Lasagna Cups

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Lasagna Cups are filled to the max with delicious sauce and ooey-gooey cheese! They taste just like lasagna and they’re fun to eat!

Lasagna Cups | A Twist on a Classic

I have to tell you guys, I had a lot of fun with this recipe! Who doesn’t love a pasta cup filled with delicious sauce and ooey gooey cheese? I think I could say that EVERYONE falls under this category. Oh mama are these good.

If you like lasagna, then you will love these Lasagna Cups. Basically, this is just the super cute version of plain ol’ lasagna. All the same stuff you would typically see in the making of a regular lasagna recipe, just with a little more prep work. More or less, this is a method you can adopt while still using the lasagna recipe that everyone is used to. OR try my version out! Feel free to add in or omit anything you’d like. Make this your own. That’s the beauty of cooking! 🙂

Main Ingredients Needed

This may be a long list but oh it is worth it! Gather up these ingredients to make Lasagna Cups:

• Lasagna Pasta Sheets – this recipe won’t work with the pre-cooked or no-boil options. You’re just going to have to cook these babies al dente.

For the Red Sauce

• Olive Oil, Onion + Garlic – these three are the base of any great recipe. So much simple flavor.
• Ground Beef – I used lean ground beef, but you could also sub this out for ground turkey if you’re trying to eat healthier.
• Red Bell Pepper + Zucchini – two veggies that I sneak into this meal (don’t tell my kids!). You could also try sneaking in mushrooms or riced cauliflower.
• Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce + Diced Tomatoes – tomatoes galore! This is a red sauce after all. And if you don’t like chunks of tomatoes try using petite diced tomatoes instead.
• Basil, Oregano + Bay Leaf – three seasonings that take this to the next level.
• Sugar – this cuts the acidity from the tomatoes. Don’t worry this doesn’t end up sweet.
• Salt + Pepper – and don’t forget to season as you go!

For the Cheese Filling

• Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, Milk + Italian Seasoning – these three are the perfect substitute for the ‘Philadelphia Italian Herb & Cheese Cooking Cream’ I originally used for this recipe that is now discontinued!
• Parmesan, Mozzarella + Ricotta Cheese – three kinds of cheese for the max about of ooey-gooey meltiness.
• Pepper – season to taste.
• Egg – this is used as a binder for the rest of the ingredients.

How to Make Lasagna Cups

For full details on how to make Lasagna Cups, see the recipe card down below 🙂

Make the Red Sauce

Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, pepper, zucchini, and garlic until tender. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste until well incorporated. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook. {The longer it cooks, the better it will taste!} This will be very thick.

Make the Cheese Filling

Stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella. Set aside.

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook lasagna sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain. Place lasagna on greased baking sheet until you are ready for assembly.

Assemble

Preheat oven. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins with squares of parchment paper. If they don’t stay in on their own, that’s ok–the pasta will help with that.

Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 pasta sheet per cup. {Pasta sheet will overlap about 2 inches.} Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each cup

Next cut 9 pasta sheets into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom on top of the sauce. Top pasta sheet with a generous tablespoon of sauce and then a generous tablespoon of cheese filling. Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layering one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles.

Bake

Top these lasagna cups off with a 3rd piece of pasta, more sauce, and the remaining mozzarella. Bake until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

Nervous About the Tops Getting Too Crispy?

I’ve got a simple solution for you! Cover your muffin tin with tin foil and bake as normal, then during the last five minutes take the tin foil off to ensure you melt the cheese on top. And that’s it!

More Lasagna Recipes to Try!

• Skillet Lasagna
• Cheesy Lasagna Dip
• My Momma’s Homemade Lasagna
• White Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna
• Baked Rigatoni Pasta
• Classic Baked Ziti

Don’t these Lasagna Cups scream “Eat me! Eat me!”? Hope you like this one, guys! We all certainly did!

The printable recipe card is down below 🙂

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4.99 from 53 votes

Lasagna Cups

Lasagna Cups are filled to the max with delicious sauce and ooey-gooey cheese! They taste just like lasagna and they're fun to eat!

servings 12 Cups

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 2 hrs

Ingredients

for the sauce-

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 large onion
• ▢ 1/2 pound lean ground beef cooked and drained
• ▢ 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
• ▢ 1 small zucchini diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 6 oz tomato paste 1 can
• ▢ 8 oz tomato sauce +1/2 can water to wash out can
• ▢ 14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste

for the cheese filling-

• ▢ 10 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread 1 tub
• ▢ 2 tbsp whole milk
• ▢ 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
• ▢ 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese grated & divided
• ▢ 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 21 lasagne pasta sheets

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• For the sauce- heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, pepper, zucchini and garlic until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste until well incorporated. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes or so. {The longer it cooks, the better it will taste!} This will be very thick.
• For the cheese filling- stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
• For the pasta- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain. Place pasta on greased baking sheet until you are ready for assembly.
• For assembly- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins with squares of parchment paper. If they don't stay in on their own, that's ok–the pasta will help with that. Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 pasta sheet per cup. {Pasta sheet will overlap about 2 inches.} Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each cup
• Next cut 9 pasta sheets into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom on top of the sauce. Top pasta sheet with a generous tablespoon of sauce and then a generous tablespoon of cheese filling.
• Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layering one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles. Top these lasagna cups off with a 3rd piece of pasta, more sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 472mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1126IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lasagna cups