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This one pan skillet lasagna recipe has all the best lasagna flavors with a fraction of the effort! It’s simple to make and requires no layering.
You may also be craving my Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe or Lasagna Roll Ups for more creative twists on a classic.
Why you’ll love it
I am the first to admit that I adore a Classic Homemade Lasagna, but sometimes I want those cozy flavors with a little less work. Here in this skillet lasagna we’ve got Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and no fewer than three kinds of cheese. That’s right. Mozza, parm, and ricotta. Easy comfort food, anyone?
There’s no need to precook the noodles in this one pan lasagna recipe, and fewer dishes means that this is a fantastic weeknight meal for your family. I don’t think you’ve tried a shortcut as comforting as this easy lasagna in a skillet! It’s ok to adapt a classic when it’s this tasty.
What you’ll need
- Italian sausage – use either ground sausage, or remove the meat from the casings
- Onion and garlic – for this recipe I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onions
- Marinara sauce – since it’s a star ingredient, use one you really enjoy! I used Mezzetta brand. If you prefer, you can make Homemade Marinara Sauce.
- Broth – use either beef or chicken broth to add moisture and a deeper savory flavor
- Oregano – a signature seasoning in lasagna
- Noodles – we are using regular lasagna noodles you find in the dry pasta aisle (NOT the oven-ready kind)
- Cheese – the iconic trio of mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta for maximum cheesiness
Helpful tips
- This recipe uses regular lasagna noodles. We have not tested with oven ready noodles. Liquid measurements and timing may need to change if you go that route as they will cook faster.
- The method we’re using is quite straightforward, but pay extra attention to step 5! Cookware and stovetops vary, so with one pot recipes you may have to adjust as you go along, which is totally fine.
How to make skillet lasagna
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Sauté the sausage and onion in a large oven-proof skillet until browned, then add the garlic. Stir in the broth, marinara sauce, and oregano. Add in the broken-up noodles.
Let it simmer fairly rapidly until the noodles are pliable (al dente, or a little bendy) and the liquid has reduced, stirring every few minutes. Don’t rush this step! Remove from the heat. Using a spoon, top with dollops of the ricotta.
Top evenly with the parmesan and mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until melty. Broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese, watching it carefully. Season with salt & pepper if desired, and garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
Substitutions and variations
- While we prefer the flavor of Italian sausage, you could sub ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey if needed. You will need to add a splash of olive oil to the skillet if you choose something leaner than Italian sausage.
- You could swap the ricotta for cottage cheese or leave it out altogether.
- Don’t have any dried oregano on hand? Leave it out.
Tools for this recipe
Check out my favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- The garlic is easily minced with a garlic press. No peeling or chopping is needed.
- I used my 12″ Staub skillet. If you’re a regular around here, this is bigger than the one I normally use for many of my other skillet recipes.
- This handheld rotary grater is what I use for the parmesan.
Leftovers and storage
- Any leftover lasagna will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the pasta will soak up the liquid over time.
- Reheat in the oven at 350F, loosely covered with foil, in an oven-safe baking dish. You could also microwave until warmed through.
- Freeze it for up to 3 months.
What to serve with skillet lasagna
- Is lasagna night complete without a big slice of Garlic Bread? Definitely not! You could also try breadsticks or garlic knots.
- A side salad is a great fresh pairing. I like to make a Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs or a Caesar salad with my all-time favorite 10 Minute Caesar Dressing. My from scratch Olive Garden Dressing is great too if you want a house salad.
More pasta recipes to enjoy
Hope you enjoy this cheesy skillet lasagna recipe and leave a review! If the post didn’t answer your questions, talk to me below. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Easy Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 uncooked lasagna noodles (regular, not oven-ready) broken into small pieces
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- In a large, oven-safe skillet (use a skillet no smaller than 12"), add the sausage meat and onion and cook over medium-high until browned (about 10 minutes), breaking it up as you go along.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the marinara sauce, broth, and oregano, and give it a good stir, then add in the lasagna noodles.
- Once it starts to bubble again, reduce the heat so it's simmering fairly rapidly but not boiling like crazy. Let it cook until the noodles are bendy but not fully cooked (al dente) and the liquid has reduced considerably (it should look more like pasta sauce than soup). This should take about 15-20 minutes depending on how hot you're cooking it. Stir it every few minutes to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the noodles all get a chance to be submerged in the sauce as it tends to cook down fairly quickly. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Important: don't rush through this step or the noodles won't end up fully cooked by the end.
- Remove from the heat. Dollop on the ricotta (I just use a spoon), and then sprinkle the parmesan and mozzarella evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes, and then broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully).
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then serve. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Fresh basil and/or parsley are delicious on top but totally optional!
Notes
- Use ground sausage meat or if using whole sausages, take the meat out of the casings. Anything around 16 oz/1 lb. will work.
- Troubleshooting tips: since this is a one pot meal and every oven/stove/skillet can vary, timing or liquid measurements may need to be adjusted on the fly. The key to this recipe is ensuring that the noodles get cooked al dente before you put the skillet in the oven. If you have cooked them on too high of a heat and you find the noodles are still quite hard and the liquid has disappeared well before 15-20 minutes have gone by, add in a splash more broth, reduce the heat, and cook them for a bit longer. See blog post for more tips and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My partner and I LOVE this recipe! It’s become a weekly staple in our home and is so easy to make. I don’t have an oven safe skillet so I pour the meat and sauce mixture into a casserole dish before topping with the cheeses and it works perfectly.
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you, Arial!
This was amazing. I don’t think I will make regular lasagna again! I used ground pork, and added more seasonings including Italian seasoning, fresh oregano and fresh rosemary. It was delicious!
I’m thrilled you liked it!! 😀 Thanks so much for your review, Dede!
This was delicious! Followed the recipe exactly being sure the noodles were bendy, al-dente as instructed before putting it in the oven. Great for a weeknight dinner, but so good you could make it for company! Thanks so much for this recipe
You are very welcome, Liz!!
I love this recipes! I’m always looking for new recipes that make me go, WOW. This is definitely a keeper and goes in the “great to share with company” pile. It is easy and has so much flavor. Definitely will be making this again and again!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Brenda!!! 😀
Has anyone tried freezing and reheating?
Want to make some freezer dinners for my pregnant daughter.
I wanted to make something that was simple as I was exhausted. Skillet Lasagna was the answer, this recipe was so much easier than the one I usually make. I used hot sausage just because we like “heat” and I used beef broth. I will be making this again. Thank you
You are very welcome, Carol!!