Main dishes
Skillet Lasagna: Easy One-Pan Lasagna with No Oven
Skillet lasagna with ground beef, tomato sauce, ricotta and melted mozzarella. The noodles cook right in the sauce, with no oven and no boiling, in 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Italian
Ingredients
For the meat sauce
For the pasta
For the cheese
Method
Chop the vegetables
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Have the rest of the ingredients ready, since everything cooks in the same skillet.
Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes, add the beef and garlic, break it up and cook 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
Add the tomatoes and broth
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth and dried basil, scrape the bottom of the skillet and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles
Break the noodles into pieces and press them into the sauce one at a time, without stacking, until they are covered.
Simmer covered
Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes, until the pasta is tender. If it looks dry, add a splash of water.
Add the ricotta
Mix the ricotta with half the Parmesan and the parsley, and drop spoonfuls of the mixture over the lasagna.
Melt the cheese
Sprinkle the mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan over the top, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until melted. For a golden top, broil the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve
Let it rest 5 minutes so the sauce sets, garnish with fresh basil and serve straight from the skillet.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Tips
- Use a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid: the noodles need to stay covered with sauce to cook evenly.
- Skip no-boil or fresh sheets; regular dry noodles absorb just the right amount of broth and hold their shape.
- Stir gently from the bottom so the pasta does not stick or break.
- If the sauce thickens before the noodles are tender, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
- Wash your hands and cutting board after handling raw meat.
Substitutions
- Meat: half beef and half Italian sausage, or ground turkey (turkey must reach 165 °F / 74 °C).
- Ricotta: well-drained cottage cheese, or cream cheese thinned with a little milk.
- Pasta: pappardelle or long fusilli in the same amount.
- Vegetarian: swap the beef for 14 oz of sautéed mushrooms and zucchini, and use vegetable broth.
Storage
Refrigerate the lasagna in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165 °F (74 °C) with a spoonful of water so it does not dry out. It freezes in portions for up to 3 months.
Sources: USDA FSIS, safe minimum internal temperatures; USDA FSIS, leftovers and food safety.
Nutrition facts
1 serving (1/6 of the recipe)
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45.5 g
- Fat
- 29.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 14.1 g
- Fiber
- 4.2 g
- Sugars
- 8.1 g
- Sodium
- 1090 mg
Estimate per serving, calculated with 85/15 ground beef, olive oil, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, low-sodium broth, dry lasagna noodles, ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and salt.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy April 2018
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Skillet lasagna has everything you love about classic lasagna, meaty tomato sauce, creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella, but it is made in one deep skillet without turning on the oven. The trick is to break regular dry lasagna noodles into pieces and cook them right in the meat sauce with a little broth: the pasta soaks up the liquid, turns tender and thickens the sauce at the same time, so there is no separate pot of boiling water. Then you dot the top with ricotta mixed with Parmesan and parsley, cover everything with mozzarella and put the lid on for a few minutes until the cheese melts. It is a 45-minute family dinner with very few dishes to wash, perfect for weeknights. It serves 6, and for safety the ground beef should reach 160 °F (71 °C).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to boil the lasagna noodles first?
No. The dry noodles are broken up and cooked directly in the sauce, and the broth gives them the liquid they need to soften.
Can you make lasagna without an oven?
Yes. In this version everything cooks in the covered skillet and the cheese melts under the lid. Broiling is only optional, for color.
What size skillet do I need?
A deep skillet about 12 inches wide with a lid, cast iron or stainless steel. If you want to broil, make sure it is oven-safe.
What temperature should the ground beef reach?
The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160 °F (71 °C). When browning it, make sure no pink remains.
Can I freeze skillet lasagna?
Yes, for up to 3 months in well-sealed portions. Thaw it in the fridge and reheat to 165 °F (74 °C).
