Whenever I’m short of time but also craving a cozy home cooked lasagna, I make this weeknight Skillet Lasagna! It’s such an easy and simple recipe that requires minimal prep and clean-up.
You’ll love the perfectly cooked lasagna noodles simmered in a rich shortcut bolognese sauce, as well as the mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. It’s comforting, cheesy, and so incredibly delicious!
This skillet lasagna is an easy one-pan recipe that comes together in just 40 minutes. It’s super simple and perfect for those busy nights!
We’re lasagna lovers over here! Whenever I go to Italian restaurants, I always order one. At home, I love making this cozy Lasagna Bolognese, but honestly, it can be a lot of work. That’s why on busy weeknights, this one-pan skillet lasagna always comes to the rescue!
It’s so cheesy, comforting, and cozy! It has all the wonderful bolognese lasagna flavors and it comes together in no time. It’s all made in one pan for easy clean-up. I’d call this skillet lasagna the most amazing, laziest lasagna ever!
Why we LOVE this easy skillet lasagna:
- It’s so easy to make! It comes together in one pan for easy clean-up.
- There’s no need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles
- Ready in 40 minutes, great for weeknight dinner!
- Incredibly delicious, cheesy, and comforting. Seriously, you’ll love it.
- Highly customizable. Swap the meat or pack in some extra veggies.
If you love comforting and cheesy pasta dishes, check out my Italian Sausage Pasta Bake or Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells!
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A True One Pan Recipe
As mentioned above, this skillet lasagna is a true one pan recipe. Everything goes into the same skillet, and there’s no need to pre-boil the noodles in another pot. It takes about 40 minutes to make from start to finish, with very minimal prep and clean-up.
The lasagna sheets cook right in the quick bolognese sauce until perfectly al dente. During this process, the noodles absorb the delicious sauce, making this dish extra tasty. It’s a win-win!
As a quick note, use traditional dried lasagna noodles (the ones with the wavy edges) for this recipe. Do NOT use the oven-ready no-boil kind as it may become too mushy when cooked over the stovetop. If you’d rather use oven-ready noodles, follow my Lasagna Bolognese with No-Boil Noodles recipe instead.
Ingredient Notes
Below are a few helpful ingredient notes from recipe testing. As always, the full ingredient list with quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Ground beef and Italian seasoning: Casings removed. I like to use a combination of both meats for flavor and texture. You can also use ground turkey or switch it up as desired.
- Diced onions and minced garlic: These are the aromatics to build the flavors on. I always use freshly minced garlic for best results.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce, or homemade if you have a recipe you like. You’ll need two 24-ounce jars.
- Dried Italian seasoning and fresh basil: Lasagna is always better with aromatic, herb flavors.
- Lasagna noodles: Use the classic dried lasagna noodle sheets.
- Ricotta cheese: I use whole milk ricotta. It will add amazing creaminess and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: I’d recommend using whole milk shredded mozzarella instead of part-skim mozzarella. It melts a lot better and it’s much creamier, which makes a rich lasagna, as it should be!
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Making this skillet lasagna is pretty straightforward and involves minimal prep and clean-up. Below is a visual step-by-step tutorial. The full recipe with details and notes can be found in the recipe card down below.
Step 1 | Cook meat and aromatics
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a deep sauté pan or skillet, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it apart. If needed, cook in batches and drain any excess moisture. Add a few drizzles of olive oil in the center and cook the minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Step 2 | Add marinara, basil, and spices
Add the marinara along with Italian seasoning and basil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste at this point.
Step 3 | Add lasagna noodles and cook
Add the broken up dried lasagna noodles and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, with the lid half-covered, until softened and cooked. Make sure the noodles are fully covered in sauce. Stir occasionally.
There is no need to pre-cook the pasta. They will simmer and cook in the sauce. Use regular dried lasagna noodle sheets. Do not use oven-ready no-boil lasagna noodles for this recipe, as it will turn mushy when cooked over the stove.
Step 4 | Mix in the cheeses
Stir in half of the shredded mozzarella cheese and simmer for 1 minute to melt. Then, add a few dollops of creamy ricotta cheese, gently pushing it down.
Step 5 | Top with mozzarella and bake
Generously top with some good shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
When ready, garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired. And there you have it…a super easy and incredible delicious skillet lasagna!
Recipe Variations
What I love about this skillet lasagna dish is that it’s highly customizable. You can swap a few ingredients or even make it vegetarian.
- Meat: I use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, but feel free to switch it up. Try ground turkey or even spicy Italian sausage for a kick.
