This lasagna skillet is an extra cheesy shortcut kind of dish and best of all, it’s loaded with all of the flavors found in a homemade lasagna recipe.
This hearty pasta has a zesty meat sauce and is topped with mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh ricotta cheese for the perfect bite.
Why We Love Skillet Lasagna!
- We love this easy dish because it comes together in minutes, no layering required.
- This dish has all of the flavors of traditional lasagna in a quick stovetop recipe.
- One pot of pasta and one skillet is all you need.
- Skillet lasagna reheats and freezes well so it’s great for lunches too.
Ingredients and Variations
PASTA
Break up lasagna noodles and boil them or swap them for a medium-sized pasta shape. like penne, rotini, or bowtie shells. Mafalda is the name of the ruffled shape I’ve used in the photos.
MEAT
I use ground beef but of course, Italian sausage is great in this too. You can also use ground turkey or other types of ground sausage.
SAUCE
Pasta sauce with a can of diced tomatoes and some Italian seasoning makes this dish quick. If you’d prefer a from-scratch recipe, start with an easy marinara sauce or spice up your own tomato sauce.
CHEESE
Loads of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese give this dish that famous lasagna flavor. Save some calories and switch out the ricotta for full-fat cottage cheese, or stir in some Velveeta for a new cheddar-style twist.
Variations
- Add your favorites veggies and seasonings into the sauce like mushrooms, red pepper flakes, or diced zucchini.
- Add fresh herbs into the ricotta cheese
How to Make Skillet Lasagna
- Cook ground beef, onion, & garlic in a large skillet. Drain fat.
- Add bell pepper to the beef mixture and the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer (as per recipe below).
- Stir in cooked pasta. Top with cheeses and cover to melt (or broil if you’d like!).
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs and enjoy.
Tips for Perfect Pasta
- Do not overcook. Boil pasta with salt just until al dente (firm but tender). It will continue to cook in the skillet with the other ingredients.
- Do not rinse pasta. Avoid rinsing it so the starch clings to it and helps thicken the lasagna sauce.
- Broil cheese. If you have an oven-safe pan, place the cheese under a broiler for a few minutes for extra flavor.
Sides that Go With Lasagna Skillet
Our favorite side for this recipe is garlic bread but any hearty bread (like focaccia) or rolls pair well with pasta.
- Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks – these are the best
- Strawberry Spinach Salad – a sweet little side salad
- Sautéed Green Beans – a simple side dish
- Roasted Broccoli and Carrots – a healthy side to make with lasagna
Did you enjoy this Lasagna Skillet? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Cheesy Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini penne, or other medium pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- 2 cups pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Toppings
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or to taste, as garnish
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley or to taste, as garnish
Instructions
- Brown beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain fat.
- While the beef is browning, cook pasta in salted water just until al dente. Drain but do not rinse.
- Add green pepper to the ground beef and cook 3-4 minutes or until it begins to soften. Stir in tomatoes, sauce, and Italian seasoning. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in cooked pasta and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
- Mix ricotta and parmesan cheese. Top the skillet with dollops of cheese mixture. Add the mozzarella around the ricotta and cover until melted. Garnish with herbs if desired.
Notes
- Any medium pasta will work. Mafalda is the name of the ruffled shape I've used in the photos.
- Cook pasta just to al dente (firm) as they will continue to cook when simmered with the meat sauce. Do not rinse pasta.
- Ground beef can be substituted for ground chicken, pork, or Italian sausage.
- For a browned topping, add mozzarella cheese to the skillet and broil 2-3 minutes. Add ricotta and fresh herbs before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
great
Will I need an extra large skillet? Thanks.
A large skillet will work in this recipe!
I was shocked how good this is. I was even more shocked my husband liked it and had two servings.
That is so great, Debra! I am glad you both loved it.