauce and white sauce.
13. Continue layering until the ingredients are used, finishing with enough sauce to completely cover the top noodles.
14. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, if desired.
15. Cover loosely with foil and bake according to the lasagna noodle package directions, generally about 35-45 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbling.
16. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes if you'd like the cheese on top to brown.
17. Let the lasagna stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Cottage Cheese Lasagna

This classic-style lasagna layers noodles and tomato sauce with a cottage cheese filling made with mozzarella, Gruyère and Parmesan. Cottage cheese makes an easy alternative to ricotta and gives the filling a creamy texture.

Cheese Filling

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, plus more for topping
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

For the Lasagna

• 12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 4 cups spaghetti or tomato sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and arrange them separately so they don't stick together.
3. In a large bowl, combine the mozzarella, Gruyère, cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, egg, salt and pepper. Reserve some mozzarella and Gruyère for the top.
4. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
6. Spread part of the cheese mixture over the noodles, followed by more tomato sauce.
7. Continue layering noodles, cheese filling and sauce until the ingredients are used.
8. Top with the reserved mozzarella and Gruyère.
9. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling and the cheese is lightly browned.
11. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Lasagna Soup

Lasagna soup turns the familiar flavors of lasagna into an easy one-pot meal. Use small mafalda noodles for a lasagna-like shape, break regular lasagna noodles into bite-size pieces or use another short pasta you already have.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 small onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 green bell pepper, diced, optional
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 4 cups beef, chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 8 ounces mafalda or other short pasta
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Shredded mozzarella cheese, for serving
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Add the ground beef or turkey, onion and bell pepper to a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned and cooked through.
3. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth and Italian seasoning.
5. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
6. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to a simmer.
7. Cook according to the pasta package directions, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.
8. If the soup becomes thicker than you like, stir in additional broth.
9. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
10. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna replaces the usual tomato meat sauce with creamy Alfredo sauce and cooked chicken. A cottage cheese and Parmesan filling keeps the familiar layered-lasagna texture while giving the recipe a completely different flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, or enough for a 9x13-inch baking dish
• 3 cups Alfredo sauce, homemade or prepared
• 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup mozzarella, cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, salt and pepper.
3. Spread a thin layer of Alfredo sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
4. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
5. Spread part of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.
6. Sprinkle with cooked chicken and spoon Alfredo sauce over the chicken.
7. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used.
8. Finish with Alfredo sauce and the remaining mozzarella and additional Parmesan cheese.
9. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or according to the oven-ready noodle package directions.
10. Remove the foil and continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, the filling is hot and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
11. Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Lasagna roll ups use the same basic ingredients as layered lasagna, but each noodle is filled and rolled individually. Kids often enjoy this method because everyone can help make a roll. Leftover roll ups can also be reheated individually, making them handy for dinner leftovers or packed kids lunches.

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
• 3 cups spaghetti or tomato sauce
• 1 cup chopped spinach, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain and lay them flat so they don't stick together.
3. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese or ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, parsley and spinach, if using.
4. Spread about 1 cup tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. Lay one cooked lasagna noodle flat and spread a thin layer of cheese filling over the noodle.
6. Roll the noodle up from one short end.
7. Place the roll seam-side down in the baking dish.
8. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling.
9. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
10. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 25 minutes.
11. Remove the foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.
12. Let cool for several minutes before serving.