No time to make lasagna? This no-boil grilled cheese version uses bread instead of pasta
Lasagna is hands-down a family favorite — my boys love it, my husband loves it, and I love it. Well, to be honest, I love eating it. Making it? Not so much.
My family is busy. Really busy. As in I could be a millionaire if I charged my kids to Uber them to all of their practices and activities. So I don’t often have the luxury of the time it takes to boil the noodles before I assemble the ingredients.
What’s a busy mom to do? Sure, I have made lasagnas on the weekend to freeze for future meals. But even though I love cooking, I find myself asking, “Karen — is this the best use of this beautiful Saturday? Wouldn’t you rather be out for a walk than cleaning tomato sauce off of your counters?” And don’t get me started on the utter remorse in having to dispose of a homemade freezer-burned lasagna found hidden behind the gargantuan Costco-sized box of waffles!
In desperation, I’ve even purchased frozen lasagna to satisfy my family’s need for cheesy comfort food. It’s not my finest moment; one look at the sodium, fat, and preservative content sends me running back to the kitchen determined to create a healthy, delicious, and QUICK lasagna.
With this Momma Chef recipe, you can enjoy the satisfaction of serving your family a delicious homemade Italian meal without the hassle of boiling pasta noodles. In fact, you won’t need pasta at all. You just need to layer bread, sauce and cheese, and pop the lasagna in the oven.
• Karen Nochimowski is the author of the cookbook “6-Minute Dinners (& More!),” featuring more than 100 simple recipes. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef’s Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef’s Little Free Pantries. Part of her cookbook proceeds go toward feeding those facing food insecurity. Find her book on Amazon.
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No-Boil Grilled Cheese “Lasagna”
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
About 10 slices of Italian bread, toasted with crusts removed
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Grated Romano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly toast the bread. In a small bowl mix mozzarella and grated Romano cheese together; set aside.
Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil or butter. Arrange 5 slices of bread in a tight-fitting layer. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce over the bread. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese mixture. Repeat for one more layer of the bread, marinara and cheese mixture.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.
— Karen Nochimowski