Baked Dumpling Lasagna Casserole

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease an 8x11-inch or 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce (about 1/2 cup) across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

💡 Tip: This prevents the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Arrange half of the frozen dumplings in a single, even layer over the sauce. Do not thaw them beforehand.

Pour half of the remaining marinara sauce over the dumplings, then sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and half of the Italian seasoning.

Repeat the layers by adding the remaining frozen dumplings, the rest of the marinara sauce, the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella, the parmesan cheese, and the rest of the Italian seasoning.

💡 Tip: Make sure the dumplings are mostly covered by sauce so they steam properly while baking.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

💡 Tip: Tightly sealing the foil traps the steam needed to cook the frozen dumplings through.

Carefully remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown around the edges.

💡 Tip: Broil for the last 1-2 minutes if you prefer a deeper golden brown cheese crust.

Remove from the oven, let it cool and set for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh chopped basil before slicing and serving.