This Spicy Lasagna Hotdish has all the flavors and textures of traditional lasagna, with bite-sized noodles and the addition of some heat. It's loaded with cheesy goodness, so delicious!From Brenda Score of A Farmgirl's Dabbles.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
- Yields:
- 10 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Cook Time:
- 1 hr 40 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 55 mins
Ingredients
- 12 oz. weight Mafalda Pasta
- 1 lb. Hot Italian Pork Sausage
- 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Large Onion, Diced
- 4 cloves (Large) Garlic, Minced
- 1 can (28 Oz. Size) Diced Tomatoes, Drained
- 1 can (14 1/2 Oz. Size) Tomato Sauce
- 1 can (6 Oz. Size) Tomato Paste
- 2 tsp. Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp. Dried Basil
- 1 tsp. Dried Thyme
- 3/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Or To Taste
- 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt, Divided
- 1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 15 oz. weight Ricotta
- 1 Large Egg
- 4 c. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided
- 3/4 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese, Divided
- 2 tbsp. Minced Fresh Parsley, Plus More For Garnish
- 1/2 c. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, just to al dente. Drain in a colander set in the sink and then run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking. Let drain.
While pasta is cooking, brown pork sausage and ground beef in a very large skillet with tall sides over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up clumps as the meats cook. Once meats have almost cooked through (with just a bit of pink left in the centers), drain and discard excess fat from skillet. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, along with oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Let simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in drained noodles, and then place half of the noodle mixture in a large casserole dish.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta and egg until well combined. Stir in 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over the noodle mixture, leaving a 1-inch border of noodles around the edge (see photo in post). Then top ricotta mixture with the remaining noodles mixture.
Cover hotdish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until hotdish is starting to bubble a bit. Then remove dish from oven and remove foil. Top hotdish with theremaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella and the shredded cheddar. And finally, sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over it all. Place in oven again and bake for another 10–15 minutes, uncovered, until cheeses are nicely melted and hotdish is bubbling hot. Then place hotdish under broiler for a few minutes, until cheeses are browned to your liking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional minced fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Well, here we are, our third month into this series of monthly casseroles. Man, how time flies when you’re eating warm, delicious dishes of yum!
In October, there was my Kicked-Up Tator Tot Hotdish, which I’ve received lots of awesome feedback on from people who’ve made it. Then November was a bonus month with two casseroles: a regularly scheduled Turkey and Biscuits Casserole with Lemon and Dill (if you like turkey pot pie, I’m bettingyou’ll like this, too!) and my Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Bacon and Fried Shallots for the Food & Friends Thanksgiving Dinner.
Now, in December, I’m turning away from the creamy homemade gravies and using a tomato base instead. This Spicy Lasagna Hotdish is a home run every single time at our dinner table. Because who doesn’t love a comforting dish of pasta, tomato sauce, and plenty of meat and cheese?
Do you know aboutmafalda pasta? It’s a noodle that I first started using in my lasagna soup recipe many years ago, and I can’t help but keep it in our pantry. It’s so much fun!
Mafalda is like a smalllasagna noodle, flat with pretty, rippled edges. It’s sturdy enough to stand up to a meat sauce, just the perfect pasta for this spicy lasagna hotdish. I also like that its bite-sized form makes it super easy to serve and to eat. Our local grocery store always has mafalda available, but if you can’t find it, just substitute fusilli.
I like a lasagna that’s rich in tomato flavor and big on cheese. Layered in the heart of this dish is a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
The cheesy yum gets spread over half of the noodle-meat-tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish, and is then topped with the remaining noodle mixture. When the hotdish gets baked, this layer takes on an almost luxurious texture. Kinda silky, kinda chewy-cheesy. It just might be my favorite part!
I fell in love with spicy tomato sauce after trying a jarred version from Trader Joe’s called arrabiata sauce. The Italian word arrabiata means “angry” in English, which I thought was fun for a description of tomato sauce. I’ve replicated the angry attitude here in this hotdish by addingred pepper flakes and a bit of cayenne to the tomato sauce. You’ll also find a mixture of hot Italian pork sausage and ground beef in here. I like both of these meats so much, and feel that they both contribute equally to lasagna—I couldn’t choose just one!
This spicy lasagna hotdish has all the flavors and textures of traditional lasagna, with bite-size noodles and the addition of some heat. Ifyour heat tolerance is on the lower end of the spectrum, you may want to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes down a bit. And if you like spice a whole lot, feel free to add more. I promise that you won’t hurt my feelingsif you call this dish“Minnesota spicy”. Yes, that’s a real term in my part of the world, one that pokesfun at the German and Scandinavian palates of the Upper Midwest. And yes, there’s a bit of sharp cheddar cheese melted on top of this lasagna. Not exactly a traditional cheese for lasagna, but one that I like for its depth of flavor and contrast incolor. Besides, this is a hotdish. I can do whatever I like with it!
