The Best No-Bake Lazy Lasagna

Egg noodles are coated with pesto and sour cream, then layered with a rich tomato basil meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. All this goodness gets popped in the microwave until bubbly. A perfect busy weeknight meal your family will flip for! Serve with a green salad and you’re all set!

Years ago my mom gave my brothers and I a handmade cookbook for Christmas containing several recipes she made while we were growing up. It was so thoughtful and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it since.

Lazy Lasagna happens to be one of the many delicious recipes she shared. I’m so glad she did because I always love a big pan of creamy pasta with meat sauce and cheese.

What Makes Lazy Lasagna So Lazy?

1. Egg noodles cook much quicker and easier than lasagna noodles.
2. Only two layers to assemble with just a few ingredients.
3. Start to finish, this recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.
4. This is a no-bake lasagna which means you’ll save roughly 20-25 minutes of cooking time.

The original recipe is very good but I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I made a few changes that turned this yummy dish into THE BEST LAZY LASAGNA EVER!

Let’s eat!🤍

The Best No-Bake Lazy Lasagna

This quick and easy no-bake lasagna is so flavorful. Creamy noodles dressed with pesto and topped with a rich meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. A family favorite!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6 people

Calories 524 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/4 pound lean Italian turkey sausage I use Jennie-o
• 1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped fine
• 12 ounces extra wide egg noodles
• 2 tbsp homemade or store-bought basil pesto
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 2 cups low-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 24 ounce jar tomato basil pasta sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

 

Prepare noodles and meat sauce

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a good pinch of salt and add noodles. Give it a good stir and cook just until Al dente, about 6-7 minutes. You want a bit of firmness to the noodles so they hold together when you add the pesto and sour cream. Otherwise it will be mushy.
• While noodles cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, ground turkey and Italian sausage. Break meat up into crumbles and cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Add the jar of pasta sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste to make sure you don't need salt and pepper. I didn't need to add any.
• Once pasta is finished cooking, drain but do not rinse. Add pesto, sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Fold gently until combined and creamy.

Assemble lasagna

• In a 9×13-inch baking dish lay down 1/2 the noodles, 1/2 the meat sauce, spreading evenly on top of the noodles, and 1 cup of cheese. Repeat with remaining noodles, meat sauce, and cheese. Microwave covered or uncovered for 5-7 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

Oven Method- Heat oven to 350. Assemble the lasagna per-instructions. Bake for 20 minutes covered or until hot and bubbly. If you want the top to be a little crispy around the edges, put back in the oven for 5-7 minutes with foil off.

Meat Substitutes- Lean ground beef, ground chicken, and Italian pork sausage all work great in this recipe. Make sure to drain excess fat from the pan before adding in the tomato sauce if using a meat that is higher in fat.

Pasta Sauce- Any jar of pasta sauce will work. 

1. Roasted garlic and herbs
2. Mushrooms and ripe olives
3. Vodka pasta sauce
4. Marinara sauce

Fresh Herbs- Add fresh chopped herbs to the hot noodles just before adding the pesto and sour cream. A pinch or two of basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, oregano, and rosemary all work well. 

Sour Cream Substitutes- If you don’t love sour cream, here are some good replacements for this recipe. 

1. Full-fat Greek yogurt (1 cup)
2. Reduced-fat cream cheese (4 oz)
3. Cottage cheese (1 cup)

 

Nutritional facts for this recipe may vary depending on brands used. 

Keyword 30-minute meals, Cheese, Ground Turkey, Lasagna, noodles, Pasta sauce

Below you’ll find some of the products I used in this recipe. The link takes you directly to the products without having to spend time searching!