Skillet Lasagna - Easy and Delicious Dinner Recipe (2024)

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What if I told you that you could have a delicious dinner on the table in no time? Enter skillet lasagna – the ultimate weeknight meal solution. Learn how to make the perfect skillet lasagna that is not only quick and easy but also customizable.

Skillet Lasagna - Easy and Delicious Dinner Recipe (1)

I’ve always thought that it’s a bit of fuss to make lasagna. However, using oven-ready noodles and puting it together in one pan (in this case, a skillet) is super easy. Plus, you only have to clean up one pan and one bowl (and maybe a measuring cup or two).

Not only is it a game-changer for busy weeknights, but it’s also incredibly versatile. You can switch up the ingredients to suit your preferences and dietary needs, making it perfect for families with picky eaters or anyone looking for a quick and satisfying meal.

But there’s more to this dish than just convenience. Skillet lasagna is a one-pan wonder that will leave you with minimal cleanup and a full belly. With layers of tender pasta, savory meat sauce, and melted cheese, it hits all the right notes for comfort food. Plus, it’s a great way to get your serving of vegetables in, as you can easily add in some spinach, zucchini, or any other veggies you have on hand.

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So, where did this idea come from? Well, this past Monday, I had lasagna with my mom. It was amazing, and since I couldn’t get it out of my head, I had to make some for myself. I purchased a large 12-inch skillet a few months ago, and it was time to put it to use.

I know you might not want to turn on your oven in the middle of summer, but this recipe is totally worth it. So simple and delicious. Or just save it for fall; I’m cool with that, too.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS hide

1 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

3 Choose the Right Skillet

4 How to Make

5 Recipe Variations

6 More Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy

7 Skillet Lasagna

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s incredibly easy to make and requires minimal preparation and clean-up time. Plus, it’s a one-skillet meal, which means you won’t have multiple pots and pans to wash after dinner.
  • You can easily swap out ingredients to suit your tastes or dietary restrictions. Whether you prefer ground beef, turkey, or vegetarian options like mushrooms, this recipe can accommodate.
  • The combination of tender noodles, savory sauce, and melted cheese is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Plus, it’s a fun twist on traditional lasagna that will impress your friends and family.
  • Instead of spending hours prepping and baking a traditional lasagna, you can have this skillet version on the table with very little hands-on time. It’s perfect for those nights when you just don’t have the energy or time to cook a complicated meal.

What I love about this skillet lasagna is that it’s super casual. I don’t even like to cut it like traditional lasagna. Just serve it with a big spoon and you’re good to go. Whip up a salad (might I suggested my apple pecan salad, wilted endive, or spinach salad), get a loaf of crusty bread, and set dinner on the table. I think you’re going to love it too!

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Ingredients

To make this delicious skillet lasagna, you’ll need to gather a few key ingredients.

  • ground beef
  • yellow onion
  • garlicdiced
  • olive oil
  • red pepper flakes
  • oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • pasta sauce
  • shredded parmesan cheeseshredded
  • fresh mozzarella
  • ricotta cheese
  • fresh parsley and basil for garnish
  • salt and pepper

In addition to these grocery ingredients, you’ll also need a good skillet.

Choose the Right Skillet

To truly achieve optimal results with this skillet lasagna, it’s important to select the right skillet. The perfect skillet for skillet lasagna is one that has high sides, a lid, and is made of nonstick or stainless steel. This is the skillet I used for this recipe. I highly recommend the Lodge brand. They’ve never let me down and are really affordable.

This is important because a high-quality skillet will ensure even heat distribution and will prevent the lasagna from sticking to the pan. Choosing the right skillet will make all the difference in creating a delicious and well-made skillet lasagna that you and your family will love.

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How to Make

It’s time to put this skillet lasagna together. You can find the step-by-step instructions below. I’ve also provideda full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a 12-inch skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil and sauté your onions over medium-high heat until translucent. This will take about five minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté it for a minute. Finally, add the ground beef, breaking it into small chunks. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
  3. After cooking the beef for 8 – 10 minutes or until all the pink has disappeared, remove it from the skillet, place it in a bowl, and set it aside.
  4. Take the skillet off the burner so that it can cool slightly. Then, add 1 1/2 cups of pasta sauce to the bottom, spreading it into a thin later.
  5. Lay the noodle strips across the sauce, overlapping them slightly to create one layer. Spoon half of the beef on top of the noodle layer. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. Top this with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.
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  1. Next, add another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining beef across this layer. Top with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Again, top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.
  2. Add a final layer of noodles. Top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.
  3. Then, using a tablespoon, spread dollops of ricotta cheese evenly across the top of the lasagna. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
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  1. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  2. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Allow the pan to cool slightly and garnish with the fresh herbs.
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Recipe Variations

Now that you’ve got the hang of making this delicious skillet lasagna, it’s time to make it your own.

