Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe

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A delicious lasagna that is made in a cast-iron skillet. This comfort food classic is perfect for weeknights and pleases the whole family!

Update: This was originally posted in 2016, and has been updated to improve reader experience.

Yippee! Another weeknight winner!

I’m in the mood for some homestyle cooking! Homestyle means different things to different people. For me, it’s food made with love and care. This Skillet Lasagna recipe really fits the bill. 

I love lasagna, but don’t always have the kind of time required to make it the traditional hard way. This is all cooked in one skillet, and you can clean the other couple of bowls used while this cooks.   Assembling and throwing in the oven leaves you free to do other things before dinner (like drink wine).

If you love one-pot meals – you’ll enjoy my Skillet Mac & Cheese and One Pan Ham & Cheese Pasta, as well!

Why this recipe works:

• It uses common ingredients that are easy to find.
• It cooks right in the skillet, no boiling noodles separately.
• It is easy to substitute different ingredients based on what you have on hand!

I hope you try this and let me know how it goes!

Substitutions:

It’s easy to change this up and make a different flavored lasagna for each night of the week!  Use what you have, it will be MARVELOUS, I promise!

• Sub ricotta for cottage cheese.
• Use no-boil lasagna noodles instead of regular – cook for less time!
• Use different flavored tomato sauce. I like a four-cheese pasta sauce, but your favorite sauce will make this lasagna your own! If you don’t have pasta sauce, some diced tomatoes, extra garlic, and some seasoning will work just as well. Just be sure to match the volume of liquid (since the noodles will literally cook in the sauce).
• If I have Italian sausage, I might use half ground beef, half sausage.
• If you like a little heat, some red pepper flakes are a lovely addition (add them with the Italian Seasoning).

This is how I make it, and since there are rarely any leftovers, I can only assume that others in the family enjoyed it too.

Ingredients:

• ONION – diced finely.
• GARLIC – mince it up. Double it, it’s GARLIC!
• GROUND BEEF – I use a 90/10 blend of ground beef.
• PASTA SAUCE – canned or jarred, homemade or storebought. You’re in charge. Pick one your family loves, and you can’t go wrong!
• ITALIAN SEASONING – grab it from the store, or use my easy recipe (below).
• LASAGNA NOODLES – I use the regular kind, not the “no-boil”. If you have no-boil, cook for less time.
• COTTAGE CHEESE – I use the lower fat kind, but whatever you have works just fine.
• MOZZARELLA – use more, use less. Make it your own! Switch out the final layer for parmesan cheese for a more authentic lasagna.

Italian Seasoning Recipe

A blend of dried herbs that you probably already own! Skip the store-bought blends, and make your own!

Check it out!

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!

MAKE THE SAUCE

1. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you can use a dutch oven too), and saute the onions and garlic until the onion softens.
2. Add the ground beef .
3. cook, stirring, until browned.
4. Add the pasta sauce.
5. Add the Italian Seasoning.
6. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ASSEMBLY

1. Remove 2/3 of the sauce, and set aside.
2. Break the lasagna noodles into pieces and place them over the sauce. Top with 1/2 the cottage cheese, and 1/3 of mozzarella.
3. Repeat – sauce, cottage cheese, mozzarella.
4. Finish with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella.

COOK THE LASAGNA

Cover and cook in the oven (cover with an oven-safe lid, or tightly wrap with tin foil) for 20 – 30 minutes, or until noodles are tender.

You may like to broil the top, but that is totally optional!

MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY MEALS

• Hamburger Helper – A fabulous DIY hack – a copycat of “hamburger helper” and a VERY popular weeknight dinner. Simple. Homemade. Delicious!
• Spaghetti Carbonara – A classic pasta dish using simple ingredients, like a sauce made silky and rich by using eggs, bacon, and parmesan. This Classic Spaghetti Carbonara is comfort food, made right in your own kitchen. 
• Tuna Noodle Casserole – This old-time classic will bring you right back to childhood. Budget-friendly and easy to double for a crowd!

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Easy One Skillet Lasagna

A delicious lasagna that is made in a cast-iron skillet. This comfort food classic is perfect for weeknights and pleases the whole family!

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Kylee Cooks

Want to scale this recipe?Simply click on the serving amount and move the slider up or down – the recipe will automatically adjust!

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 23 oz pasta sauce
• 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups mozzarella grated, divided
• 8 pieces lasagna noodles each broken into 4 or 5(you can use no-boil, but cook it for slightly less time)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 5-6 mins til onion is soft, add the garlic and cook a further minute.
• Add the ground beef and cook 4-5 mins until no longer pink.
• Add the pasta sauce and Italian Seasoning and simmer, stirring occasionally around 5-6 mins.
• Transfer 2/3 of the meat sauce to a bowl, leaving 1/3 the sauce in the skillet
• Lay half the noodles over the sauce in the skillet, spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella, then repeat with sauce, noodles, cottage cheese,1/2 cup mozzarella and last 1/3 of the sauce.
• Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 25 to 30 mins.
• Remove from the oven, and let it rest a few minutes – broiling the top if desired.
• Garnish with chopped parsley.
• Devour.

Notes

Substitutions:

It’s easy to change this up and make a different flavored lasagna for each night of the week!  Use what you have, it will be MARVELOUS, I promise!

• Sub the cottage cheese for ricotta.
• Use no-boil lasagna noodles instead of regular – cook for less time!
• Use different flavored tomato sauce. I like a four-cheese pasta sauce, but your favorite sauce will make this lasagna your own! If you don’t have pasta sauce, some diced tomatoes, extra garlic, and some seasoning will work just as well. Just be sure to match the volume of liquid (since the noodles will literally cook in the sauce)
• If I have Italian sausage, I might use half ground beef, half sausage.
• If you like a little heat, some red pepper flakes are a lovely addition (add them with the Italian Seasoning)

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 985mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @kyleecooks or tag #kyleecooks!