I saw this recipe making the rounds online a few weeks ago — wonton wrappers instead of lasagna noodles, layered up with seasoned meat and cheese and baked until everything’s bubbling and golden. Some folks are calling it dumpling lasagna.
Now, I’m not going to pretend this is something Nana Ruth would’ve made. She had her lasagna recipe on an index card yellowed from years of flour-dusted fingers, and she didn’t mess with it. But I think she’d understand the spirit — taking what you’ve got and making it into something warm and good. Wonton wrappers are cheap, they cook fast, and they get these crispy edges along the top that regular noodles just can’t do.
I made this on a Tuesday when Jake was home between jobs and the kids were starving by five o’clock. The whole thing came together in about forty minutes, and there wasn’t a single complaint at the table.
How to Make Wonton Lasagna
Make the meat sauce. Brown ground beef with diced onion and garlic. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10-15 minutes until thick. This is a simplified version of a traditional meat sauce — just enough time to develop flavor.
Mix the cheese filling. Stir together ricotta, a beaten egg, grated Parmesan, salt, and a handful of chopped fresh basil. The egg helps the ricotta set up during baking so it’s creamy but not runny.
Layer like regular lasagna. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Lay wonton wrappers over the sauce (they can overlap slightly). Spread ricotta mixture, then more sauce, then shredded mozzarella. Repeat 3-4 times, finishing with sauce and mozzarella on top.
Bake until golden. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10-12 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the wonton wrappers poking up are crispy and golden. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Maggie’s Wonton Lasagna
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
Method
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer 5 minutes.
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In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
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Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Layer wonton wrappers in a single layer over the sauce (overlap slightly). Spread half the ricotta mixture over the wrappers. Add another layer of meat sauce.
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Repeat: wonton wrappers, remaining ricotta, meat sauce. Top with a final layer of wonton wrappers and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
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Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly and the wonton edges poking up are golden and crispy. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Common Questions
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Maggie's Wonton Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jar marinara sauce 24 oz
- 1 package wonton wrappers about 36 wrappers
- 15 oz ricotta cheese whole milk
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Fresh basil for serving optional
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch baking dish.
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Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Drain any excess fat.
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Stir in the marinara sauce and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, egg, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
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Start layering: spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the dish. Lay wonton wrappers in a single layer (overlapping slightly is fine). Spread half the ricotta mixture, then half the mozzarella, then more sauce. Repeat the layers: wontons, remaining ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce. Top with a final layer of wontons and the rest of the sauce and mozzarella.
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Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the top is bubbly and the wonton edges are golden and crispy.
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Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting — it needs time to set up so it doesn't slide apart. Garnish with fresh basil if you have it.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
Asian-inspired variation: Use ground pork seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, and garlic instead of the beef-sausage mixture. Top with chili crisp after baking.
Make ahead: Assemble the whole thing, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5-10 minutes to the covered baking time if going straight from the fridge.
Maggie’s Wonton Lasagna
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
- 1 package wonton wrappers (about 36)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (divided)
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Layer wonton wrappers in a single layer over the sauce (overlap slightly). Spread half the ricotta mixture over the wrappers. Add another layer of meat sauce.
- Repeat: wonton wrappers, remaining ricotta, meat sauce. Top with a final layer of wonton wrappers and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly and the wonton edges poking up are golden and crispy. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
