Layers of curly ramen, tomato sauce, and cheese baked until bubbling and golden for a hearty main dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Noodles
01 - 3 instant ramen noodle bricks, approximately 3 oz each, seasoning packets discarded
→ Sauce
02 - 2 cups tomato pasta sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Cheese
05 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 7 oz)
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.75 oz)
07 - 1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (approximately 8.8 oz)
→ Garnish
08 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
09 - Cracked black pepper (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - Combine tomato pasta sauce with dried Italian herbs and garlic powder in a medium bowl, stirring thoroughly.
03 - In a separate bowl, blend ricotta or cottage cheese with half of the grated Parmesan cheese until well combined.
04 - Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with a thin layer of oil or butter.
05 - Spread one-quarter of the prepared tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
06 - Place one ramen brick over the sauce layer, breaking it to fit the dish if needed.
07 - Spread one-third of the ricotta and Parmesan mixture over the noodles, followed by sprinkling one-third of the shredded mozzarella on top.
08 - Repeat the layering process two more times with sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella cheese, finishing with a final layer of sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top.
09 - Pour 1/2 cup of water evenly around the edges of the dish to assist in cooking the noodles.
10 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
11 - Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
12 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and cracked black pepper as desired.
