Skip to Content

Easy Gift Lasagna

Unleash your inner chef as well as your southern hospitality with this Easy Gift Lasagna! Its immensly satisfying and a culinary masterpiece that you’ll be proud to carry to the neighbors when they’ve had a new baby, an illness or when you just want to have food to share with those you love!

pan of easy gift lasagna.

Crafted with simplicity in mind as well as your time, it’s not like taking a casserole, instead, with just a few basic ingredients and minimal prep time, you can create this mouthwatering lasagna that is sure to impress even the toughest food critics.

It freezes great and it makes the perfect gift for someone who needs an easy meal to pop in the oven. They will be able to sink their teeth into the tender sheets of pasta and embrace the rich flavors of the tomato sauce, the generously layered cheeses like creamy ricotta and parmesan and the savory ground beef.

It’s topped with a blanket of melted mozzerella. The whole thing is a testament to the art of Italian comfort food. This dish is guaranteed to steal the show leaving everyone asking for more when you take it to your friends and neighbors as a gift of hospitality!

You might have tried some of our other lasagnas like Cowboy Lasagna, Mushroom Lasagna with White sauce, Chorizo Mouthparty Lasagna Rolls or the Best Classico Lasaga Recipe Ever!

Easy gift lasagna ingrdients.

Here’s What You’ll Need

  • You’ll need a smaller aluminum pan. I like the 9×6 pans, but any along that size will work.
  • Lasagna noodles
  • Ground Beef
  • Sauce
  • Cheeses

Here’s How You Do It

  • Brown the ground beef.
  • Layer in a pan with sauce and cheeses.
  • Apply the lid and add directions to the lid for freezer storage.
Easy gift lasagna and cutting board.

Tips and Tricks

  • When creating this recipe, it works well to use a bottled sauce like Classico, Prego, etc. This will save you time and your creation will still taste just as good to whomever you are gifting this lasagna.
  • You can cook the noodles yourself or use the no cook type of lasagna noodles. If you choose to use the no cook type be sure of a couple of things: Do not overlap the noodles in the pan and do not allow the noodles to touch the pan either on the bottom or at the edges.
  • Use ricotta cheese but if it is not available, use cottage cheese.
  • An easy hack is to mix the cheese all together (except what you will put on the top) and then use the mixed cheese on the interior of the lasagna.
  • Here’s What the USDA has to say about frozen lasagna

PRO TIP: A bit of cheddar cheese mixed into your interior cheeses ads a fantastic pop of flavor. Make it about 1/3 of the shredded cheese mix.

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

You can store the uncooked lasagna in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Leftovers can last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5 days.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place the thawed lasagna in the oven at 350 for an hour. The frozen lasagna will need 2 hours in a 350 oven.

Watch Me Make This Recipe

Did you make this lasagna and take it to a friend? I hope so! Come visit me on social media and let me know how it went, ok?

You can also leave me a comment in the comment section below, that helps others to find the recipes at Loaves and Dishes to and for that I thank you! I can’t wait to see your comments, I answer every one myself.

pan of easy gift lasagna.

Easy Gift Lasagna

This recipe for Easy Gift Lasagna is the perfect dish to take to a new neighbor, sick friend or the bereaved – everyone loves it
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Gift Lasagna, Lasagna
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 612kcal

Ingredients

  • 23.5 oz spaghetti sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce
  • 9 noodles Lasagna
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 8 oz Ricotta Cheese
  • 4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Prepare Sauce according to instructions and set aside or open sauce jar.
  • Prepare Lasagna noodles according to package instructions –be sure to salt the water. After drained, toss with olive oil to help prevent sticking
  • Cut Lasagna noodles to the required length to fit in the pan. Save the smaller pieces as you may need to piece them together while making the lasagna.
  • Set your containers out in a row in front of you. Coat the bottom of each pan with one large spoonful of sauce. Then begin to layer noodles, Spoonfulls of ricotta cheese that are sufficient to coat the noodles, several spoonfuls of sauce to make a layer over the ricotta, shredded mozzarella to cover the sauce then repeat starting with the noodles again. Should make 2-3 layers depending on depth of pan. End with layer of Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the parmesan over the top.
  • Cover with the included top and label with a sharpie marker – name of dish, instructions for preparation and date of preparation. Use by date.

