Cowboy Lasagna
Cowboy Lasagna is a hearty, crowd-pleasing chili-forward spin on the Italian classic, packed with bold Southwestern flavors and hearty ingredients that will keep you coming back for more.
Ingredients
- 15 dried lasagna noodles, not no-boil; most of a 1-pound box
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces thick cut bacon, about 8 slices, cooked and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, diced (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 16 ounce marinara sauce (2 cups), (2 cups)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 14 ounce fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 7 ounce diced green chiles
- 1 15 ounce whole-milk ricotta cheese, (about 2 cups), divided
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place 15 dried lasagna noodles in a 9x13-inch baking dish, cover with very hot tap water, and let soak for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate any stuck noodles.
- Drain, wipe the dish dry, and spray with cooking spray.
- Cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.
- Shred the sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack and combine.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven until it shimmers.
- Add the red onion and bell pepper; and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add lean ground beef and the seasonings. Cook for about 8 minutes, breaking meat into bite-sized pieces, then stir in the crumbled bacon during the final minute.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, barbecue sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices), and diced green chiles (with juices).
- Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
- Spread ¾ cup meat sauce in the baking dish.
- Top with 5 noodles (break to fit).
- Dollop and spread half (1 cup) of the ricotta, then about 3 cups meat sauce, then 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat the layering.
- Finish with the last 5 noodles, the remaining meat sauce, and the rest of the shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30-40 minutes, until noodles are tender, cheese melted, and sauce bubbling.
- Let the lasagna cool 20 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Store leftover cowboy lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings of your leftover lasagna in the microwave just until warmed through.
- Make-ahead: To make this cowboy lasagna ahead, assemble the lasagna as directed in the recipe instructions and cover the entire pan with foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the frozen lasagna to thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the outer layer of foil (keeping the top foil covering) and bake the lasagna. You will need to add an extra 10-15 minutes to the bake time to account for the chilled temperature of the lasagna.
- Bake from frozen: If you don’t want to wait for your frozen unbaked lasagna to first thaw in the fridge, add it straight to the oven and add an extra 30-40 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 560kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 943mg, Potassium: 448mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 939IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 359mg, Iron: 2mg