Food and Recipes Recipes Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna Be the first to rate & review! A container of refrigerated pesto adds distinctive flavor to this basic beef-and-cheese lasagna, and the unbaked lasagna can be frozen for up to three months. By Southern Living Editors Published on January 9, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 12 uncooked lasagna noodles 1 (24-oz.) container 4% small-curd smooth-and-creamy cottage cheese 1 (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup refrigerated pesto 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 pound lean ground beef 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 2 (24-oz.) jars tomato-and-basil pasta sauce Directions Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, stir together cottage cheese and next 4 ingredients. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 6 to 7 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce. Layer 1 cup beef mixture, 3 noodles, and 2 1/2 cups cottage cheese mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, 2 cups beef mixture, and 3 more noodles. Top with remaining cottage cheese mixture, 3 noodles, and beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered, at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes or until cheese is browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Note: Freeze unbaked lasagna up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Let stand 30 minutes; bake as directed. We tested with Classico Di Napoli Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce and both LeGrand Garden Pesto and Buitoni Reduced Fat Pesto with Basil. Rate it Print