CUISINES/ ITALIAN/ MAINS

Quick and Easy Lasagna For Two

Hello and welcome! While today’s Easy Lasagna recipe is perfect for two, it will make enough for four – you might have to kiss goodbye any leftovers, though – cue the sad trombone. So make this for you and your sweetheart and enjoy the leftovers the next day! In my opinion, lasagna is the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner. The humble homey-ness of Lasagna is loving and comforting, rich and warm like a tender hug. Let’s get right to it!

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I have a few tricks up my sleeve for this Lasagna; one is grated Fontina cheese. Fontina is a super buttery, nutty cheese that melts beautifully and adds a mild tangy flavor, which really goes well with the fresh mozzarella. The other umami-boosting ingredient is fresh pesto. The pungent herbaceous flavor of fresh pesto adds complexity to this Easy Lasagna and it really does give it that little extra specialness.

Meat Sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. We will start with the meat sauce. You can use ground beef; or you can go vegetarian if you want and use mushrooms for meatiness. I like to use sausage because it’s already seasoned. So I feel like I am partway there, in terms of making a quick homemade meat sauce.

I have one pound of sweet Italian sausage. Brown the sausage in a skillet, with a drizzle of olive oil, over medium heat with diced onion. When the sausage is browned and cooked through, add half a jar of tomato sauce. Then add a can of diced tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup of chopped Calabrian peppers. Stir this together and let it simmer over medium/medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

The crushed Calabrian peppers are not that spicy; they are tangy with just a bit of heat. Once the sauce has simmered for about 10 minutes you can turn off the heat.

Turn your attention next to grating the 1 and 1/4 cups of Fontina cheese. Then, in a small bowl, mix together 7 ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the grated Fontina and 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season with a few cranks of fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of Kosher salt. Stir until well combined and set aside.

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Assemble the Easy Lasagna

Set up your assembly area with the sauce, the grated cheese, the fresh mozzarella, the ricotta mixture, pesto, lasagna noodles and an 8×8-inch, or 9×9-inch baking dish. I like to use fresh lasagna noodles, or no-cook lasagna noodles.

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Spoon and spread enough sauce in the dish to cover the bottom. Lay noodles or a lasagna sheet over the sauce. Then, ladle more sauce over the noodle layer.

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Dollop the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce, covering the sauce with the ricotta mix, this will be the only layer of ricotta, so use it all.

Evenly dot the top of the ricotta with pesto. You will only need about 1/4 cup of pesto.

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Time for another layer of noodles. Lay another single layer of noodles on top of the pesto and ricotta. You can break or tear noodles to get enough noodle to cover the pest and ricotta layer.

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Lay the fresh mozzarella slices on top of the noodle layer.

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Then cover the entire top with the remaining cup of grated Fontina.

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Cover the baking dish and place the whole dish on a sheet tray for easier handling. Bake the Easy Lasagna for 20 minutes, until the the sauce is bubbling up around the edges and the cheese is melted. Then remove the cover and continue baking for another 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to develop golden brown spotting. If needed, in the last 5 minutes, switch the oven to broil to let the cheese get browned.

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Easy Lasagna For Two

When you pull the lasagna from the oven, let it sit for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with chopped fresh parsley, or fresh basil. Then, use a serrated knife to slice and a rigid metal spatula to serve.

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I love this lasagna! The mixture of Fontina and fresh mozzarella is so sumptuous and rich; gooey melted cheese meeting chewy golden browned top layers of cheese. The hidden layer of pesto mixed with ricotta is a beautifully delicious surprise. Large chunks of sausage in the sauce makes for really nice texture variation.

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It might not be the fanciest Valentine’s Day dinner for two, but I will say it’s a damn sexy one! Consider making this Easy Lasagna for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day. Definitely pin this recipe to Pinterest and have it at the top of your list when you want a great recipe for two – with leftovers you will be dreaming about eating the next day! ❤️ Take care and be well, friends. xo Kelly

Items Found in This Recipe

Easy Lasagna For Two

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Dinner, Main Course Italian-American
By Kelly Djalali Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 30 Minutes (including sauce) Cooking Time: 35 Minutes Total Time: ~1 Hour

Lasagna is the perfect Valentine's Day dinner. The humble homey-ness of Lasagna is loving and comforting, rich and warm like a tender hug. With a mix of Fontina and Fresh Mozzarella cheeses, and a layer of Pesto.

Ingredients

  • Drizzle of Olive Oil
  • 1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage
  • 1/2 Onion, diced
  • 1/2 Jar Tomato Sauce (about 10 oz.)
  • 1 14.5-oz. can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup Chopped Calabrian Peppers
  • Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
  • 7 oz. Ricotta (about 1/2 of a 15-oz. container)
  • 1.25 cups Grated Fontina Cheese
  • 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Pesto
  • Fresh Lasagna Noodles or No Cook Dried Lasagna Noodles
  • 4-6 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
  • Chopped Fresh Parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2

Brown the sausage in a skillet, with a drizzle of olive oil, over medium heat with diced onion. When the sausage is browned and cooked through, add half a jar of tomato sauce. Then add a can of diced tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup of chopped Calabrian peppers. Stir this together and let it simmer over medium/medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

3

In a small bowl, mix together 7 ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the grated Fontina and 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season with a few cranks of fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of Kosher salt. Stir until well combined and set aside.

4

In a 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish, spoon and spread enough sauce in the dish to cover the bottom. Lay noodles or a lasagna sheet over the sauce. Then, ladle more sauce over the noodle layer.

