This meaty Lasagna Dip with bubbly layers of ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and marinara sauce is an irresistible party appetizer, or serve it for dinner with plenty of garlic bread for dipping!
If you love lasagna, be sure to also try our Lasagna Soup!
Meaty Lasagna Dip
The start of football season always triggers a need in my brain for hot, cheesy dips.
It must be some kind of Pavlov’s programming that happened in my youth. When the football is on, I need to be consuming melty, saucy cheese.
Whether it's Ground Beef Queso or Layered Taco Dip, if it's game day, I need to be dunking.
Today, we’re adding a new dip to our tailgating rotation, and it's a good one!
Imagine you can get all the flavors of a comforting meat lasagna, but with only 20 minutes of prep! That’s this easy Lasagna Dip with Ground Beef. We think it's going to be the star of all your fall (or any season!) gatherings!
Here’s Why You’ll Love Lasagna Dip
- 20 minutes prep- After browning the ground beef, this just requires a bit of quick layering before being tossed in the oven to bake!
- Make ahead friendly- The dip can be prepared in advance and baked whenever you’re ready.
- A crowd pleaser- Don’t be surprised if your guests linger by the counter to keep sneaking spoonfuls of this dip. It’s a fan favorite!
Key Ingredients
- Onion- Chopped small, the onion adds a nice flavor, but shouldn’t be noticeable to those who might be onion-averse (*cough* My kids! *cough).
- Ground beef- You can use lean ground beef or whatever you have on hand.
- Ricotta cheese- I make my traditional lasagna with cottage cheese, but the texture of ricotta works a bit better in this dip.
- Marinara sauce- Use whatever brand of marinara or pasta sauce you prefer.
- Mozzarella and parmesan cheese- Of course we’re doubling up on the cheese here! It’s the NeighborFood way!
How to Make Lasagna Dip
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9 inch deep dish pie plate or 9 inch square casserole dish.
- Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ground beef and cook until browned, 7-9 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess grease, then set aside.
- Layer. Spread ricotta evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread cooked onion beef mixture on top of ricotta.
- Layer ½ the tomato sauce followed by ½ the mozzarella over the beef, then repeat.
- Top with cheese. Grate about ¼-½ cup Parmesan cheese over the last mozzarella layer. Sprinkle evenly with dried Italian herbs.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Remove, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve warm with crackers, chips, garlic bread, or breadsticks.
Make Ahead And Storage Instructions
If you’d like to make the lasagna ahead of time, follow all the instructions, but stop before baking. Cover the pan and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Uncover then bake as usual.
Store leftover lasagna dip, covered, in the fridge. The dip will last for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
FAQS
Can I make lasagna dip vegetarian?
Definitely! You can omit the ground beef for a vegetarian dip.
Can I make this lasagna dip gluten free?
Yes, this ground beef lasagna dip is naturally gluten free, just make sure to serve it with gluten free dippers.
What do I serve with lasagna dip?
This is the perfect dip for so many carby favorites. Some of our favorites are Triscuits and garlic pita chips.
It’s also FANTASTIC with breadsticks or garlic bread (we ate it for dinner this way!). The dipper you see here is Guy Fieri’s garlic bread, which turned out amazing. We also love our easy cheesy homemade garlic bread.
More Ways to Get Your Lasagna Fix
If you love a cheesy, creamy saucy dish, we've got plenty more ways to get your fix!
Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef
📖 Recipe
Lasagna Dip with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- Olive oil (to coat)
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ lb. ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 15 oz. part skim ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- Fresh basil
- Garlic bread (crackers, or chips, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 inch deep dish pie plate or square pan.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ground beef and cook until beef is well browned and no pink remains. Add the garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If there is excess grease at the bottom of the pan, drain it off.
- Spread ricotta evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread cooked onion and beef mixture on top of ricotta.
- Layer ½ the tomato sauce followed by ½ the mozzarella over the beef mixture, then repeat.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the last mozzarella layer. Sprinkle evenly with dried Italian herbs.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Remove, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve warm with crackers, garlic bread, or bread sticks.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
This post was originally published on NeighborFoodBlog.com
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