Pioneer Woman Lasagna Recipe: Does It Live Up to the Hype?

Ree Drummond, famously known as the Pioneer Woman, has built a culinary empire that spans from her popular TV show to a wide range of cookbooks, a charming restaurant, a cozy hotel, and even a sought-after home and kitchen line at Walmart. It’s easy to forget that this food icon started her journey over a decade ago with a simple blog.

As someone who’s come to admire Ree’s approachable cooking style more recently, I was intrigued to explore her early recipes. Could her initial creations be as delicious and comforting as the million dollar dip and other fan favorites she whips up today? To find out, I delved into the Pioneer Woman’s recipe archives and discovered her very first published recipe from June 2007: The Best Lasagna. Ever.

This lasagna recipe struck me as a bit different from traditional versions. However, I was eager to give it a try. After all, lasagna is a quintessential comfort food, perfect for those moments when you crave something warm and satisfying. So, how does this throwback recipe hold up after all these years? Let’s find out!

Pioneer Woman’s “Best Lasagna Ever”: A Recipe Review

Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond Lasagna Recipe

Ree emphasizes the accessibility of her lasagna recipe, stating, “You don’t have to hunt down fresh basil or buffalo mozzarella or Parmigiano Reggiano or handmade sausage from an Italian mama in old Napoli. Anyone can make this, anywhere, anytime.” And she’s right. Sourcing the ingredients at my local grocery store was effortless, proving her point about ease and convenience.

Ingredients for Pioneer Woman Lasagna

Here’s what you’ll need to create the Pioneer Woman’s Lasagna:

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound hot breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
¼ cup dried parsley, divided
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese—Ree specifically mentions the Kraft shaker jar kind
1 pound sliced mozzarella
1 10-ounce box lasagna noodles

Essential Tools for Lasagna Making

Round Dutch Oven kitchen wedding gifts

Dutch Oven: Ideal for simmering the sauce. Shop Now

Pyrex Glass Baking Cover Pyrex

Casserole Dish: A 13×9 inch dish works perfectly for layering lasagna. Check price at Amazon

Gir Spatula Ecomm

Silicone Spatula: Helpful for stirring and spreading ingredients. Find it on Amazon

Unconventional Lasagna Choices: My Initial Thoughts

Upon reviewing the ingredient list, I noticed some interesting choices that deviated from classic lasagna recipes. Kraft Parmesan from a jar instead of freshly grated? Cottage cheese in place of ricotta? Breakfast sausage rather than Italian sausage? Even my local butcher raised an eyebrow when I mentioned Ree’s sausage selection! However, I’ve generally had great experiences with the Pioneer Woman’s recipes. After all, her collection of comfort food recipes reads like a list of my personal favorites. I decided to trust Ree’s approach and see how these unique ingredients would come together.

Crafting the Hearty Meat Sauce

cooking tomato sauce on stove for pioneer woman lasagna

The first step in creating Ree’s “best lasagna ever” is to prepare the meat sauce. This involves browning the ground beef and hot breakfast sausage with minced garlic. Ree recommends using a cast-iron skillet, but I opted for a three-quart Dutch oven to provide extra space for stirring and prevent splattering. Once the meat is thoroughly cooked, draining off excess grease is crucial – I removed about half of it.

Next, it’s time to incorporate the tomato elements: tomato paste and canned whole tomatoes. Along with these, stir in dried parsley, dried basil, and salt. The sauce then needs to simmer on the stovetop for approximately 45 minutes. During this time, the whole tomatoes break down beautifully, melding with the other ingredients to form a rich and flavorful sauce.

Quick Tip from the Editor: Want to elevate your tomato paste? Discover a simple technique to boost the flavor of canned tomato paste for an even richer sauce.

Preparing the Cheese Filling and Noodles

cheese filling in mixing bowl for pioneer woman lasagna

While the meat sauce simmers and develops its depth of flavor, it’s the perfect moment to prepare the lasagna noodles. Remember to cook the pasta to al dente, as they will continue cooking in the oven while the lasagna bakes. Crucially, don’t forget to season the pasta water with salt – it makes a significant difference in the final taste.

The cheese filling is remarkably simple to make. Just beat two eggs and combine them with low-fat cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, and salt. Confession time: I’m not typically a fan of cottage cheese. However, Ree assures that you won’t even detect it in the finished lasagna. I’m taking her word for it! Similarly, I’m sticking to her recommendation of using Kraft Parmesan, at least for this first attempt. However, for those who prefer freshly grated Parmesan, feel free to substitute – your secret is safe with me.

Assembling the Pioneer Woman Lasagna

Now comes the fun part: layering all the components together! Ree doesn’t specify a particular pan size, so I opted for my reliable 13×9 inch baking dish – the workhorse behind many of my favorite casserole recipes. Following Ree’s instructions, start by layering four lasagna noodles across the bottom of the pan. Next, spread half of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the noodles using the back of a spoon. Then, blanket the cottage cheese layer with half of the mozzarella slices. Finally, top with half of the flavorful meat sauce.

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Repeat the layering process one more time. For the final touch, generously sprinkle the remaining grated Parmesan cheese over the top layer. At this stage, you have options: you can refrigerate the assembled lasagna for baking later (within a day or two), wrap it securely and freeze it for future meals, or bake it immediately, like I chose to do. Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.

The Taste Test: Did Pioneer Woman’s Lasagna Deliver?

Slice of Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond Lasagna

While this Pioneer Woman lasagna might not be a traditional Italian masterpiece, it undeniably hit the spot in terms of comfort and satisfaction. My initial hesitation about the cottage cheese proved unfounded – Ree was right; it was virtually undetectable in terms of flavor. What the cottage cheese did contribute was a wonderfully creamy texture that was incredibly appealing. And the mozzarella slices provided that satisfying gooey cheese pull that lasagna lovers crave. I’m still on the fence about the Kraft Parmesan; next time, I might experiment with freshly grated Parmesan to see if it boosts the overall flavor profile.

As for the breakfast sausage? It was a brilliant addition! The hot breakfast sausage added a subtle kick of heat that complemented the ground beef beautifully, creating a robust and flavorful meat sauce. There was also a generous amount of meat sauce in this recipe, making for a truly hearty and substantial lasagna. A simple side salad is all you need to complete this comforting meal.

After trying out Ree’s original lasagna recipe, I can confidently say that the Pioneer Woman knew exactly what she was doing back then (and continues to impress today!). Up next on my Pioneer Woman culinary adventure? Perhaps tackling one of Ree’s most beloved potluck-perfect dishes.