EASIEST Skillet Lasagna Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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Love Lasagna but hate how long it takes to make it? Try my Skillet Lasagna! This is a shortcut recipe that has all that delicious slow cooked flavor but made in less than half the time of my Classic Lasagna Recipe. Whether you’re making this on a busy weeknight or part of a lovely Sunday dinner, you will love this recipe. Highly recommend serving this with some garlic bread and salad!

EASIEST Skillet Lasagna Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

Skillet Lasagna | A Quick Weeknight Meal!

Today I’m sharing with you a delicious dinner idea for Skillet Lasagna. While I love a lasagna, I don’t always have the time to make it. So I made a fake-out lasagna that has all the yummy flavors you’d get in a typical lasagna recipe but with less time!

This makes a great family weeknight meal because it comes together quickly and you can typically add in any kind of vegetables you have lying around without anyone noticing. I added in zucchini because that’s what I had on hand, but feel free to add what you like. I’ve done this before with grated carrot and small broccoli florets. (My kids happen to love broccoli so I didn’t have to worry about hiding this one.)

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Main Ingredients Needed

Quick and healthy? This dinner is a win-win situation for you! Here is everything you need for Skillet Lasagna:

  • Short Cut Pasta – I used these cute mini lasagna-shaped noodles (called Mafalda) but Campanelle is a great alternative if you’re wanting that lasagna-esce look.
  • Butter – this is an optional ingredient but it helps make the sauce so creamy and decadent.
  • Ricotta + Mozzarella Cheese – two types of cheese for maximum flavor.
  • Parsley – used as a garnish!

For the Sauce

  • Ground Beef – I used a 93/7 blend. But you could also sub this out for ground turkey if you’re trying to eat a little healthier.
  • Onion + Garlic – two flavor packing ingredients.
  • Zucchini – I snuck in some grated zucchini into the sauce (don’t tell my kids!). If you need even more ideas on how to make your kids eat their veggies see the corresponding section below!
  • Marinara Sauce – my favorite brand to use is Rao’s marinara sauce, but you can use whatever brand you like best.
  • Bay Leaf, Basil + Oregano – three herbs to take this sauce to the next level.
  • Salt + Pepper – and don’t forget to season as you go!

Can You Substitute Cottage Cheese for the Ricotta Cheese?

Yes, you absolutely can! Some people don’t like the flavor or texture of ricotta cheese in lasagna (or a lasagna skillet) so cottage cheese is a great alternative. Substitute the cheese 1:1. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, so you’d substitute 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.

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How to Make Skillet Lasagna

For full details on how to make Skillet Lasagna see the recipe card down below 🙂

1. Cook Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and stir in pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Make the Sauce

While pasta is cooking, heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat. Break meat apart in the hot pan and cook until brown. Stir in onions, garlic,and zucchini. Saute until onions are tender.

Stir in pasta sauce, water and seasonings. Simmer until pasta is done.

3. Mix Pasta with Cheese

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and immediately return pasta to the cooking pot.

Stir in butter, ricotta, and mozzarella until well incorporated and cheese starts to melt.

4. Create Your Lasagna Skillet!

Remove bay leaf from pasta sauce. Pour the entire pot of pasta into the hot sauce and stir to coat everything thoroughly. Top with more cheese if desired and serve hot topped with a bit of fresh parsley.

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Adding Extra Veggies

I love adding vegetables into recipes that have a tomato sauce base because they tend to get colored by that deep red color and go undetected if they are cut small enough.

Choose vegetables that could potentially dissolve in the sauce as it cooks and you might surprise yourself at how many veggies you can slip into this Skillet Lasagna. Here are a few ideas:

  • mushrooms- cut them small and they will look like ground beef after cooked
  • zucchini or yellow squash- grate and wring out before adding
  • carrots- grate these! Carrots add a great sweet flavor.
  • cauliflower- the texture might be noticeable on this one, so I’d suggest adding mashed cauliflower.
  • bell peppers- the red peppers are easier to hide, but green peppers work just as well (and I love the flavor of green peppers in all sorts of pasta sauces.)
  • spinach- while spinach is a great, mostly tasteless veggie, it’s green. Chop it small and hope for the best.

Storing Skillet Lasagna | Freezing Directions

After making this recipe in its entirety, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and in the refridgerator for up to 5 days.

To freeze, transfer fully cooked recipe to airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave until hot and cheese is melty.

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More Lasagna Recipes to Try!

  • Lasagna Dip
  • Lasagna Cups
  • Baked Rigatoni Pasta
  • Classic Baked Ziti
  • Slow Cooker Lasagna
  • Chicken Lasagna

This recipe makes a lot of food- at least 6-8 servings- so make sure to use a large skillet! I think this would make a great Sunday meal. We Brennans get together with family on Sunday afternoons and this is the kind of food we all like. Do you get together on Sundays with your family too or is it just us?

