Delicious Amish Lasagna Casserole is sometimes called “frolic casserole" and comes to us from an Amish woman in Indiana. We’ve all heard about barn raisings, those are legendary in Amish communities. Barn-raisings are when hundreds of men (Amish culture is still very much gender role-based) gather together to help put up a barn or similar structure.
What is a Frolic?
Now, the women work just as hard, some would venture to say harder than the men. But their work is usually supporting the men, and watching the children. The women will whip up hearty meals throughout the day for the hungry work crew.
A barn-raising can attract hundreds of willing workers from through the Amish community. With that many men, a barn can be put up in a day. And more and more Amish barn-raisings involve modern equipment. But, anyway, sometimes a job doesn’t need 200 men.
Putting up a shed? That might require 10 people. Ditto for tilling a garden, building a fence, cleaning up a yard, or filling an ice house. These are all work occasions that don’t require hundreds of people. Yet, the Amish spirit of helping neighbors in need, or friends who need a hand with some work, using the adage that many hands make light work, is still alive for smaller jobs. This is when the Amish gather together for something a little bit more low-key than a barn-raising These gatherings are called “frolics."
The name “frolic," I’ve heard, comes from a German word that sounds similar. But it escapes me right now. Anyway, it’s not uncommon at all to have delicious baked goods, breakfast, lunch, and the like served during frolics.
Really, a frolic is just like a barn raising, except on a much smaller scale.
This recipe is called “lasagna casserole “… because, it’s described, well, one of our friends described it as tasting like lasagna except without the work of spreading the noodles, layering, etc. Now, it doesn’t take lasagna noodles, it takes macaroni noodles. But you get a lasagna-type taste.
You can use ground beef as the recipe calls for, but many Amish cooks blend in venison or sausage. Or you could use all ground sausage in this dish.
Use frozen or fresh spinach in this recipe. The spinach adds a healthier aspect to this meal, I think. I love spinach and it's iron and vitamin-packed properties to a meal like this.
This bakes well in a glass baking this, but you could use a 2-quart casserole dish also.
You can adjust this how you like. Add a bit more salt, if you choose, and some more cheese. I mean, 4 ounces of cheese is not a huge amount, and if you want to use colby or Cheddar instead, go right ahead. A couple of teaspoons of Italian seasoning and oregano are other options that would round out the lasagna feel of this.
🍝 Amish Lasagna Casserole
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ c. chopped onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. salad oil
- 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
- 1 (16 oz.) mushroom spaghetti sauce
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- ½ tsp. salt
- Dash of pepper
- 1 (7 oz.) pkg. shell or elbow macaroni, cooked
- 4 oz. shredded American cheese
- ½ c. bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ c. salad oil
📋 Instructions
- Brown beef with onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Cook and drain noodles and set aside.
- Cook and drain spinach, save the liquid and add water to equal one cup.
- Stir the liquid, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and paste, salt, pepper into the meat mixture.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. combine macaroni, cheese, bread crumbs, eggs and ¼ cup salad oil with the spinach.
- Spread mixture into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
- Top with meat sauce. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
🍲 More Amish Casseroles
Six-Ingredient Country Casserole
Three-Layer Beef Casserole
Broccoli Casserole
Farmer's Hearty Casserole
🖨️ Full Recipe
Delicious Amish Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon salad oil
- 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
- 1 (16 oz.) mushroom spaghetti sauce
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- tsp. salt
- Dash of pepper
- ½ 1 (7 oz.) pkg. shell or elbow macaroni, cooked
- 4 oz. shredded American cheese
- ½ c. bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup salad oil
Instructions
- Brown beef with onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Cook noodles according to directions and then drain.
- Cook and drain spinach, save the liquid and add water to equal one cup.
- Stir the liquid, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and paste, salt, pepper into the meat mixture.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. combine macaroni, cheese, bread crumbs, eggs and ¼ cup salad oil with the spinach.
- Spread mixture into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish
- .Top with meat sauce. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.Let stand 10 minutes before serving
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