Skillet Lasagna
With curly lasagna noodles, browned ground beef, savory tomato sauce, and gooey cheese, this Skillet Lasagna Recipe tastes amazing and is super easy to make on busy weeknight.
Looking for delicious comfort food that you can make the next time you don’t have a ton of time during the week?
Skillet Lasagna is a take on a classic homemade lasagna with 5 minutes of prep and minimal effort.
Skillet Lasagna Recipe
This easy skillet lasagna recipe is a family favorite in my house and is perfect for any night of the week.
The whole dish only takes 30 minutes to prepare, which can be really hard to find when it comes to classic Italian recipes like a traditional lasagna.
The easiest part? This one pan meal, makes clean up a breeze.
Check out this spicy lasagna soup recipe if you are craving the flavors but want soup instead! Or this lasagna casserole if you want a great make ahead meal or a casserole to take to a friend.
Throwing a party? Make this slow cooker lasagna dip!
Ingredients Needed
Ground beef – I personally like extra lean ground beef, but you can use ground sausage (I like Italian sausage), ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken as well.
Onion – I prefer a sweet onion, or use your favorite. You can also substitute onion powder.
Garlic cloves – Use garlic powder or pre-minced garlic if you don’t have garlic cloves.
Italian seasoning – Forgot to add Italian seasoning to your grocery list? You can make your own with a few common spices.
Tomato sauce – Switch with pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce as needed.
Tomatoes – If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, try tomato paste.
Broth – I recommend beef broth or chicken broth for this recipe, but you can also use a cup of water instead.
Lasagna noodles – Pick regular lasagna noodles, as opposed to no-boil or oven ready. If you can’t find any lasagna noodles, bowtie pasta will work as well.
Whole milk ricotta cheese – For a healthier option, choose 2% ricotta or cottage cheese.
Shredded mozzarella cheese – Choose a full fat option for this if possible.
Pantry staples – Olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh parsley or fresh basil for garnish.
Looking for more leftover worthy dishes? Follow LTB on Pinterest and pin to a board!
How To Make Skillet Lasagna
First: In a large skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add ground beef and onions. Cook until onion softens and ground beef is no longer pink. Drain if desired.
Second: Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to meat mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add undrained diced tomatoes, sauce, and water or broth. Bring to a boil.
Third: Stir in and begin to boil noodles, which should be broken into small pieces. Make sure you have as much liquid as needed to keep them submerged while you boil lasagna noodles.
Fourth: Reduce to a simmer on low heat and cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 20 – 25 minutes as pasta cooks, stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.
Fifth: Uncover, adding in ricotta around skillet without stirring. Add the mozzarella a little at a time, topping your skillet evenly.
Sixth: Remove from heat and cover for 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with parsley and serve!
For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Serving Suggestions
I love this skillet lasagna because it’s a new take on a classic Italian dish, which means there are a ton of sides that you can pair it with.
I like to make homemade garlic knots and green beans because these are family favorites.
For a low calorie diet, skip the bread and pair with an Italian salad and a balsamic vinaigrette instead.
How long does it last?
This skillet lasagna recipe will stay good in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a skillet or pop it in the oven at 350F until it’s heated thoroughly.
Or microwave, heating your casserole in 1 minute intervals until it’s warm. This usually takes between 3 – 5 minutes. Stir often.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, this fantastic recipe can definitely be frozen after you make it! Place it in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat as above.
Tips for No Leftovers
- Top with some red pepper flakes for a little spice.
- Add in some bell peppers or extra veggies into the recipe before adding the cheese.
- Grate your own cheese as it melts better.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
When it comes to great recipes, it’s going to be hard to beat this 30-minute skillet lasagna. Not only does this recipe taste amazing, but the easiest part is that it’s a one-pot pasta recipe.
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium sweet onion diced (roughly 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes not drained
- 1 cup water or broth
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles broken into pieces (regular, not no-boil or oven ready)
- 8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish or fresh basil
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- To the skillet add ground beef and onion. Cook until onion starts to soften and ground beef is no longer pink. Drain fat if desired.
- Add in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in broken lasagna noodles. Be sure to submerge them in the liquid.
- Reduce to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for 20 – 25 minutes or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover, add spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese around the skillet, do not stir.
- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Remove from heat and cover for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- For an extra cheesy and browned topping, add in some parmesan cheese to the mozzarella when sprinkling your cooked noodles. You can also top with some red pepper flakes for a little spice.
- Want to get in more of your daily values of vegetables? Try incorporating bell peppers into the recipe before adding in your layers of noodles.
- To get the more flavorful cheese, shred your own fresh mozzarella rather than buying it pre-shredded. It also melts better.
- I personally recommend making your own sauce for this recipe, because nothing you buy at the store can quite compare to homemade marinara sauce.
- Try using a cast iron skillet for this recipe, so that cleaning up can be simple. Once you’re ready, you can swipe down the bottom of the skillet with a soft sponge and water before drying with a clean kitchen towel.
Nutrition
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