Notes

It is always easier to make several of these at one time, place them in the freezer and they you have them ready when you need them! 
Take this gift lasagna, a bag of salad, a loaf of bread with some flavored butter and a small dessert for a complete meal that will be appreciated! 
  • When creating this recipe, it works well to use a bottled sauce like Classico, Prego, etc. This will save you time and your creation will still taste just as good to whomever you are gifting this lasagna.
  • You can cook the noodles yourself or use the no cook type of lasagna noodles. If you choose to use the no cook type be sure of a couple of things: Do not overlap the noodles in the pan and do not allow the noodles to touch the pan either on the bottom or at the edges.
  • Use ricotta cheese but if it is not available, use cottage cheese.
  • An easy hack is to mix the cheese all together (except what you will put on the top) and then use the mixed cheese on the interior of the lasagna.
  • Here’s What the USDA has to say about frozen lasagna

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy Gift Lasagna
Amount Per Serving
Calories 612 Calories from Fat 387
% Daily Value*
Fat 43g66%
Saturated Fat 24g120%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 14g
Cholesterol 134mg45%
Sodium 1940mg81%
Potassium 667mg19%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 1926IU39%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 1003mg100%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @loavesanddishes or tag #loavesanddishes!

This article orginally appeared on the pages of Loaves and Dishes on March 5, 2015 and has been updated to be the most helpful guide to making Easy Gift Lasagna Ever. It would only be more helpful if I made it for you.

A Verse to Share

Please God help me be more humble.

Psalm 25:9

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Wendi is the writer, CEO and dishwasher at Loaves and Dishes! When not in the kitchen or behind the computer, you can find Wendi serving on International Food Conference Boards, Speaking at various conferences, Leading and Cooking for the local Arts Council's "Taste of Stokes" events or donating home cooked goodies to various local non profits such as the Danbury Songwriters and Stokes Partnership for Children. Wendi is also a Registered Nurse with a Master's Degree and serves on her town's board of councilmen.

Recipe Rating




kate

Friday 18th of February 2022

Why doesn't this show what the instructions are for baking this? It says to write the instructions for baking on the lid but not what those instructions are.

Pat

Tuesday 29th of May 2018

Wendi, as I was reading your above recipe for (Homemade Gift Lasagna) the bottom part where it should show the rest of the recipe it is completely cut off, or is missing from the page. I would like to copy the recipe, but cannot. Thank you for the recipe. It sounds so good.

Wendi Spraker

Tuesday 29th of May 2018

Pat, I sent you an email.

Wendi Spraker

Tuesday 29th of May 2018

Let me go see what's going on. I'll get back with you immediately.

Moxie

Friday 2nd of February 2018

Hello recipe!

Erin @ Platings and Pairings

Friday 13th of March 2015

Love your idea of writing the instructions on the lid - Makes for such a special, personalized (and YUMMY) gift!

wendi.spraker@yahoo.com

Saturday 14th of March 2015

Erin, Thank you for visiting! I was making up a batch of these for my daughter's professor who is having surgery - thought it would be easy for him to eat while recovering and thought - "I make so many of these, and it is so easy to do and have in the freezer to give away - I'll just put it on the blog". I'm glad that I did. Thanks for the comment!

pam (Sidewalk Shoes)

Friday 6th of March 2015

Thank you for visiting my blog! I'm a southerner now too, though originally from Missouri!

wendi.spraker@yahoo.com

Sunday 8th of March 2015

Thanks for visiting Pam! Come back soon now, ya hear? lol. :)

15585

Want My 9 Secrets to Immediate Kitchen Confidence?