  • One easy way to customize this recipe is by adding your favorite vegetables. Sauté some spinach or zucchini and add it to the layers for some extra nutrition and flavor.
  • You can also swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken if you prefer a lighter option.
  • For a spicy twist, add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
  • If you’re a cheese lover, experiment with different types of cheese like mozzarella, provolone, or even goat cheese.
  • Another fun idea is to include some cooked bacon or sausage for an added savory kick.
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More Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy

  • Seafood Lasagna
  • Lemon Ricotta Pasta
  • Creamy Pumpkin Tortillini
  • Five Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
  • One Pan Chicken Apple Sausage Pasta

I hope you’ll try making this skillet lasagna. Experiment with different additions, flavors, etc. I know you’re going to enjoy it. If you do,please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below.

Want more from Inspired by Charm?Follow along onInstagramandTikTokfor daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration onFacebookandPinterest!

Skillet Lasagna - Easy and Delicious Dinner Recipe (11)

Skillet Lasagna

This skillet lasagna is all the things you love about classic lasagna, but presented in a whole new way. It's just as delicious too!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lasagna, pasta, skillet

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 586kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

  • In a 12-inch skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil and sauté your onions over medium-high heat until translucent. This will take about five minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté it for a minute. Finally, add the ground beef, breaking it into small chunks. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

  • After cooking the beef for 8 – 10 minutes or until all the pink has disappeared, remove it from the skillet, place it in a bowl, and set it aside.

  • Take the skillet off the burner so that it can cool slightly. Then, add 1 1/2 cups of pasta sauce to the bottom, spreading it into a thin later.

  • Lay the noodle strips across the sauce, overlapping them slightly to create one layer. Spoon half of the beef on top of the noodle layer. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. Top this with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.

  • Next, add another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining beef across this layer. Top with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Again, top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.

  • Add a final layer of noodles. Top with 1 1/2 cups of sauce.

  • Then, using a tablespoon, spread dollops of ricotta cheese evenly across the top of the lasagna. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

  • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Allow the pan to cool slightly and garnish with the fresh herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1558mg | Potassium: 918mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1272IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 3mg

Skillet Lasagna - Easy and Delicious Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best pan for making lasagna? ›

Glass pans are known for cooking evenly while preventing the lasagna from sticking., and they're perfect for make-ahead frozen casseroles.

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.

How many layers in a pan of lasagna? ›

Betony Kitchen says you could make lasagna with as little as two layers for a quick lasagna that doesn't take long to bake. Many, however, would consider this skimping. Most recipes you'll find for lasagna call for a minimum of three layers, which seems to be the universal standard.

Should lasagna be baked in glass or metal pan? ›

Acidic ingredients like tomatoes and citrus can react with aluminum (the most common metal used in bakeware), creating a metallic taste in your food. This is why lasagna and other casseroles with acidic ingredients are often baked in glass.

Does lasagna cook better in glass or metal? ›

Glass pans are the way to go

For a lasagna that looks amazing and tastes great, it's important to skip the metal pan and go straight for the glass bakeware. Glass baking pans obviously don't contain aluminum, so you can layer your sauce, noodles, and cheese without worrying about losing flavor to a chemical reaction.

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.

Why should you not cover lasagna in a metal pan with foil? ›

It may sound surprising, but you shouldn't cover a casserole dish with foil directly when baking, as it can impact the final dish. "Acidic foods like tomato sauce [in lasagna] will react adversely when exposed to foil under the heat of the oven," says Brian Owenby, chef at the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Is lasagna sauce and spaghetti sauce the same? ›

Yes, you can definitely use the same sauce for pasta and lasagna. In fact, many pasta sauces, such as tomato-based sauces, work well with both pasta and lasagna. Using the same sauce can save you time and effort, and also ensure a consistent flavor throughout your meal.

What do Italians serve with lasagna? ›

What do Italians eat lasagna with? - Quora. A fork. And a mouth, to be precise. Lasagne (it's plural, not singular) are a primo, so you eat it on its own, but followed by at least some vegetables or, if it's a festive meal, also some proteins in the form of meat (as most lasagne are meat-based) and vegetables.

Do Italians eat bread with lasagna? ›

Do Italians eat bread and pasta at the same meal? Yes. They have, actually, a custom called scarpetta, which consists in soaking bread in the remaining sauce after eating pasta (or any other thing they ate).

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.

How many pans of lasagna do I need for 10 people? ›

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.

Why is my lasagna falling apart? ›

If your lasagna is falling apart it could be because, it is to hot. Let it sit about 5 mins after you pull it out of the oven.

What is the best bottom layer for lasagna? ›

Start by spreading a layer of your tomato-based sauce (either a plain tomato sauce or your pre-made ragù) on the bottom of your dish. Next, add a single layer of pasta sheets. Then, add a layer of white sauce, followed by another single layer of pasta sheets.

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.

Can you cook lasagna in a Pyrex dish? ›

Cover the Pyrex Deep with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove tinfoil and cook the lasagna for another 5 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly. Cool slightly and serve while warm.

Can I use parchment paper in the bottom of my lasagna? ›

To get a perfect lasagna, the filling should be finely sliced or even creamy. If using parchment paper, remember to remove it once the lasagna is cooked. Otherwise, it will get wet and ruin the base. It's better to grease an oven dish or to streak it with béchamel sauce.

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