Christmas Lasagna

Christmas day is always a busy one. With opening presents in the morning, entertaining family and enjoying the day, it’s always nice to have your meals easy and ready to go. I like to have something on deck for breakfast and dinner. I like to call this recipe Christmas Lasagna for a couple of reasons. First, you serve it on Christmas or Christmas Eve! You can make it ahead of time, and it serves a crowd! And the second reason is that it’s red and green. Perfect for the holiday.

Why you’ll love this Christmas Eve lasagna

• Lasagna is a fan favorite! No one will complain when served lasagna!
• It’s an easy meal for a busy holiday. Throw it together the day before and pop it in the oven on the day of.
• It’s an inexpensive meal that kids and adults alike will be so satisfied with. And, let’s be honest, it’s almost better leftover.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

• 9×13 pan – To assemble the lasagna and bake.
• Frying Pan – I use this to brown my meat and make my bolognese sauce.
• Cheese grater or microplane – I prefer the microplane, as it makes the parm grate a bite more fine.
• Spatula – To make the bolognese and assemble the lasagna.
• Large Bowl – To mix your ricotta mixture.

That’s it!

**This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.**

Ingredients & substitutions

SAUCE

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 jar Raos marinara or your favorite marinara sauce
• 3 cloves garlic minced

PESTO COTTAGE CHEESE

• 15 ounces cottage cheese
• 6 ounces pesto
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 
• salt and pepper to taste

TO ASSEMBLE

• 24 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 1 box No-Boil Lasagna noodles
• More Parmesan for topping optional
• basil for topping optional

How to make this basil pesto lasagna

Step 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2. Brown the meat. Add your minced garlic. Add your jar of your favorite sauce. Let it simmer on low, while you prepare the ricotta pesto.

Step 3. To a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, pesto, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Step 4. To a greased baking dish, layer noodles, meat sauce, and mozzarella. Then another layer of noodles, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Repeat until pan is full and ingredients are gone.

Step 5. Cover with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, remove foil, add more mozzarella, and broil until the top is melted and crispy.

Step 6. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with basil, red pepper flakes and Parmesan.

What to serve with lasagna for Christmas Dinner

More holiday recipes

• Roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes
• Wild rice and sausage stuffed acorn squash