Lasagna Cups with Meat Sauce and Cheese

Individual lasagna cups that deliver layers of meaty Bolognese sauce, creamy ricotta, luxurious mozzarella, and tender noodles. And guess what? Instead of lasagna noodles, I used wonton skins - a no-cook alternative made with the same ingredients as pasta!

Prep Ahead Friendly! Whether you're making these for a weeknight meal or festive dinner party, you can assemble them up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the cups as directed and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil before baking (as directed below).

Lasagna Cups with Meat Sauce and Cheese

Cooking spray
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce or marinara sauce
24 wonton skins
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, regular or part skim
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. if necessary, drain away any fat that accumulates in the bottom of the pan.
Return the beef to the pan and add 3/4 teaspoon of the onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, and oregano. Stir to coat the beef. Season the beef mixture with the salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each). Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, remaining 1/4 teaspoon onion powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix well.
Remove the beef from the heat and set aside.
Place 1 wonton skin in the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing into the bottom and sides. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the ricotta mixture into the bottom and spread it out to coat the bottom. Top with about 1 teaspoon or so of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 2 heaping teaspoons of the meat sauce and spread the sauce out in an even layer. Here's layer one:

Top the meat sauce with another wonton skin (arrange it so the points in the opposite direction of the first wonton skin). Like this:

Top with the remaining ricotta mixture. Top the ricotta with another teaspoon or so of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese melts. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

 Serves 4-6