I've never heard of NOT browning the meat before baking. I do mine until it is well browned but not 'crisp' done...drain & use.

Absolutely neccessary in my house, I think it would be too greasy otherwise. If you really want it easy you can buy the already browned bags of it in the freezer section.

Sure you have to cook the meat first, however in order to save some time, there is at least one brand of lasagna that you don't have to boil before cooking in the oven. Can't recall the one, but it does taste OK.

I'd go with cook it always. I just can't see it working otherwise. I will sometimes cook the meat while I'm cooking meat anyway for, say, tacos. I just set aside the part I want to save for lasagna before I season the taco part. I freeze it until I'm ready to make lasagna, in which case it is cooked but cold when I put it together.

If I have more time one day, but know I'll be busy the rest of the week, I will cook meat in advance. I'll also boil and mash a whole bag of potatoes at once and put 1/2 in a big container in the frig or freezer for another meal. As long as I'm cooking, it doesn't take much extra time to cook more, and it does save time later on a busier day.

I don't cook the noodles first but I do cook the meat.

Always cook the meat.
If you don't, you'll end up with basically boiled ground meat. Frying the ground meat brings out the juices, and that's where the taste is.
If you don't cook fry it first, the fat from the ground meat will mix with the ricotta cheese...and the result would be very watery and tasteless.

Yes, fry up the meat first. You can also season it while it is cooking to your taste. Plus if you don't you will have all that fattiness in your lasagna. Won't make for a tasty meal. I'll be the lone dissenter on the no boil noodles. Can't stand them. Taste and texture do nothing for the lasagna. I always use the boiled noodles. NancyLouise

Yes, you have to brown the meat first, in order to drain the fat.

Yes, you need to brown the meat first.

If you would like to make it a quicker job, just brown up a large amount of ground meat, cool it to room temp and freeze it in amounts that would make one batch. You can stack several bags in the freezer, and if you make them flat enough they thaw fast. That way the biggest part of the job is already done.

I do this for most things that need browned meat. For even tastier meat, cook it on the grill in very wide patties. After it cools, crumble it up and freeze it in either large or small bags. If you make them flat to freeze then you can also break off the amount you need.

For meatballs I do this too. Mix them up with all the seasoning and make the balls. Bake them for about 30 min in the oven. Cool them and freeze them in a single layer in Zip-Lock bags. Just take out as much as you need.

I always brown the meat first but don't boil the noodles. I just toss 'em in hard and they cook up soft just fine.

I made lasagna yesterday for the first time in several years, so I was looking for shortcuts too.

Yes, brown the meat first, or leave it out and go meatless -- not a bad thing.

I used regular lasagna noodles, didn't boil them at all and that saved me a pot to clean up, and made it easier to assemble the layers. However, I found it took quite a bit longer (about 20 or 30 minutes?) for the noodles to soften. So if total "start to finish" time is an issue, I'd boil the noodles.