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This Dutch oven lasagna with Italian sausage and ground beef is cheesy and flavorful! Assemble the meal in advance and bake it in the oven at home or over a campfire in the great outdoors.
Table of Contents
If you love cast iron recipes, be sure to try this Dutch oven pot roast, a loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread, and this Dutch oven beef stew, too!
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- A cast iron Dutch oven is ideal for making lasagna because it retains and evenly distributes heat, ensuring that the dish cooks uniformly. The heavy, tight-fitting lid helps to trap moisture, which keeps the lasagna from drying out. Additionally, the versatility of a Dutch oven allows it to go from stovetop to oven or campfire!
- You’ll need a 7-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. If you want to use a smaller Dutch oven, no problem — just decrease the ingredients accordingly.
- I use whole milk ricotta cheese (rather than cottage cheese) in this recipe because it has a thicker, smoother, creamier texture. For a lighter choice, you can substitute with small curd or whipped cottage cheese. If the cottage cheese looks like it has a lot of liquid, strain it before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.
- The eggs are an important component of the ricotta mixture because they help the cheese layer “set” so that it doesn’t ooze out when you slice into the casserole.
- Plan to allow at least 15-20 minutes for your lasagna to rest after baking. If you slice into it right away, it will taste delicious…but it will be a runny mess. As it cools, the lasagna sets up and slices easily into clean servings.
Directions
I’ve shown the baked version of this Dutch oven lasagna recipe here, but I’ve also included directions for cooking over a campfire in the recipe card below. Here’s the overview:
- Stir together the ricotta cheese filling. That basil pesto adds so much great flavor!
- Brown the Italian sausage and ground beef, and then stir in the marinara. I use the Dutch oven to brown the meat so that I have one less pan (or skillet) to wash at the end.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the Dutch oven.
- Add a layer of noodles on top, breaking them to fit. This doesn’t need to look perfect since you’ll cover them up anyway! I use a total of 3 noodles per layer, but you might need more depending on the size and shape of your noodles and pot.
- Top the noodles with the ricotta cheese mixture, then meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Repeat the layers two more times.
- Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, allowing the top of the lasagna to get nice and browned and crispy.
- Let the lasagna rest before slicing and serving. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs such as fresh basil, parsley, oregano, or thyme!
Serving Suggestions
This hearty, homemade lasagna is delicious when paired with a Caesar salad, a simple green salad dressed in red wine vinegar salad dressing, roasted yellow squash, or garlic roasted broccoli. You might also like to offer a side of garlic bread or no-knead cast iron focaccia to complete the meal.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Assemble the lasagna in advance. Use these foil Dutch oven liners for easy clean-up if you’re taking it camping! Store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before baking. When ready to bake, allow the refrigerated lasagna to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour before baking. Do not put a cold Dutch oven into a hot oven or over a hot campfire.
- If You’re Going Camping: If you don’t want to assemble the entire lasagna before you leave home, you can still prep ahead so that there’s less to do on site. Prepare the ricotta filling and the meat sauce in advance. Keep them refrigerated in airtight containers or in coolers with ice for 3-4 days. Assemble the lasagna at your campfire. The oven-ready lasagna noodles make this a lot easier!
- How to Store: Leftover homemade lasagna will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Cover the lasagna. Warm in a 350°F oven just until heated through, about 30 minutes. You can also reheat individual slices of lasagna in the microwave until warm, about 1 minute.
More Easy Lasagna Recipes to Try
Homemade Lasagna
2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Ravioli Lasagna with Ricotta and Spinach
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Vegetable Lasagna
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
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Dutch Oven Lasagna
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Perfect for camping or for a cozy meal in your own kitchen, this easy Dutch oven lasagna is total comfort food!
Equipment
- 7-quart cast iron Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese (or use two 15-ounce containers if you can't find the larger 32-ounce size)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto (use homemade pesto or store-bought pesto)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage (sweet, spicy, or mild — whichever you prefer)
- 2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce
- 1 (8-9 ounce) box oven-ready ("no boil") lasagna noodles (I use Barilla brand)
- 3 cups (about 12 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese (or use an Italian cheese blend)
- 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated or the canned pre-grated Parm is fine)
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs, pesto, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a 6–7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the beef and sausage until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease. Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Stir the marinara sauce into the meat mixture until completely combined. Set aside.
- Spread about 1-2 cups of the meat sauce in a thin layer in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add a layer of about 3-4 lasagna noodles on top, breaking the noodles to fit.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. Layer with ⅓ of the remaining meat sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the layers two more times in the same order: noodles, ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the noodles are tender. If you’d like the top of the lasagna even more browned and crispy, place the Dutch oven under the broiler for a few minutes at the very end. Just keep a close eye on it so that it doesn’t burn.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 15-20 minutes (or longer) before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
ALTERNATE CAMPFIRE INSTRUCTIONS:
- Assemble the lasagna in advance, as instructed in the recipe. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
- Start your campfire and let it burn down until you have a bed of hot coals or charcoal briquettes.
- Place the Dutch oven directly over the coals. Arrange additional hot coals on top of the lid (you’ll need more coals on top than underneath to ensure even cooking, so fit as many as you can on the lid). Cook the lasagna for about 45-60 minutes, checking occasionally. The lasagna is done when the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Note: Cooking times may vary based on the heat of the coals and the size of your Dutch oven. If the lasagna isn’t done after 60 minutes, continue cooking, checking every 5-10 minutes.
- Carefully lift the Dutch oven off of the coals and remove the lid. Let the lasagna rest for at least 15-20 minutes (or longer) before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the recipeCalories: 758kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 51gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 223mgSodium: 1915mgPotassium: 1075mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1700IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 655mgIron: 4mg
This lasagna is amazing!! Everyone I make it for just raves over it! 10/10!
Thank you so much, Stacy! This made our day.