Okay, hey there! So, listen. Lasagna. Right? It’s amazing, truly comfort food at its finest. But let’s be real, making a traditional lasagna? It’s a project. A *big* project. Layers, béchamel (sometimes!), multiple dishes, waiting forever for it to bake… Yeah, no thanks, not on a Tuesday after work. That’s why I absolutely fell head over heels for the skillet lasagna. It’s got all that cheesy, saucy, meaty goodness you crave but in like, a fraction of the time and with way less cleanup. It’s basically magic in a pan.
I first stumbled upon this concept years ago when I was super pregnant and craving lasagna but too tired to stand for more than five minutes. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say, and boy, were they right. This recipe has saved my dinner sanity more times than I can count. It’s imperfectly perfect, just like life, I suppose.
Why You’ll Wanna Make This (Like, Right Now)
Okay, so why this skillet lasagna? Well, for starters, it’s *fast*. Like, dinner-on-the-table-in-under-an-hour fast. My family goes absolutely bonkers for it. Seriously, plates are practically licked clean. It hits all the right spots: savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta, gooey mozzarella, and tender pasta. And the best part? One pan! Less dishes equals a happier me, and honestly, probably a happier you too, right?
I make this when I’m feeling lazy but still want something homemade and hearty. Or when friends pop over unexpectedly (it’s easy to scale up!). It’s forgiving, too. Mess up a step? Probably still gonna be delicious. It’s weeknight comfort food without the weekend fuss.
Okay, Here’s What You’ll Need
Here’s the stuff you’ll need to get this skillet goodness going. Don’t stress too much about exact measurements; cooking is an art, not a science, mostly.
- About a pound of ground meat. I usually use beef (80/20 is good for flavor), but turkey or even a mix of beef and pork works great too. Use whatever you’ve got!
- One medium onion, chopped. Don’t cry over it!
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced. More if you love garlic like I do.
- A big can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes. I’m partial to Cento, they just taste brighter, but any brand you like is fine.
- One small can (6 oz) of tomato paste. This adds depth, don’t skip it!
- About 2 cups of beef or vegetable broth. Chicken broth works too in a pinch.
- Dried pasta – you’ll need about 8 ounces. Lasagna noodles broken into pieces are classic, but you can totally use rigatoni, penne, or even rotini if that’s lurking in your pantry. I sometimes use campanelle; it holds the sauce beautifully!
- Ricotta cheese – a 15-ounce container. Whole milk is creamiest, but part skim is okay if you’re watching things.
- About 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving. Freshly grated is best, honestly.
- 1 ½ to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Use the pre shredded stuff if you’re in a hurry, it’s totally fine.
- A couple tablespoons of olive oil.
- Dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano, basil, thyme).
- Salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish, optional but pretty.
Putting It All Together (The Fun Part!)
Right, let’s get cooking! Grab your largest oven safe skillet. Cast iron is perfect for this, but any heavy bottomed pan will work, just make sure it has a lid or you have foil.
- Heat the olive oil in your skillet over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it’s softened and smells good, maybe 5 7 minutes.
- Add the ground meat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Brown it well! This is where flavor builds. Drain off any excess grease unless you’re using a super lean meat.
- Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly, until you can really smell the garlic and the tomato paste darkens slightly. This step is important, it toasts the paste and makes the form taste richer.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth. Add the Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, and some pepper. Stir everything together.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add your broken lasagna noodles or other pasta. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the sauce. If it looks a little dry, add another splash of broth or even water. Don’t worry if it looks a bit crowded; it always does!
- Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for about 15 20 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, especially at the bottom. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the sauce. You should too.
- While the pasta is simmering, mix the ricotta cheese with the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. You can add a little salt and pepper here too.
- Once the pasta is ready, uncover the skillet. Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the top of the sauce and pasta. Don’t worry about spreading it perfectly; rustic is good!
