A tried and true comfort food, Lasagna is beloved by many a family. And because it is such a crowd pleaser, I almost always end up making it when we have people over – hence the name Company Lasagna. This recipe is my husband’s all-time favorite dinner food, and has received many compliments, including one person who said, “I don’t even like lasagna, but I like this.”
High praise, indeed.
The first thing you will need is a batch of your favorite spaghetti sauce and some cooked lasagna noodles, so get that going first. Then, while your spaghetti sauce and noodles are cooking and your oven is preheating, mix together sour cream and ricotta cheese for a smooth, creamy filling.
And measure out 3 cups of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Mmmm, cheese.
Then spread a layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of your favorite 9×13 pan. Other ingredients are standing by.
Then layer 3 noodles and half of your ricotta/sour cream mixture.
Layer about half of your remaining spaghetti sauce and half of the cheese. Then rinse, lather, and repeat, starting with another layer of noodles until you have used up your ingredients. Prepare to bake!
Bake for 25-30 minutes, then cool for a few minutes and serve. And hope you have some leftover because this recipe makes great re-heated lunches.
Company Lasagna
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 15 minutes
Serves 6-8
1 batch spaghetti sauce (or two jars of your favorite store-bought)
6 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare a batch of spaghetti sauce using my favorite recipe or two jars of your favorite store-bought sauce. While the sauce is going, boil the noodles according to package instructions.
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and sour cream until smooth, then set aside. Measure the cheddar and mozzarella into a separate bowl and toss to combine.
Once the noodles and sauce are both ready, begin by spreading about a cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Over that layer 3 cooked noodles, then spread half of the ricotta/sour cream mixture evenly over top. Next spread approximately half of the remaining spaghetti sauce over top, and then half the cheese.
Repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients (noodles, ricotta/sour cream, spaghetti sauce, cheese), then bake for 25-30 minutes, until it is bubbly throughout and the cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
To Freeze:
Follow recipe up through the last layer of spaghetti sauce, then cover and freeze. On the day you are ready to bake, place it in the refrigerator in the morning and let it thaw throughout the day. Then preheat oven, top with cheese, bake, and cool, according to the rest of the recipe. As long as it is tightly covered it will keep well for a couple months in the freezer.