Skillet Lasagna
Looking for a simple recipe for busy weeknights? This quick and easy, one-pan skillet lasagna fits the bill! It’s a family favorite. My delicious skillet lasagna is absolutely the easiest one-pan meal there is! If you love lasagna but never make it because it’s too time-consuming, then this one’s for you! Find the full recipe and directions in the recipe card below. Click jump to recipe to get dinner on the table.
Why I love this skillet lasagna recipe so much!
This easy lasagna has all the components of traditional lasagna without all the fuss and takes minimal effort. Did I say one pan? Literally one pan. I know sometimes recipes say one pan but there are actually two pans, a bowl, and cutting boards. This is no joke. It is one pan and one pan only! As much as I love to cook, the hardest time for me to feed my family is right before a holiday. I am so into preparing the one big meal that the days leading up to the holiday (you name it Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays) end up being filled with egg sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, naan bread pizza’s or Thai take out!
Skillet Lasagna will change your life! My kiddos have declared this great recipe their new favorite meal. And guess what? It takes less than 30 minutes from start to table. Did I tell you that you only need one pan?
Gather these ingredients
This how you make easy skillet lasagna.
- Brown beef in a large skillet over medium high heat breaking meat up with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Turn heat down low and add 1- 1/2 cup of water to the browned beef.
- Break lasagna noodles into small pieces. Place broken lasagna noodles over browned beef and water. Pour the whole jar of marinara sauce over the noodles. Cover with a tight lid. Turn heat to medium low heat let cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid! (If it sounds or smells like it may be burning, lift the lid and add an additional 1/4 cup of water, replace the lid.)
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir ingredients around in the pan. The noodles should be al dente. If they are not done enough for your taste add another 1/2 cup of water and return the lid to the pan and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
- When noodles are cooked to your liking dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese around over the top of the lasagna and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with lid for an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts.
- ** or if you like your lasagna cheese toasty and bubbly, preheat your stove top to 400 degrees and place pan (if it is oven proof) in oven for 10 minutes or so until lasagna cheese is brown and bubbly**
**updated step by step photo’s coming soon**
Tips & Variations
- Using leftover spaghetti sauce: When making spaghetti sauce I make double and freeze half so I have it on hand when I need a quick meal. If you have freezer spaghetti sauce you can use it as a replacement for the lean ground beef and jars of marinara. Add water to pan, add broken noodles, then layer your (thawed) premade spaghetti sauce on top of noodles and proceed with the recipe as written in recipe card.
- Meatless lasagna: If you are a vegetarian, or practicing meatless Mondays, this recipe is very easy to convert. Simply leave out the meat! Add 1 cup of water to a large skillet, broken lasagna noodles on top, then pour your favorite marinara sauce over noodles and proceed as usual. Easy peasy.
- Alternative protein options: Ground chicken, ground turkey, Italian sausage can all be used to replace the ground beef in this recipe or a combination of any and all.
- Serving Suggestions: We all need more extra veggies in our lives, so I try to serve this with a salad, or maybe I’ll throw some broccoli on a baking sheet and roast it in the oven. Of course my family never says no to garlic bread. My garlic bread hack is to use leftover hot dog or hamburger buns spread butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and toast under the broiler. Voila! Happy family and annoying leftover buns used up!
- Leftovers: I honestly doubt you will have leftovers. We rarely do. However if you find that you have leftover skillet lasagna pack it in an airtight container and have them for lunch. Lasagna, in my opinion, is always better the next day.
Here we go! The easiest way to get dinner on the table any night of the week is to make this classic lasagna with a twist. The twist? One pan, 30 minutes to a comforting homemade dinner that the whole family will come running for!
I hope this helps you get dinner on the table for your family. Please give me some stars below in the recipe card if you loved this, for sure PIN it, and share it on your social media. I really appreciate you! XO Sheila
Skillet Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 12' deep skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 16 ounce box lasagna noodles
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce or 5 cups spaghetti sauce with meat
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1-2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown beef in a large skillet over medium high heat breaking meat up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Add 1 cup of water over meat.
- Break up noodles over meat and water, spread noodles evenly over meat. Pour jar of marinara over noodles, spread around over top of noodles. Put lid on turn to medium low and allow to cook for 15 minutes with out touching it.
- Lift lid and stir around if noodles seem to need more time add 1/2 cup water replace lid and give it another 5 minutes. Stir and move on to next step.
- Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta over noodles and sprinkle with mozzarella Place lid back on pan for 2-3 minutes, just to melt the cheese.
- **If you would like your cheese to get brown and bubbly you can put the pan in a preheated 400° oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
- ** alternative add ins = red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, more mozzarella on top, garlic salt, more Italian seasoning. You can spice your sauce up in the pan any way you like it.
Notes
Nutrition
Try these quick and easy one pan dinners
Pepper Steak -slow cooker recipe
That’s what I what I to make when I need a break from turkey 🙂
Thankful for you Maureen! Happy Thanksgiving…a little late 😉 xox