How to make Scoutmaster’s Dutch-Oven Lasagna

DutchOvenLasagnaINTERMEDIATE CHEF
Scoutmaster’s Lasagna
Servings: 10-12
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes



What you’ll need:

  • 12” camp Dutch oven
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • 2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 26-oz. jars of spaghetti sauce
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
  • 2 15-ounce tubs of ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 16-ounce box lasagna noodles, uncooked
  • 6 cups (1½ pounds) mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat Dutch oven over 25 coals.

2. Brown beef, garlic and onion in oven. Then transfer to large bowl. Remove oven from heat.

3. Add spaghetti sauce, salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning to the beef-and-onion mix and stir well.

4. Mix ricotta cheese and eggs in medium-sized bowl and set aside.

5. Optional: Carefully line hot Dutch oven with aluminum foil. Leave about an inch and a half of extra lining protruding from top of oven.

6. Spread about a third of the beef mixture on the bottom of the oven. Add a layer of about a third of the noodles, followed by about a third of the ricotta-egg mixture and a third of the mozzarella cheese.

7. Repeat this order two more times until all ingredients are layered, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.

8. Cook for about 45 minutes, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 coals under the oven. Noodles should be thoroughly cooked. Refresh coals as required.

From The Scout’s Dutch Oven Cookbook by Tim and Christine Conners


12 Comments

  1. We just cooked Dutch Oven Lasagna at the Philmont Training Center for the conference, “Planning Programs That Rock,” and though, following our recipe turned out well, I must say, this recipe is very attractive. One question though, will the noodles get soft and cook completely without adding any water to the pot?

    • Hi, Larry. Great question. We tested this ourselves and did not add water. The noodles cooked through. -Gretchen Sparling

    • I use a Ziploc bag and put the noodles in water for 30-45 min before so they soften up before cooking. Works great.

    • I make this recipe somewhat regularly – my family loves it – and I use the regular off the shelf lasagna noodles from Aldi or Kroger every time. They are always done for us without precooking.

  2. I’m curious as to how many servings this makes. We are having a Cub Advancement Day later this month and I plan on using this recipe for Webelos to complete their cooking requirement for Cast Iron Chef. The class would have up to 20 Scouts, but the idea would be for them to have a sample of the food after it is completed.

    • Nevermind, I totally missed the servings on the first read. With it making 10-12 servings, that will be perfect for all of the Scouts and the instructor(s) to get a sample of the dish 🙂

  3. Taulisha

    I have failed many times but you have to keep trying. Mastering the magic of the black pot takes a lifetime

  4. Did this with no boil noodles and made sauce a little thin with tomato juice also used a few more coals. We won 1st in a cook off

  5. Just made this one. Wow! It is so darn filling. It will feed more than 12, easily. I have to say I have made many Dutch Oven recipes and am adding this one to my collection. Most important step I found, I let is stand off coals for 35 minutes. Allowed for the noodles to soak up more juices. Other than that, right on.

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