This is the way to do Lasagna! Skillet Lasagna, start to finish, is going to take about 30-40 minutes. No noodle pre-boiling, no layering, no baking. Just a single-pan meal that your family will ask for again and again. Lasagna makes for fantastic leftovers; it’s one of those things that tastes just as good (if not better) the second time around. This easy version delivers all of the reward with very minimal effort! As a bonus, even though it’s a one-pan wonder, it presents beautifully and makes a great meal for someone in need or feeding house guests!
While I got this recipe from a friend and modified it to suit my own tastes (read: more cheese is almost always the answer), a few readers mentioned that it looked like an America’s Test Kitchen recipe. I checked my ATK cookbooks, and sure enough, the recipe I got from my friend was very similar to one in their Cook’s Country Cookbook. So while I didn’t originally find it there, and while I made some noticeable changes, I feel comfortable saying it was adapted from ATK.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Lean ground beef – We will not be draining the beef, so be sure it’s lean.
- Italian sausage
- Kosher salt
- Curly-edged lasagna noodles – Not no-boil, not flat, just regular lasagna noodles.
- Water
- Canned crushed tomatoes with basil
- Tomato sauce – With basil and oregano or Italian spices. You can always add Italian seasoning as well.
- Ricotta cheese
- Grated parmesan – Fresh is best!
- Mozzarella cheese – Freshly shredded, please.
- Black pepper
- Fresh basil
How to Make Skillet Lasagna
- Cook the base: In a large skillet that has an accompanying lid, sauté some onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. When tender and fragrant, add some ground beef and Italian sausage and cook through.
- Add the Sauce and Noodles: When the meat is done cooking, break the noodles into 1-2″ pieces and spread over the meat layer. Add the water, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover with the lid, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the noodles are cooked al dente.
- Prep and Add the Cheese Topping: While the noodles are cooking, combine some ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese with some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the pasta is completely cooked, dollop the ricotta cheese mixture over the meat and noodle mixture and sprinkle with the reserved parmesan and mozzarella. Remove from heat and cover the pan for 4-5 minutes or until the ricotta mixture softens and the other cheeses melt. Top with chopped fresh basil and serve with a tossed green salad for a quick, easy weeknight meal!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- This makes a great heat-and-eat leftover meal for weekday lunches or a special delivery for someone in need. Add a side salad and you’re good to go!
Frequently Asked Questions
You have some options:
1. Use all sausage or beef to equal the one pound of meat (if doing this, I’d recommend the sausage).
2. Save it for another recipe if you’d like, such as these Italian Burgers or a half recipe of Spaghetti and Meatballs.
3. Make a double batch of Skillet Lasagna, either in one very large skillet. or two smaller ones.
4. Add extra meat to a single batch.
This recipe reheats really well. If serving to guests, I’d make it fresh, otherwise feel free to make it, cool it, and reheat portions as needed to feed your family.
Yes! Freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers for easy meals later on. Defrost overnight in the fridge and microwave until heated through the next day.
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ pound 10% lean ground sirloin
- ½ pound Italian sausage if using link sausage, remove the casings
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 9-10 traditional curly-edged lasagna noodles not no boil, not flat, just regular lasagna noodles
- 1 cup water
- 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
- 1 8- ounce can Italian tomato sauce with basil and oregano or Italian spices
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- In a large skillet that has an accompanying lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and the garlic is fragrant. Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage into the skillet, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is completely cooked.
- Break the lasagna noodles into 1-2″ pieces and spread over the meat layer. Add the water, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover with the lid, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the noodles are cooked al dente.
- While the noodles are cooking, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheeses with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. When the pasta is completely cooked, dollop the ricotta cheese mixture over the meat and noodle mixture and sprinkle with the reserved parmesan and mozzarella. Remove from heat and cover the pan for 4-5 minutes or until the ricotta mixture softens and the other cheeses melt. Top with chopped fresh basil and serve.
Notes
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- This makes a great heat-and-eat leftover meal for weekday lunches or a special delivery for someone in need. Add a side salad and you’re good to go!
Questions & Reviews
This is delicious and I doubt I’ll ever make traditional lasagna again! Thank you.
HI! This is cooking and smelling great! Quick question – Can the noodle pieces overlap? I wasn’t sure, so I only used like 5 of them because I wanted to make sure they cook. Thought I would ask for next time. Thanks!
Yep, just toss ’em all in there. It’s kind of a miracle that it all turns out, haha.
Thank you! Looking forward to making it again tonight!
I made this for dinner a couple of days ago. It was amazing! The only swap – out I did was to use spaghetti noodles instead of lasagna noodles because we’re moving in 2 weeks & I’m trying to use up the food in my pantry. It will be even better when I make it next time following the recipe exactly. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it!!!
I also have made the ATK version of this and like it a lot. An even lazier version (which you might not be able to call lasagna, but maybe would have to name skillet ravioli) is to make the sauce, a little less water, and add fresh or frozen ravioli, sprinkle with cheese and basil.
I recognize this recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen! I LOVE this recipe, and I change up the cheeses just like you did!I always mix in mozzarella and parmesan and parsely too! Haven’t ever used sausage in it, though. 🙂
Looks and sounds delicious. I’m sure the answer to this is a resounding “No” since it’s not in the recipe and would make for a less fast-lane dinner, but, do you drain the grease from the skillet after browning the meat? Love your blog!
It depends on your personal preferences and how fatty your meat is. If everything is drowning in grease, go ahead and drain it really quickly, but if the grease situation isn’t too bad, you don’t need to worry about it. Super specific, right?! Ha. 🙂
Hi there. So my favorite component of lasagna is the layers of noodles stacked on each other–or at least Lots of noodles. But seeing as I’ve only ever made lasagna once in my life, the skillet idea is a winner! Does using 10 make it pretty noodle-y? or if I added more would I need to add water and/or more sauce? And thank you for your recipes. It’s the one place where I can always find something that will hit the spot!
10 would be pretty noodle-y–I think you’d be happy with 10. Because, you know, I know all about your noodle needs and wants. 🙂
I have been making this recipe for years – found in the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. I have added zucchini before and its great in there. I saute it with the other veggies. I also use Campanelle noodles instead of broken lasagna noodles. They have the curly edges like lasagna noodles do and they are so cute too! Also, I hate breaking the noodles as little shards always fly across the kitchen so the campanelle solve that problem too! Thanks for adding this recipe to your blog – its a keeper!
Interesting–I heavily modified a recipe I got from a friend, so I wonder if the original source was ATK–I’ll have to check it out and see how they match up!
Lasagna has been my birthday dinner request almost every year since I was a little girl. I’ve never understood why people think it’s so complicated, but I don’t put ricotta in mine so I guess it’s one less step (and always use oven ready noodles!) I’ve always wanted to try a skillet version though! I’ve very intrigued by those containers, do they come in various sizes? I’m thinking that a single serving size would be handy for bringing my grandmother meals, or for a husband who forgets to take lunchcan containers home!
Yep, they come in different sizes–right now, there’s one that’s longer and skinner and another that’s deeper and more square-ish. Really, either one could work for a single serving, but they’re big enough to hold a few servings of leftovers. Which sounds more ambiguous than it actually is…if you saw the containers, you’d know what I meant, haha!
Hey Kate! This looks so good. Any ideas for making it meatless? Just skip the meat step? Would you keep all of the other ingredient amounts the same? I suppose you could also add in veggies in place of the meat…. Your advice would be great!
I would load it up with veggies–eggplant, carrots, celery, zucchini, mushrooms, red bell peppers. Hope that helps!