- Cheeses: Mozzarella is a must for lasagna, so I’d keep that. But you can swap the ricotta for something like cottage cheese or mascarpone. Personally, I really like the ricotta in this recipe. Also, feel free to add freshly grated parmesan or fontina.
- Add-ins: A great way to pack some veggies in this delicious skillet lasagna and make it even better. My favorites are zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and spinach.
- Make it vegetarian! Instead of the meat, use lots of hearty veggies, such as cremini or portobello mushrooms, plus any other veggies you like.
Make Ahead Tips
Cook the lasagna on the stovetop as directed, but don’t top it with the mozzarella cheese and don’t bake it yet. Let it cool completely and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, heat the lasagna over the stovetop, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake as directed until bubbly and melted on top.
Additionally, you can transfer the lasagna into a baking dish before storing, unless you’re fine with putting the entire skillet in the fridge (I’ve done that, no shame!).
Freezing Tips
If making ahead and freezing, cook the lasagna on the stovetop as directed, but don’t top it with the mozzarella cheese and don’t bake it yet. Let the cooked lasagna cool completely and transfer to a baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and cover with multiple layers of foil.
Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 375 degrees F (covered with foil) until hot in the center. Uncover and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden brown on top.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
This delicious skillet lasagna dish pairs really well with bread and salad. I love serving it with cheesy garlic bread, garlic herb dinner rolls, honey butter rolls, or just some good garlic bread from my local bakery.
It also pairs well with a simple house salad, arugula lemon salad, or this fall harvest salad.
Other comforting pasta recipes you’ll love:
- Lasagna Bolognese with No-Boil Noodles
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells (this one is EXTRA cheesy!)
- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Pasta
Recipe FAQs
I used a 10-inch nonstick 3-quart sauté pan, which is 2.5 inches deep. Use an oven-proof skillet that is not shallow.
No need. They will cook in the sauce itself and absorb all that wonderful flavor.
I’d recommend using the regular king, but if oven-ready is all you can find, you can still make it with a few modifications: Don’t simmer the lasagna noodles in the sauce. Instead, simply arrange everything and bake for 30 minutes (covered with foil) or however long the package directions say. Then uncover and broil to melt the cheese on top until slightly golden brown.
This recipe was published in 2021 and updated in January 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- This recipe works best if you use a classic 10-inch sauté pan or deep skillet that is about 2.5 inches deep, approximately. If the skillet is too shallow, it will spill over. If it’s too large, the lasagna will have fewer layers and less height.
- Use regular lasagna noodles (the ones with the wavy edges). Do not use oven-ready no-boil lasagna sheets, as these are very thin and may get mushy when cooked on the stovetop.
- There is no need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles. They will cook in the sauce and absorb wonderful flavors!
- I’d recommend using whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese rather than part-skim. It melts a lot better.
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Skillet Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage - casings removed
- Olive oil
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce - your favorite brand
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil - plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces regular lasagna sheets - NOT the oven-ready kind
- 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In an oven-proof 10-inch sauté pan or deep skillet with a lid, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage (casings removed) over medium-high heat. Drain the extra fat and moisture. If needed, cook in batches. Tip: For ease, carefully absorb the extra fat and moisture in the skillet with paper towel.
- Make some room in the center of the skillet. Heat a few drizzles of olive oil and add the diced onions and minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, stirring, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
- Break up the lasagna sheets into medium-sized pieces. Add the broken up lasagna noodles into the sauce. Simmer with the lid partially covered for 18-20 minutes until al dente and softened, stirring occasionally. Make sure the noodles are fully covered in the sauce.
- Then, stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and simmer for another 1 minute to melt. Then, add dollops of ricotta cheese, gently pushing it down but still visible on top.
- Sprinkle the lasagna with the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool slightly and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- I’d recommend using whole milk shredded mozzarella because it melts better than part-skim mozzarella.
- There’s no need to pre-cook the lasagna noodles. They will cook in the sauce and absorb flavors from the sauce.
- Use regular lasagna noodles (the ones with wavy edges). Do not use oven-ready no-boil noodles.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave oven.
- Make-ahead: Cook on the stovetop as directed, but don’t top it with the mozzarella cheese and don’t bake it yet. Let it cool completely and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, heat the lasagna over the stovetop, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake as directed until melted.
- Make-ahead freezing: Cook on the stovetop as directed, but don’t top it with the mozzarella cheese and don’t bake it yet. Let cool completely and transfer to a baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and cover with multiple layers of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 375 degrees F (covered) until hot in the center. Uncover and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden brown on top.
- Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese, mascarpone. Also add parmesan if desired.
- Add-ins: Zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, mushrooms, spinach.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting the meat with diced veggies, such as mushrooms or zucchini.
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