Make Mac and Cheese Lasagna

If you can't decide whether to make meat lasagna or mac and cheese, do both! Instead of layering lasagna noodles, make elbow macaroni with the classic cheese sauce. Layer these with meat and pasta sauce. You can make a quick version that uses purchased boxes of mac and cheese with sauce. Or create a homemade dish that uses cottage cheese and lots of fresh flavor. Top either recipe with extra cheese and bake it until the cheese becomes bubbly.

Ingredients

Quick Mac and Cheese Lasagna

• 2 (7.5 ounce or 206 g) packages of macaroni and cheese
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (115 g) butter, diced
• 1 pound (453 g) ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups (340 g) spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup (56 g) shredded mozzarella

Makes 6 servings

Mac and Cheese Lasagna From Scratch

• 2 1/2 cups (500 g) cooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cups (500 g) cottage cheese
• 1 cup (100 g) grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup (100 g) grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 17 to 25 ounces (500 to 700 g) ground beef
• 1 (28 ounce or 794 g) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Steps

Making Quick Mac and Cheese Lasagna

1. Preheat the oven. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). While you don't have to bake the lasagna, it won't be as hot and bubbly as if you had baked it.
2. Boil the macaroni noodles. Heat a large pot full of water over high heat. Once the water boils, open two 7.5 ounce (206 g) packages of macaroni and cheese. Remove the powdered cheese packets and set them aside. Stir the noodles into the boiling water and let them boil for 7 to 8 minutes.
   • Stir the noodles every once in a while to keep them from sticking. They should be soft once they've finished cooking.
3. Drain the macaroni and combine it with the cheese sauce. Place a colander in the sink and carefully pour the cooked noodles into it. The water should drain into the sink and you can transfer the noodles back to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce ingredients until they're combined. You'll need to add:
   • The two powdered cheese packets
   • 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
   • 1/2 cup (115 g) diced butter
4. Cook the beef. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 pound (453 g) of ground beef. Stir the beef occasionally and cook it until it's completely brown and registers a temperature of 160 degrees F (70 C). Drain off any grease or pat the beef with a paper towel.
   • You could also substitute ground turkey or chicken, if you'd like a leaner meal.
5. Stir in spaghetti sauce and prepare a baking pan. Pour 1 1/2 cups (340 g) of spaghetti sauce into the pan with the ground beef. Stir the sauce to combine it. Set this aside while you spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
   • Greasing the pan will make it easier to remove the mac and cheese lasagna. It will also make it easier to clean the pan.
6. Assemble the mac and cheese lasagna. Scoop half of the meat sauce across the bottom of the greased pan. Spread half of the prepared mac and cheese evenly over the sauce. Spread the rest of the meat sauce over the noodles and spread the last of the mac and cheese on top. Sprinkle the casserole with 1/2 cup (56 g) of shredded mozzarella.
7. Bake the casserole. Put the casserole in the preheated oven and bake it for 15 minutes. This will ensure that the lasagna is hot. Baking the casserole will also make the cheese melt and bubble.
   • Consider serving the mac and cheese lasagna with parmesan cheese, a green salad, or crusty bread.

Making Mac and Cheese Lasagna From Scratch

1. Saute the onions and aromatics. Heat a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil heats, stir in 1 diced onion, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds. Stir the mixture occasionally and let it cook for about 7 to 8 minutes.
   • The onion should become translucent and tender.
2. Stir in and cook the ground beef. Add 17 to 25 ounces (500 to 700 g) of ground beef. Stir it well to break up the beef. Cook the beef mixture for about 10 minutes or until it's browned and completely cooked.
   • The meat should be cooked to 160 degrees F (70 C).
3. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir in 1 (28 ounce or 794 g) can of crushed tomatoes along with the following seasonings:
   • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
   • 1 bay leaf
   • ½ teaspoon paprika
   • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
   • Salt and pepper to taste
4. Simmer the sauce and preheat the oven. Bring the meat sauce to a boil and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the sauce bubble gently with the lid off. This will help the sauce thicken a little. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped basil. You should also preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
   • You can simmer the sauce as long as you like. If you don't have much time, even 5 minutes of simmering is fine.
5. Assemble the mac and cheese lasagna. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and spread 1 to 2 cups (150 to 300 g) of the meat sauce across the bottom. Measure out 2 1/2 cups (500 g) of cooked elbow macaroni and scatter half of the noodles over the sauce. Spread 1 cup (250 g) of cottage cheese over the noodles and sprinkle 1/3 cup (33 g) of grated mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup (33 g) of grated cheddar cheese on top. Repeat these layers, so you end with grated cheese on top.
6. Bake the casserole. Put the mac and cheese lasagna in the oven and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes. The cheese on top should be melted and golden brown. You should also see sauce bubbling up through the noodles.
   • Garnish the casserole with some fresh parsley and serve it after it's set for a few minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Digital scale
• Skillet or saucepan
• Spoon
• Can opener
• Large casserole dish
• Knife and cutting board
• Large pot with lid
• Cooking spray
• Colander or strainer

Sources and Citations

See also

• Cook with Cheese
• Slice Cheese
• Make Cheese Sauce with Jalapeño Peppers
• Make Paneer (Indian Cheese)
• Make Cottage Cheese Good
• Make Cheese Babka
• Make Mozzarella Cheese with Cultures
• Eat Cottage Cheese
• Make Strawberry Cream Cheese
• Make Cheese Sauce in the Microwave

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