5

Dollop the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce, covering the sauce with the ricotta mix, this will be the only layer of ricotta, so use it all.

6

Evenly dot the top of the ricotta with pesto.

7

Lay another single layer of noodles on top of the pesto and ricotta.

8

Lay the fresh mozzarella slices on top of the noodle layer.

9

Then cover the entire top with the remaining cup of grated Fontina.

10

Cover the baking dish and place the whole dish on a sheet tray for easier handling. Bake the Easy Lasagna for 20 minutes, until the the sauce is bubbling up around the edges and the cheese is melted. Then remove the cover and continue baking for another 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to develop golden brown spotting. If needed, in the last 5 minutes, switch the oven to broil to let the cheese get browned.

11

When you pull the lasagna from the oven, let it sit for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with chopped fresh parsley, or fresh basil.

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  • Arna
    January 31, 2022 at 8:24 am

    What size dish did you make this in? My husband loves lasagna, but I rarely make it since my recipe is for a large dish. Is this for, maybe, an 8n x 8 dish?

    • Kelly Djalali
      January 31, 2022 at 8:35 am

      Hi Arna, You are exactly right! Close to the top of the post I mention you can use either a 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. It’s perfect for two! xo Kelly

      • Arna
        January 31, 2022 at 10:08 am

        Perfect! We will get the ingredients on our shopping trip this week. My husband will be thrilled 🙂
        Thank you, Arna

        • Kelly Djalali
          January 31, 2022 at 10:53 am

          Wonderful! Let me know how you and your husband like this recipe, Arna! xo Kelly

  • Suzanne Smith
    January 31, 2022 at 9:30 am

    I love the idea of the pesto surprise, and I don’t think I’ve ever added fontina to it. I’ll have to try this. also love the smaller portioned dish as lasagna does last forever if it’s just the two of us.

    • Kelly Djalali
      January 31, 2022 at 10:50 am

      Hi Suzanne, The smaller size is really nice, plus it all feels like a lot less work! Let me know how y’all like it, have a wonderful week! xo Kelly

  • Terry
    January 31, 2022 at 10:27 am

    I’m making this tonight I’m going grocery shopping today. The Italian sausage sounds like a great change up from hamburger. I like that it’s small just enough for left overs but not hanging around for a week haha. Ok keep you posted on this one have a great Monday ❤️? mom

    • Kelly Djalali
      January 31, 2022 at 10:53 am

      Agreed, Mom – it’s the perfect 2-meal lasagna for two! I hope you and Gram enjoy this recipe, xo Kelly

  • Julie
    January 31, 2022 at 11:33 am

    Hi Kelly,
    I put my husband on your blog because he is beginning to share the cooking with me and seems to enjoy it. Today, he asked me if I had seen your lasagna recipe so I think that is a sign we (I) need to try it. I don’t make my own noodles and to date have not cared for the no cook noodles. Will cooked noodles work?
    Thanks, Julie

    • Kelly Djalali
      January 31, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      Hello Julie, Yes for sure you can use cooked noodles, just be sure they are only boiled to al dente, so they don’t get overcooked in the lasagna. I am happy you have turned your husband onto the blog! It’s so wonderful when everyone gets involved in the household cooking! Let me know how y’all like this lasagna! xo Kelly

  • Pat
    January 31, 2022 at 2:12 pm

    Love this, the big plus, I don’t have to think about down sizing a recipe. Good idea, recipes for two!

    • Kelly Djalali
      February 1, 2022 at 10:38 am

      Hi Pat, So glad you’re interested in recipes built for two! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment, it’s great to hear from you! xo Kelly

  • Sally Burke
    January 31, 2022 at 6:19 pm

    Hi Kelly, this lasagne recipe is definitely ideal for two so will have to give it a try next time I make lasagne. Normally I make it in a large dish as it is handy to have in the freezer for lunch or dinner depending on how large the slices are or if we have unexpected guests. Everyone loves lasagne don’t they?
    Happy cooking ?‍?
    Sally ?

    • Kelly Djalali
      February 1, 2022 at 10:40 am

      Lasagna is hard to beat, Sally! It’s such a crowd pleaser. I think you will like this recipe. Happy Cooking! xo Kelly

  • Jill
    February 4, 2022 at 8:16 am

    My dad wanted lasagna but a 9×13 stopped me, so this worked a treat. I have some frozen away for him but I had it for dinner, and have a couple of spares for the weekend. Delish!

    • Kelly Djalali
      February 4, 2022 at 8:24 am

      Hi Jill, Wonderful! I am so happy this worked out so well for you and your Dad. Thanks for checking back in to share. Have a warm and safe weekend! xo Kelly

  • Connie
    February 14, 2022 at 2:50 pm

    I am making this today! Valentines Day. Since it is just my husband and I this will be the perfect size as others have mentioned. We like a little spice, so I use hot Italian sausage and it is awesome. Love the idea of Pesto in it for a great addition to all the other flavors.
    I am new to your blog, but I am really enjoying it as I cook almost all our meals at home. Mainly because they taste better and I know what ingredients are in our food.
    P.S. I have been following your mother-in-law for awhile and that is how I found you!

    • Kelly Djalali
      February 14, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Hello Connie, I am so happy you found me through Beth’s Style at a Certain Age! The lasagna for two is wonderful- I am so glad it’s a hit! Thanks so much for following Djalali Cooks! xo Kelly