Easy Lasagna for Two Recipe using Leftover Pot Roast

Lasagna is a perfect dish for a crowd but can be too much work for feeding just two. This easy lasagna for two recipe using leftover pot roast cuts back on labor, not just portions – the ultimate cozy “date night in” dinner turning last night’s meal into a new dish.

What's in this post

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When I make my go-to, melt-in-your-mouth pot roast recipe (and it is a good one – be sure to try it), I braise about 2.5 lbs of beef and earmark half a pound of the shredded meat to make this lasagna.

I love this lasagna so much I wanted to figure out a way to streamline the preparation and to assemble it in individual ramakins.   Using a jarred tomato sauce as a base we will make a simple braised beef tomato sauce. We will skip cooking the pasta, and instead break up the uncooked noodles.  For our cheese layers, we will whip together a 5 min ricotta-spinach cheese mixture, purchase deli slices of provolone and shredded parmesan.

You can assemble all this on the day you want to serve or make it a day or two ahead of time, cover the ramakins and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. 

This ultimate comfort food is baked in individual ramakins, making a perfect dinner for one, two or more – easy to make ahead and freeze for later.

If you like this recipe be sure to try Turkey Lasagna For Two it’s delicious and healthier than traditional meat lasagnas.

What you'll need

Here's a quick overview of some of the key ingredients needed to make this Lasagna for two using left-over pot roast.  The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post.

For braised beef tomato sauce you’ll use:

• Left-over pot roast – this Pot Roast Recipe with Root Vegetables is a keeper.  Make a 3-lb pot roast to ensure you have enough left over to make this lasagna.
• A good quality jarred pasta sauce like roasted garlic or tomato & basil, or a spicy red pepper for a little more kick.
• Balsamic vinegar is my secret ingredient to give the jarred sauce a homemade taste.
• Red pepper flakes

Ricotta cheese layer:

• Ricotta cheese – I use whole milk but part-skim works in this recipe.  You can also swap out ricotta for cottage cheese.  Cottage cheese has a lighter texture versus a rich and creamier texture of ricotta.
• Frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
• Parmesan cheese – purchase the already-grated parmesan to save time.
• Large egg
• Whipping cream or milk
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Ground black pepper

  For the noodle and cheese layer:

• Uncooked or “oven ready” dried lasagna noodles that can be broken as we will need to break them to fit in the ramakin.
• Deli slices of provolone cheese

Note:  ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below.

How to make lasagna for two

We are going to ditch the traditional 9 x 13 inch dish and use 12 ounce individual ramekins .  Store-bought ricotta comes in a 15 oz container, which is more than you need when making lasagna for two, so use the extra to make this delicious ricotta appetizer with grilled bread.

Make the meat sauce. Start by shredding the leftover pot roast using 2 forks. Place the pot roast in a 12-inch skillet, stir in the tomato sauce and the balsamic vinegar. For an extra kick of spice sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Cover and let it simmer on low to thicken up and reheat the pot roast.

Make the ricotta mixture. Simply mix together the ricotta, egg, basil, oregano, parmesan & pepper

Layer your lasagna. Now it’s time to assemble! Spread meat sauce on the bottom of each ramakin, break uncooked noodles and place on top of the sauce (about ½ of a whole noodle per ramakin), enough to cover most of the meat sauce – it’s okay if they overlap.  

Spread with the ricotta mixture, sprinkle some parmesan then top with a provolone slice. 

Repeat by adding more meat sauce, broken noodles, ricotta and parmesan cheese and top with provolone. 

Arrange remaining 3 noodles over cheese pushing down gently to fit 3 layers of lasagna.  Spoon  the sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining parmesan and provolone over lasagna.

Dollop remaining ricotta mixture atop lasagna. Spoon remaining sauce around ricotta dollops.

Bake & serve. Tightly cover each ramekin with foil, place them on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, then remove the foil and bake it for 20 more. Garnish with extra parmesan, cool for 5 minutes and serve it up!

Best individual lasagna dishesw

This ultimate comfort food is baked in individual ramakins making a perfect dinner for one, two or more –easy to make ahead and freeze for later.  Here are the best freezer to oven safe lasagna dishes that I have used:

• Oval ramekins
• 12 oz ramekins
• Loaf Pan – a loaf pan makes two portions of lasagna in one pan versus baking individual portions.

Make ahead and freeze

You can assemble on the day you want to serve or make it a day or two ahead of time, cover the ramekins and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. 

Can be baked 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm, covered with foil, in 350°F oven, about 30-35 minutes.

Freeze baked lasagna for later.  After baking, cool for 15 minutes, wrap tightly with foil and place in sealable freezer bag.  Rewarm frozen, covered with foil, in 350°F. oven about 45 minutes.  You can store lasagna for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Freeze uncooked lasagna to bake later.  If you’re freezing lasagna before baking, assemble as written. Make sure it’s fully cooled if it’s hot from the filling.

Avoid freezing still warm lasagna.  Not only might it melt other frozen foods around it, but ice crystals are more likely to form.

To prevent ice crystals, first, wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and remove as much air as possible. Next wrap it all up in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Ricotta vs  Béchamel sauce debate

There is a debate whether lasagna should be made with a creamy ricotta or a béchamel sauce. Using ricotta is easier than making a béchamel sauce, but if you have the time making a béchamel produces a more delicious lasagna – it’s absolutely worth the effort because the rich, creamy sauce balances the acidity from the tomatoes and is better at keeping the layers of pasta together than ricotta. 

If you decide to make a béchamel, I like Martha Stewart’s recipe for béchamel sauce. Use this in place of the spinach-ricotta layers in the recipe.  Also, the top layer should be the béchamel sauce. 

Let me know which side of the ricotta vs béchamel sauce debate you end up on in the comments below!

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Common questions asked when making lasagna for two

You've got questions...I've got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.

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