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- If your skillet is oven safe, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Watch it like a hawk though, it can brown super fast! If not, you can cover the skillet again for a few minutes to let the cheese melt form the residual heat, though it won’t get that lovely bubbly browned top. (Honestly, I usually just melt it and skip the broiler, it’s still awesome.)
- Let it sit for 5 10 minutes before serving. This lets everything settle and makes it less of a molten lava mess (though a little molten lava mess isn’t the worst thing, is it?).
- Garnish with fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy.
Stuff I Learned the Hard Way (Notes)
- Seriously, stirring is key. Especially with broken lasagna noodles, they like to stick together and to the bottom. Stir gently but thoroughly a few times while it simmers.
- The amount of liquid you need can vary depending on your pasta shape and how much you reduced your sauce. If it looks dry while simmering, add a little more broth or hot water. If it’s too soupy at the end, just uncover it and let it simmer for a few extra minutes to thicken up before adding the cheese.
- Don’t overcook the pasta in the sauce! It will keep cooking a bit as it sits. Taste a piece right at the 15 minute mark to check for doneness.
Experiments I’ve Tried (Variations)
You can totally play around with this! I’ve added chopped bell peppers and mushrooms in with the onion before, which is tasty. Sometimes I’ll throw in a handful of fresh spinach at the very end, right before the cheese, it just wilts in. You could even add some cooked sausage or meatballs instead of or alongside the ground meat.
One time, I tried using gluten free lasagna noodles. They… didn’t work so well. They got really gummy. So, maybe stick to regular pasta for this one, or find a specifically recommended gluten free pasta for one pot dishes.
Tools You’ll Need
The main star here is a large, oven safe skillet (at least 10 inches, 12 is better). If you don’t have an oven safe one, don’t despair! Just skip the broiling step and cover it to melt the cheese. You’ll also need a cutting board, a good knife, a spoon for stirring, and a bowl for the ricotta mix. Pretty basic stuff.
Storing Leftovers (If There Are Any!)
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 4 days. It reheats beautifully! Just pop it in the microwave or gently warm it back up in a pan with a splash of water or broth. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day or two! It’s just *that* good reheated, the flavors meld even more.
What to Serve With It
This is a pretty hearty dish on its own, but we usually have it with a simple green salad tossed with a vinaigrette. Some crusty bread for soaking up the extra sauce is also highly encouraged. A glass of red wine? Perfection.
Pro Tips (aka, Learn From My Mistakes)
- Don’t skimp on browning the meat and cooking the tomato paste. I once tried rushing this step and regretted it because the sauce wasn’t as rich or flavorful. Take the extra few minutes, it’s worth it.
- Taste and adjust seasoning! Sauce needs salt? Pepper? More Italian herbs? Taste it before adding the pasta and again before adding the cheese.
- Let it rest. Seriously, the 5 10 minute rest makes a huge difference in how it sets up.
Questions You Might Have (FAQ)
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- You can make the meat sauce part ahead and keep it in the fridge. Then just reheat it in the skillet, add the broth and pasta, and finish cooking. Don’t add the pasta until you’re ready to cook and serve, though!
- What kind of skillet is best?
- A cast iron skillet is ideal because it distributes heat well and is oven safe for that melty cheese top. But a good quality nonstick or stainless steel oven safe skillet works too.
- My sauce is too thick/thin! Help!
- Too thick? Add more broth or water a little at a time until it’s right. Too thin? Simmer it uncovered for a bit longer to let some liquid evaporate before adding the cheese. Easy peasy!
- Do I have to break the lasagna noodles?
- Yep, for this skillet version you do! Unless you’re using a different short pasta shape, of course. They need to be small enough to cook evenly submerged in the sauce.
- Can I freeze this?
- I haven’t tried freezing the whole finished dish, honestly. The texture of the pasta and ricotta might get a little weird? But I bet you could freeze the meat sauce part before adding pasta and cheese. That would probably work well.
So there you have it! My favorite easy skillet lasagna recipe. Give it a try; I promise it’ll become one of your weeknight regulars too. Happy cooking!
simo
