Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe + Video

This easy, delicious Skillet Lasagna recipe takes only 30 minutes and cooks in one pan.  Smaller mess, and all of the flavors of that true traditional lasagna you crave; pasta, marinara sauce, and lots of cheese! 

Busy with kids? Family? Life in general? Sometimes it’s hard to resist the urge to drive through a fast food place for dinner because everyone is hungry now and you just don’t have a lot of time to make something. But this Skillet Lasagna, one-pot pasta recipe is so easy to fix, why not skip that drive-thru and gather your family around the table with a nice hot meal on those busy weeknights?

That is 100% possible with this super easy family favorite one-pan meal. This simple dinner doesn’t require much preparation at all, and cooks up in one large skillet, in about 30 minutes.

ONE PAN SKILLET LASAGNA

Cooking everything in one pan means less clean-up, too.  And that, my friends, is a winning situation all around! From browning your hamburger to adding a jar of your favorite sauce over the top of uncooked lasagna noodles to that ricotta cheese and melted Italian cheese on top — 30 minutes and done.

If you are looking for more one-pot meals here are a few of my favorites; Pad Thai, Fettuccine Alfredo, Skillet Tamale Pie, or this Roasted Salmon Sheet Pan Meal. 

EASY LASAGNA IN A SKILLET

The first time I shared this recipe with you was back in July of 2017, in honor of National Lasagna Day. I figured I needed to come up with a way to celebrate.  

This option is not only perfect for those busy rushed school nights we are in denial of but how about on our precious weekends?  Nobody needs to spend hours in the kitchen when you can be enjoying your time off.  

So who cares if it’s a weeknight or a lazy Saturday, pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine, toss this skillet lasagna together in no time, and sit back, relax, and enjoy a wonderful homecooked meal. 

Ingredients Needed To Make This Skillet Lasagna Recipe

What do I need to make this no-sweat lasagna recipe?  It requires simple ingredients that you may have on hand.  Honestly, the only thing I don’t typically have is the ricotta cheese.  So, if you aren’t able to get to the store, you can for sure omit it and add some extra Italian blend cheese or even just plain mozzarella, or you can even substitute cottage cheese. 

Find the complete instructions and measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

You’ll need:

• Lean ground beef – You can use lean ground beef or ground sausage. 
• Onion – I used half an onion, chopped. You can also use 2 Tablespoons of dry minced onion. Don’t use onion powder, you just won’t get the same flavor. 
• Salt & Pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste. I used a teaspoon of salt and a touch of black pepper. 
• Garlic – I used 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced. You can use garlic powder but you won’t get the same intense flavor. 
• Italian-style diced tomatoes – I used a whole can, UNdrained.
• Water – I filled the can from the diced tomatoes with water to the top and that amount was perfect. 
• Pasta sauce – You’ll need a 32 oz jar of pasta sauce. You can also use tomato sauce and add some Italian seasoning. If the sauce is too thin you can add some tomato paste. Or make it completely from scratch with my simple Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe. 
• Ricotta cheese  – If you don’t have ricotta you can also use cottage cheese. 
• Italian blend cheese – I used a premix of Italian cheeses. You can also use fresh mozzarella and combine it with whatever else you have on hand or some parmesan cheese. 
• Lasagna noodles – I used 10 noodles, broken into pieces. No need to boil lasagna noodles like in classic lasagna.
• Fresh basil – Chopped, to taste

How To Make This Recipe For Skillet Lasagna

In a large skillet brown hamburger with onion and salt and pepper.  Add in your garlic, diced tomatoes, and water. Give it a stir.

Top with your uncooked noodles, and spread over the top of the ground beef. Pour pasta sauce over the top. Cover and simmer on medium-high heat.

Stir periodically, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the noodles are al dente. About 20 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend. Remove from heat.

Top with dollops of ricotta cheese and the remaining shredded Italian cheese, and cover until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes.

Top with fresh basil. Serve hot.

We served it up with some Italian Bean Salad on the side.

LOVE IT?  PIN IT!

You are going to be sad if you can’t remember where you found this 30-minute Skillet Lasagna recipe when you are looking for it! Make sure you pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Recipes That Use Leftover Lasagna Noodles

This is a great way to use up those few “leftover noodles”  that are still in the box from the last time you made lasagna.  