Either way, enjoy your day! Happy cooking! 🙂

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Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna is a shortcut recipe that saves time while making a super tasty family dinner! Perfect for sneaking in all sorts of veggies.

servings 6 Servings

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

for the sauce-

  • 1 pound ground beef I used 93/7
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 small zucchini diced (optional)
  • 24 oz marinara pasta sauce I used Rao's, plus about 3/4 cup of water to rinse out the jar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

for the pasta-

  • 1 pound short cut pasta
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese grated (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • parsley chopped, for garnish

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and stir in pasta.

  • While pasta is cooking, heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat. Break meat apart in the hot pan and cook until brown. Stir in onions, garlic,and zucchini. Saute 5-6 minutes or until onions are tender.

  • Stir in pasta sauce, water and seasonings. Simmer until pasta is done.

  • Cook pasta until al dente (according to package instructions for al dente). Drain and immediately return pasta to cooking pot.

  • Stir in butter, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese until well incorporated and cheese starts to melt. Remove bay leaf from pasta sauce. Pour the entire pot of pasta into the hot sauce and stir to coat everything thoroughly. Top with more cheese if desired and serve hot topped with a bit of fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 715kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 921mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 15.9mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: skillet lasagna

EASIEST Skillet Lasagna Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Do you spray the bottom of a pan when making lasagna? ›

For the best results, we offer the following tips for assembling your lasagne: Begin with a 13 x 9 x 3-inches deep baking pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking pan and begin layering.

Do you put sauce on the bottom of the pan for lasagna? ›

However you make lasagna, there is one rule you should always follow: Start with sauce. Whether you are using a baking dish or a skillet, there needs to be an even layer of sauce covering the entire bottom of the pan before any of the other ingredients are added.

What size pan is best for lasagna? ›

And when he's making lasagna his mom's way, there's only one size dish that gets the job done. Regardless of its filling, Symon says lasagna should be baked in a 9 x 13-inch casserole pan so the dish cooks evenly and each serving looks as good as it tastes.

How many layers of lasagna is best? ›

Let me break it to you: If you want to make a lasagna, three layers just won't cut it! For the perfect lasagna, you need at least 4-5 layers to really enjoy all those mouth-watering flavors. And, here's a pro-tip: make sure to season each layer generously, but not too much. The average lasagna has 8 layers!

Should lasagna be baked in glass or metal pan? ›

Save your glass pans for lasagna, plátanos maduros horneados, baked eggs, piñon, casseroles, and doughnut bread pudding—they're easy to clean, they're so smooth they're naturally nonstick, they'll keep your kugel warm as it sits on the table, they won't cause discoloration or off-tastes when you're slow-roasting ...

Does lasagna cook better in glass or metal? ›

Some acidic bakes (like fruit cobblers) and lasagna or casserole (containing tomatoes, citrus, or other acidic fruit) may bake best in a glass dish, to prevent the metal from reacting to the acidic ingredients.

Should lasagna sauce be thick or runny? ›

When it comes to sauce, it can't be too thin — saucy is fine, but watery is bad. Reduce the mixture to ensure it's got a hearty, thick consistency. Ricotta is another culprit for soupy lasagna, but that can also be drained.

Do you bake lasagna at 350 or 375? ›

Assemble the lasagna in an oven-safe container and store it in the refrigerator. The temperature should be at or below 40 degrees. When you are ready to cook the lasagna, bake it in the oven for approximately 60 minutes at 375 degrees.

How do you keep lasagne from burning on the bottom? ›

First, you should add a bit of olive oil and a splash of sauce to the bottom of the pan (via Today). Remember that the lasagna will be in the oven for around 45 minutes, so having oil and sauce keeps the bottom from burning and sticking to the baking dish.

Is glass or ceramic better for lasagna? ›

Glass pans are good for casseroles like lasagna because once glass heats up, it stays warm longer.

How many will a 9x13 pan of lasagna feed? ›

As a general rule of thumb, one 13x9 pan will yield 8 medium-sized portions. You can adjust the serving sizes to your family's appetite: if they have larger appetites, you cut the pan into 6 large portions, and if they have smaller appetites, you can cut the pan into 10 smaller portions.

Which is better for lasagna cottage or ricotta? ›

The key to creating the absolute best lasagna is to use a combination of ricotta and cottage cheese. Ricotta brings the rich creaminess while cottage cheese lightens things up and seasons the whole dish. For even more cheese, we recommend also using shredded Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano).

Do you put cheese in between lasagna layers? ›

The best way to layer your lasagna is to start with a layer of red sauce, follow it up with a layer of white sauce, then pasta, then cheese. Follow this pattern until you've filled your tray.

Should the top layer of lasagna be noodles or sauce? ›

Spread a thin layer of sauce at the bottom. Top with a layer of noodles, followed by half the ricotta, half your desired fillings, and more sauce. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, remaining fillings, and more sauce.

What is the final top layer of lasagna? ›

Finish off your lasagne either with a layer of tomato-based sauce or with your white sauce – whichever you have left – and then grate over plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano. A common extra topping is torn mozzarella, which makes a lovely, melted cheesy layer on top.

How do you keep lasagna from sticking to the pan? ›

The most important step is to always add a layer of sauce to the pan before assembling lasagna, the sauce acts as a barrier between the noodles and prevents them from sticking to the pan, according Lisa Cericola, Southern Living's deputy editor.

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