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Dutch Oven Lasagna

Dutch oven lasagna with layered lasagna noodles, ricotta filling, and melted mozzarella that turns golden and bubbly in one pot. Built for campfire cooking: covered and baked on coals until hot through, then rested for clean slices.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat sauce base
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 24 oz spaghetti sauce
Ricotta filling
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg egg
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Use 1 cup in the filling and save the rest for the top.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese
Lasagna layers
  • 9 lasagna noodles Uncooked; break to fit the Dutch oven.
  • 1 Cooking spray For greasing the Dutch oven.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the meat and build the sauce
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, then stir in the spaghetti sauce until combined.
  2. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, keeping it hot so it layers easily.
Mix the ricotta layer
  1. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble the Dutch oven lasagna
  1. Spray the Dutch oven with cooking spray, then spread a thin layer of meat sauce over the bottom.
  2. Layer 3 lasagna noodles on top (break to fit), then spread half the ricotta mixture and half the remaining meat sauce.
  3. Repeat the layers using another set of 3 noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and the remaining meat sauce.
  4. Top with the final 3 noodles, then cover evenly with the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.
Cook on campfire coals
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and place it on campfire coals with coals on the lid, cooking for 45-50 minutes until the center is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving so the layers set and slice cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: aim for steady covered heat from coals on both the base and lid so the noodles cook through without drying out. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat covered until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight. Dietary swap: use part-skim ricotta or reduced-fat mozzarella to lower calories while keeping the creamy ricotta layer.