It seems that every time I make a lasagna, I have a couple of them left.  I have taken to tossing them in a zip lock bag and saving them for when I want to make this stovetop lasagna recipe, or my Lasagna Soup, or my Easy Weeknight Lasagna Toss.

Alternatively, you can always use any other leftover noodles or types of noodles you have on hand.  We also love this recipe with bow-tie pasta!

FAQs About Skillet Lasagna

• How long does this skillet lasagna keep? If you store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge this simple recipe will keep for 3-4 days so you can reheat it any night of the week. If you find it a bit dry when you go to heat it up you can drizzle a touch of olive oil over it. 
• Can I freeze leftovers? This 30-minute skillet lasagna can be frozen for up to 3 months. 
• Can I use a different pasta? If you don’t have lasagna noodles you can try using a different shape of pasta like bowtie pasta or pasta shells. You may need to add a cup of water as these kinds of pasta will cook up differently than lasagna noodles. 
• Can I make my own sauce? Yes, feel free to make your own sauce instead of the store-bought marinara sauce. 
• Can I cook this pot lasagna in a Dutch oven? Yes if you don’t have a skillet on hand you can use a Dutch oven but if you’ve never made lasagna in a skillet you really should give it a try.  There’s nothing easier than one skillet lasagna!

Substitutions

Here are some great substitution and addition ideas for this skillet lasagna recipe. 

• You can use ground chicken or Italian sausage if you don’t have ground beef. 
• Cottage cheese makes a good substitute for ricotta cheese if you forgot to write ricotta on your grocery list. 
• If you don’t have diced tomatoes you can use a combination of tomato sauce, tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. The same goes for the marinara sauce. Use a combination of different tomato sauces and add some dried spices or red pepper flakes to up the flavor.  Or feel free to use a bolognese sauce or basic spaghetti sauce. 
• Make ravioli lasagna and use cheese or meat-stuffed ravioli instead of lasagna noodles. 
• My personal preference is to add roasted bell peppers to this one-pan lasagna. 

Easy Weeknight Meals

My website is loaded with meals that make weeknight dinners simple and wholesome! Here are some more to try:

• Stuffed Pepper Skillet (pictured above)
• Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak
• Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet
• Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Chili Mac Skillet
• 5 Ingredient Chicken Parmesan

This skillet lasagna is a fantastic recipe and a complete meal that cooks up in less time than traditional oven-baked lasagna, great for feeding the entire family. It’s the perfect casserole dish that doesn’t need hours in the oven. We like to eat it with some homemade garlic bread on the side for scooping up any leftover sauce.

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4.80 from 10 votes

Print Recipe

Skillet Lasagna

This SKILLET LASAGNA takes only 30 minutes and cooks in one pan. Smaller mess, and all of the flavors of that true lasagna you crave; Pasta, tomato sauce, and LOTS of cheese!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 30 minute lasagna, broken lasagna pieces, easy lasagna, easy weeknight meals, how to make lasagna in a skillet, Italian skillet meals, lasagna, one pan, one pot, simple recipes, skillet lasagna

Servings: 8

Calories: 496kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Lodge 3.6 Quart Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish with Lid (Carribbean Blue)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion chopped (or sub 2 Tablespoons dry minced onion)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 14.5 ounce Italian style diced tomatoes, UNdrained
• 1 can water
• 1 32 ounce jar pasta sauce
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups Shredded Italian blend cheese
• 10 lasagna noodles broken into pieces
• fresh basil chopped, to taste

Instructions

• In a large skillet brown hamburger with onion and salt and pepper.  Add in your garlic diced tomatoes and water. Give it a stir.
• Top with your uncooked noodles, spread over the top of the ground beef. Pour pasta sauce over the top. Cover and simmer on medium-high heat. Stir periodically, so it doesn't stick to the bottom of your pan. Cook until noodles are done. About 20 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup of the Italian cheese. Remove from heat.
• Top with dollops of ricotta cheese and the remaining shredded Italian cheese, cover and allow to melt for about 3 minutes.
• Top with fresh basil. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

This recipe was originally posted on July 27, 2017. It has been updated to improve user experience and re-shared on February 1, 2023.