Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the meat sauce
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and simmer briefly so the mixture clings to the beef.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and Italian seasoning. Mix until the filling looks smooth and evenly combined.
Layer in the Dutch oven
- Spray the Dutch oven with cooking spray and spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom. This helps the noodles hydrate evenly.
- Layer 3 lasagna noodles (broken to fit) over the sauce. Arrange them so they cover the bottom as evenly as possible.
- Spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Use gentle pressure so the filling creates a continuous layer.
- Spoon half the remaining meat sauce over the ricotta layer. Cover the filling to keep the noodles moist while baking.
- Repeat with 3 more lasagna noodles (broken to fit). Keep the layer level so the lasagna cooks uniformly.
- Add the remaining ricotta mixture and spread it out evenly. The layer should cover the noodles without big gaps.
- Top with the remaining meat sauce. Make sure the edges are sealed with sauce so no noodles dry out.
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella over the top layer. You should see a full, even cheese blanket.
Campfire cook and rest
- Cover and place the Dutch oven on campfire coals with additional coals on the lid for even heat. Cook for 45-50 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese looks golden.
- Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving. This firms the layers so it scoops cleanly.
Notes
For the best structure, rest the lasagna 10 minutes so the ricotta sets and the cheese cools slightly before slicing. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat until hot. For a lighter option, use ground turkey instead of ground beef and choose part-skim mozzarella.