Skillet Lasagna – One Pot Beef Lasagna
Can you believe this skillet lasagna gets done in just 30 minutes? Made in one single pot, this is the perfect weekend comfort food. Today, I’m using homemade marina sauce with fresh tomatoes and ricotta cheese for the top.
What is your weekend comfort food? We love lasagna, and often I will make the classic lasagna either with ricotta cheese or béchamel sauce. Lasagna for me is with homemade pasta. So, in truth, homemade lasagna is a huge job for me.
But, when I’m not in the mood for all that work. I make this skillet lasagna. It uses my homemade marinara sauce, which is always in my freezer, ready to use, ricotta cheese and dried lasagna noodles. The whole dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
About this recipe
It’s a simple, easy and no-fuss recipe to make any time of the week or weekend. There are three components to this dish:
- The meat sauce – I’m using lean ground beef, but sausage meat works just as well. It is best to cook the meat sauce before you break the noodles in. That way, you dont’ overcook the pasta.
- The pasta – I’m using lasagna noodles. It is best to break these in even pieces and ensure you use enough water to cook.
- Cheese – Ensure your meat sauce and pasta are both cooked before you top with the cheese.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Ground beef – I like to use lean beef cut like brisket for my pasta recipes; Unlike the high-fat beef used for burgers or kebabs.
- Pasta – Ideally, I use flat lasagna noodles. And yet, you can certainly use others like penne, or farfalle. Either one would work just as well.
- Cheese – I always use a good combination of cheeses when making lasagna. Today, I am using ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Olive oil – To me, it has to be a good quality olive oil when making pasta. I use extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil. That’s simply a personal preference.
- Basil – Adds to the freshness of the dish.
Step by step instructions
- In a heavy bottom sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, sauté oil, garlic, and onions until the onions are translucent.
- Add the dried herbs, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
- Then, add the ground beef. Sauté the beef until it’s no longer pink.
- Next, add the marinara sauce, tomato paste, and fresh basil.
- Cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Next, break the lasagna noodles, combine well.
- Cover and cook for about 13 to 15 minutes – stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom.
- Cook until just al dente.
- Top with ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Cover and let cook 3 to 5 minutes until cheese sets.
- Then, place under a broiler for 3 minutes to get lightly golden (optional).
- Garnish with more basil leaves.
10 Tips for cooking pasta perfectly
- Use a large pot of water when boiling pasta to prevent a mess on the stovetop.
- Use 4 times the amount of water for your pasta – For example, to boil one cup pasta use at least 4 cups water.
- Always bring the water to the boil before adding pasta or the pasta will be sticky.
- Salt the water generously more than you think you need as this is the only time you will be able to season the pasta on its own.
- Never add oil to the pasta when cooking. This will create a non-stick surface on the pasta that prevents the sauce from sticking.
- Pick the right pasta for the right sauce. For example, long pasta such as spaghetti for oil and tomato-based sauces, or penna and large shapes for cream and meat-based sauces.
- The pasta cooking time on the package is a suggestion – always taste pasta to know if it’s done. Most dry pasta takes about 10 to 12 minutes while fresh pasta often takes less than 2 minutes.
- Pasta must be cooked “al dente”, which means it must be tender yet have a bite.
- If you plan to cook pasta long before serving, it’s a good idea to keep it a minute underdone as it will continue to cook with the residue heat in the sauce.
- Never drain the pasta into a colander and never rinse the pasta. Instead, remove the pasta from the pot (preferably directly into the sauce).
Frequently asked questions
This pasta will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. When you need to reheat it, cover the pan with a wet paper towel. This will help create steam, which softens the pasta just like freshly made.
Boil water with salt in a large pot at least 4 times the quantity of pasta. So, 1 cup pasta would need at least 4 cups of water.
Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and give it a good stir.
Let the pasta cook for about 8 to 12 minutes.
The best way to check pasta is to taste it. It has to be Al Dente – meaning soft but still have a bite.
Drain the pasta and set aside until ready to use it into the sauce.
Yes, you can use ground chicken. Just ensure you cook the chicken for less time. See my Chicken Pasta and Pappaderlla Lamb Pasta. They are not lasagna, but both are absolutely delicious and get ready in less than 15 minutes.
If you want a meatless pasta recipe, perhaps try my Cheery tomato paste or baked pasta lasagna recipe.
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Skillet Lasagna – One-Pot Beef Lasagna
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Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) Ground beef (or sausage meat)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Garlic (sliced)
- ½ cup Onion (diced)
- 1 tsp Oregano (dried)
- 1 tsp Thyme (dried)
- 1 tsp Rosemary (dried)
- 2 cups Marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- ½ lb (250 g) Lasagna noodles (dried, 9 to 10 sheets)
- ½ cup (120 g) Ricotta (grated)
- ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan (grated)
- 1 cup (100 g) Mozzarella (grated)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom saute pan or cast-iron skillet, sauté oil, garlic, and onions until onions are translucent.
- Add the dried herbs, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
- Then, add the ground beef. Sauté the beef until it's no longer pink.
- Next, add the marinara sauce, tomato paste, and fresh basil.
- Cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Next, break the lasagna noodles, combine well.
- Cover and cook for about 13 to 15 minutes – stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom.
- Cook until just al dente.
- Top with ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Cover and let cook 3 to 5 minutes until cheese sets.
- Then, place under a broiler for 3 minutes to get lightly golden (optional).
- Garnish with more basil leaves.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Brown the ground beef nicely before you add the marinara sauce. This will enhance the flavor of the dish
- I’m using a homemade marinara sauce made with fresh tomatoes today, but you can use canned or Jared sauce too.
- Try to break the pasta into even pieces or the small ones will get mushy while the large pieces will take longer to cook
- Use enough water to cook the pasta or the dish will be too starchy.
- Covering the pan will help cook the noodles faster.
- Make sure to stir and toss the noodles are they cook – this will prevent sticking to the bottom as well as prevent the noodles from sticking to each other.
- Turn the heat to a low simmer when spreading the cheese. This will prevent the sauce from getting into the cheese.
- Cover and cook on low, when you top with cheese to prevent the bottom sticking.
- You don’t have to but broiling adds a nice color on the top of the dish.
- Broil for no more than 3 to 5 minutes and keep a close eye to prevent buring.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
After discovering this recipe, I haven’t made regular lasagna! It’s so easy and everyone loves it!
Thank you so much, Pam. I hear you.
I love the idea of deconstructed lasagna! So cheesy and delicious!
Definitely so cheese and delicious
This was really amazing!! Such a delicious meal everyone will love!
Thank you so much for the feedback Toni
I love one pot dinner ideas! This recipe is both easy and tasty!
Me too, Angela.
I love how this is such an easier way to get to all that yummy goodness for dinner! Bonus that it’s less to clean up too!
Yes, I love less to clean up too