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Dutch Oven Lasagna

Dutch oven lasagna with melted cheese layers baked over campfire coals for a golden, bubbly top. This camping pasta-style lasagna stacks noodles, ricotta filling, and meat sauce so each scoop holds together.
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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: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef Use lean or 80/20 for the richest sauce.
Spaghetti sauce
  • 24 oz spaghetti sauce Drainless jar sauce keeps layers saucy.
Ricotta filling
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese Thick ricotta helps the middle set when rested.
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese Reserve 1 cup for the ricotta mixture.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated Parmesan adds savory structure.
  • 1 egg Binds the ricotta mixture for clean slices.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Season the ricotta for classic Italian flavor.
Mozzarella top
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Use remaining mozzarella for the gooey, browned top.
Lasagna noodles
  • 9 lasagna noodles Uncooked noodles soften during the Dutch oven cook time.
Cooking spray
  • 1 cooking spray Lightly coat the Dutch oven to prevent sticking.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown meat sauce
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the ground beef until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and simmer 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
Make the ricotta mixture
  1. In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and Italian seasoning until smooth and cohesive. The mixture should be thick enough to spread in layers.
Assemble in the Dutch oven
  1. Lightly spray the Dutch oven with cooking spray, then spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom. This base layer helps noodles steam evenly.
  2. Layer 3 uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them as needed to fit. Cover with half the ricotta mixture and half of the remaining meat sauce.
  3. Repeat the layers using 3 more noodles, the rest of the ricotta mixture, and the remaining meat sauce. Finish by topping with 3 final noodles to fully cap the surface.
  4. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella over the top for a melted, golden crust. Keep the cheese evenly distributed so it bubbles across the surface.
Campfire cook
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and place it on campfire coals with additional coals on the lid. Cook for 45-50 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Rest and serve
  1. Remove from the coals and let the lasagna rest 10 minutes before serving. This settling time helps the layers firm up for easier scooping.

Notes

Pro tip: choose a snug Dutch oven size so the noodles compress slightly into tight layers—this prevents gaps where noodles might stay firm. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freeze yes (up to 3 months), wrapped tightly; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, swap half the ground beef for ground turkey to reduce fat while keeping the same layering and cook time.