Yes, I know…at first glance it looks like a plain old plate of pasta with tomato sauce. But I promise you, this is so much more than your garden variety pasta with sauce. Imagine if you will a casserole full of steaming hot lasagna…tender pasta, sweet tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, salty fresh grated Parmesan cheese, all flavored with basil and oregano and fresh ground pepper. Now separate it into its different components, take away the 45 minutes or so in the oven, and there you have it…deconstructed lasagna!
Now, while you could get even closer to the original by using lasagna noodles, I used wide tagliatelle pasta for mine, just for extra ease of eating. I made my own ricotta (if you’ve never tried this, please click here…it takes about 15 minutes and three ingredients, and I promise you will never go back to the supermarket kind again!), and while a jarred sauce would be perfectly fine, you could also whip up some easy tomato butter sauce (and click here for that one!). If you like mozzarella in your lasagna, cut some room temperature mozzarella into teeny chunks and scatter it on top with the parmesan. Are you a ground beef and sausage type of lasagna person? Saute some up while you are cooking the pasta and mix it in with the tomato sauce. Veggie lasagna-lover? Swap out the meat for some artichoke hearts and chopped zucchini. This is one of those endlessly versatile recipes that you can customize to your hearts content!
And to make things even better, deconstructed lasagna requires exactly zero time in the oven. When your pasta is done, simply put a nice steaming pile of it on everyone’s plate and then layer on your favorite lasagna ingredients…start with the sauce and then go from there. You could even do this one buffet style and let everyone choose their own.
Plus when you say you are making deconstructed lasagna for dinner…well, let’s just say that it’s a great conversation starter. Now go deconstruct your lasagna, and in the meantime I’m going to see what else I might possibly pull apart in my kitchen…

Deconstructed Lasagna
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine, etc)
- 2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
- 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- Freshly ground pepper
- Any other lasagna ingredients you like! Diced mozzarella, sauteed ground beef and sausage…get creative!
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain.
- While pasta is cooking, heat tomato sauce and assemble other topping ingredients. If you are adding meat or veggies, stir them into the tomato sauce.
- Divide hot pasta among four plates. Top first with sauce, then with ricotta, parmesan, herbs and ground pepper. Serve at once.
Hi there! I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN! My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too. And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!
I love lasagna anyway I can get it and this looks just perfect!
Thanks Robyn! I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out this speedy version. :)
I’m thinking I need to have a make-your-own-lasagna party using this idea! Sounds fabulous.
You definitely do – any excuse for a party, right? :)
How fun! I am thinking my nieces and nephews would love to do this! Thanks for the fun!
It would be SO much fun with kids! :)
Salivating . . . what a great idea!
Thanks Sharon! xo
This sounds absolutely delicious. While I love a traditional lasagna, I think I might even prefer it deconstructed!
I definitely do…less time that we have to wait for the lasagna to be ready! :)
This sounds delicious! I love lasagna roll-ups because they are so easy, but this seems like it would be even more simple. Thanks, Kate.
That’s one of the reasons I love it so much – it’s so easy! I’m all about easy in the middle of the week. :)
My family loves lasagna, but I rarely have the time to make it, this recipe looks amazing! I would love for you to link up this recipe to my linky party, my readers will LOVE this recipe!! http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/2013/01/fantastic-thursday-27.html
Thanks Jenny – I’m all linked up to you now! :)