I love lasagna! It is a total comfort food, yet it feels fancier than other pastas. But sometimes preparing it can take too much time and energy. You can cook this easy skillet lasagna all in one pan, and it comes together in just 30 minutes bake time. This is one of my favorite recipes to make for family dinner!
For this recipe, you will need a large skillet that is oven safe. Cast iron skillets work great. If you don’t have a big enough skillet, you can prepare your meat sauce on the stovetop, and then layer your easy lasagna in a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours. You can even prepare it in your instant pot, if you prefer!
Why You'll Love This Lasagna Skillet Meal
- Ditch the Dishes – I love one pot meals because it saves time and dishes, plus it is so convenient. This whole recipe can be prepared in one pan!
- Waste Free Cooking – I hate throwing away food, and this recipe can be a great way to make use of broken lasagna noodles. Your skillet meal doesn’t need to look like a perfect pan of lasagna. It just needs to taste great!
Ingredients for Skillet Lasagna
- Onion – Onion adds a savory flavor note to your skillet lasagna recipe. Dice one small yellow onion before you begin.
- Italian Seasoning – This easy skillet lasagna is full of flavor! An easy way to layer it on is to add 1 tsp of Italian seasoning to your ground beef.
- Garlic – You will need 1 ½ tsp minced garlic to start this dish!
- Oil – You want to make sure that your skillet is well oiled or seasoned since it is going in the oven. Even skillet lasagna can get stuck to the pan when cooking. I prefer to use olive oil when I prepare this dish.
- Meat – You will need both beef and sausage to make your meat sauce. I recommend 1 pound of lean ground beef, and 1 pound of Italian sausage for this skillet lasagna recipe.
- Salt and Pepper – Since the marinara sauce will already be seasoned, we don’t need too much in the way of seasonings, but we can’t forget salt and pepper!
- Marinara – Jarred marinara sauce makes this lasagna recipe easy, and tastes just right! If you prefer, you can use your own homemade tomato sauce.
- Spinach – 3 cups of fresh spinach will pack a nutritious punch. Spinach is fat free, but full of vitamins A, C, K, and potassium.
- Noodles – You can use oven ready, or precooked lasagna noodles for this recipe. You could even repurpose other types of leftover pasta in this dish. Just make sure the noodles are big, like shells, penne, or rigatoni.
- Cheese – You will need 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 cups of shredded parmesan, and 3 ½ cups of ricotta cheese. For a healthier swap, try cottage cheese instead of ricotta.
- Optional Garnishes – Kick this delicious skillet lasagna up a notch by garnishing it with extra cheese and fresh basil!
How To Make It
- Start by preheating the oven to 400F and spraying skillet with non-stick cooking spray. If using cast iron, make sure it is well seasoned. Sauté diced onion, Italian seasoning and minced garlic over medium high heat in olive oil.
- Add sausage, beef, salt and pepper to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the meat is mostly cooked. It will continue to cook in the oven. Stir in marinara and remove skillet from heat. Remove half of the sauce into an extra bowl and spread the remaining sauce along the bottom if the pan.
- Layer in ready to bake or cooked lasagna noodles.
- Evenly layer half of the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and fresh spinach on the lasagna sheets.
- Add the other half of the meat sauce then top with lasagna sheets.
- Layer on the remaining ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and spinach. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven let cool a bit before serving. Garnish as desired with extra cheese or fresh basil.
Step by Step Instructions
To begin your easy skillet meal, preheat your oven to 400F. Spray your skillet well with nonstick cooking spray, or use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Heat your skillet over medium high. Add your olive oil, diced onion, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant. The onions should begin to soften.
Add your sausage, lean ground beef, salt and pepper to the skillet. Continue to cook over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes. You don’t need the meat to be completely cooked through, as it will continue to cook in the oven, but you do want it to be mostly cooked. Add your marinara sauce to the pan and stir.
Then you'll want to remove the skillet from heat, and divide your sauce, setting half aside for later. Spread the remaining sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan. Ensuring that the bottom of the pan is covered in sauce can help to prevent sticking and burning. Line the pan with a layer of oven ready noodles.
Top your noodles with half of your cheese and fresh spinach, reserving the rest for the next layer.
Next, add the rest of your meat sauce, followed by another layer of lasagna noodles. Finish layering your lasagna with the remaining spinach and cheese.
Afterward, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and beginning to bubble and brown. Once your skillet lasagna is done, set it aside to cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with cheese and basil if you wish!
Cook's Tips
- It's important to clean your cast iron properly. Don't use abrasive sponges and never wash in the dishwasher. Hand wash with hot water and just enough soap to remove food debris. Thoroughly dry after washing. After washing and drying, re-coat with vegetable oil.
- Season a new or used cast iron by liberally rubbing it down with vegetable oil and baking it at 350F for 20 Minutes.
- After dinner, pack up leftover skillet lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in portioned containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If you have super picker eaters, omit the spinach or chop it ever so finely so it's not as noticeable.
FAQ:
If you have oven ready lasagna noodles, there is no need to cook them before they go in the oven. If you decide to use uncooked lasagna, just boil them per box instructions prior to. This typically takes about 12 minutes.
I like to cover the lasagna with foil for the majority of the bake time. You may uncover it the final few minutes to brown and crisp the top. For this recipe however, you won't have to cover the pan. You won't need to cover the skillet in this recipe because the cheese will melt on its own. If you prefer, you can cover it carefully using foil and oven mits, or a lid if you have one. I definitely recommend leaving it uncovered at the end of cook time.
Your lasagna may end up watery if your sauce is too runny, or if there is excess fat from your meat. Use lean meat, but if there is a lot of fat, drain it before adding your sauce. If you are cooking your noodles before use, you should also make sure they are dry before adding them to the pan.
If you’re looking for more easy dinners to make, try these simple dishes and seafood dishes!
Easy Sheet Pat Teriyaki Salmon and Veggies
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 small Yellow Onion diced
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 5 cups Marinara
- 3 cups Fresh Spinach
- 1 box Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles (may sub for pre-cooked lasagna noodles)
- 3 cups shredded Mozzarella
- 2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 3 ½ cups Ricotta Cheese
- Optional Garnish: Extra Cheese Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400F and spraying skillet with non-stick cooking spray. If suing cast iron, make sure it is well seasoned.
- Start by sautéing diced onion, Italian seasoning and minced garlic over medium high heat tin olive oil.
- Add sausage, beef, salt and pepper to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the meat is mostly cooked. It will continue to cook in the oven.
- Stir in marinara and remove skillet from heat. Remove half of the sauce into an extra bowl and spread the remaining sauce along the bottom if the pan.
- Layer in ready to bake or cooked lasagna noodles.
- Evenly layer half of the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and fresh spinach on the lasagna sheets.
- Add the other half of the meat sauce then top with lasagna sheets.
- Layer on the remaining ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and spinach.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven let cool a bit before serving. Garnish as desired with extra cheese or fresh basil.
Notes
-When cleaning cast iron refrain from abrasive sponges and thoroughly dry it after washing. Wash with hot water and just enough soap to remove food debris. Do not place in the dish washer. After washing and drying, re-coat with vegetable oil.
-You can season a new cast iron or one that needs to be re seasoned by liberally rubbing it down with vegetable oil and baking it at 350F for 20 Minutes.
-Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days
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