Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe

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

It is a quicker and simpler way to enjoy the flavors of traditional lasagna without all the layering and baking time. Making lasagna in a skillet can take less than 30 minutes, and the results are delicious.

Check out my Sour Cream Noodle Bake, Skillet Chicken Pot Pie and my Skillet Bourbon Chicken too!

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!

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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 classic lasagna, but don’t always have the kind of time required to make it the traditional hard way. This is a quick and easy, one pan meal, 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). I’m all about minimal effort and clean up.

You can also cheat and make my Ravioli Lasagna, or my Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup!

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The Best Side Dishes for Lasagna

Try a Salad (like my Arugula Salad), Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots. You could also do some roasted asparagus on the side.

I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.

Kylee’s Notes & FAQs

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!

What to do with leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to piping hot!

Substitutions:

• Sub ricotta cheese 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 ground sausage.
• If you like a little heat, some red pepper flakes are a lovely addition (add them with the Italian Seasoning).

Recommended Equipment/Tools

• Chopping Board
• Knife
• Cast iron skillet. I use a 12 inch skillet from Lodge, and love it.
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons

• Onion. Diced finely.
• Garlic. Mince it up. Double it, it’s GARLIC! Garlic powder can also be used in a pinch.
• Lean Ground Beef. I use a 90/10 blend of ground beef. If you use one with a higher fat content – be sure to drain the excess fat after browning.
• Pasta Sauce. Canned or jarred, homemade marinara sauce or store-bought. You’re in charge. Pick one your family loves, and you can’t go wrong! If you like a deeper tomato flavor, add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.
• 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. I just break the noodles into smaller pieces to fit the skillet.
• Cottage Cheese. I use the lower fat kind, but whatever you have works just fine. You can also use ricotta cheese.
• Mozzarella. Use more, use less. Make it your own! I like lots of cheese, but you do you! 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!

Make the Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you can use a Dutch oven too), and sauté the onions and minced garlic until the onion softens. Add the ground beef, and cook, stirring, until browned.

Add the pasta sauce and Italian Seasoning, give it a good stir. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assembly

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove 2/3 of the sauce, and set aside.

Break the lasagna noodles into pieces and place the broken noodles over the sauce. Top with 1/2 the cottage cheese, and 1/3 of mozzarella.

Repeat – meat sauce, cottage cheese, mozzarella. 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 al dente and the cheese melts.

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

Sprinkle with fresh basil or fresh parsley (fresh herbs optional).

More Family Friendly Recipes

• 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!

5 from 17 votes

Easy One Skillet Lasagna

Author Kylee Ayotte

Servings 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

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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!

It is a quicker and simpler way to enjoy the flavors of traditional lasagna without all the layering and baking time. Making lasagna in a skillet can take less than 30 minutes, and the results are delicious.

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Equipment

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife
• Cast iron skillet
• Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion finely diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 lb ground beef
• ▢ 24 ounces marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 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

Make the Sauce

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion (diced) and sauté 5-6 mins until onion is soft, add 2 cloves garlic (minced) and cook a further minute.
• Add 1 lb ground beef and cook 4-5 mins until no longer pink.
• Add 24 ounces marinara sauce and 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning and simmer, stirring occasionally around 5-6 mins.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly

• 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.

Bake

• 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.

To serve

• Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh basil.
• 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)

⭐️ Don’t Forget! I love to hear how this turned out for you! Share your thoughts by leaving a review and rating below.

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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

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee