I love the flavors in slow-simmered Italian sauces and homemade pasta. That doesn't mean I have time to make them. Quick dinners like this have all the flavor and none of the work!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Made completely in one large skillet, it's the easiest way to enjoy all the comfort of an Italian favorite.
- Perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner done in thirty minutes with minimal effort and just a few ingredients.
- We use regular lasagna noodles (not the more expensive no-boil ones) and let them cook in the pasta sauce for mouthwatering flavor.
This easy, one-skillet lasagna recipe comes together in a pinch without sacrificing any flavor.
While traditional homemade lasagna is a lot of work, you can whip this up any night of the week—and every family member will look forward to it!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Feel free to use Italian sausage instead of (or in addition to) the lean ground beef. You can also mix in some ground chicken or ground pork.
- Jarred sauce works just fine, but if you have some leftover homemade marinara sauce sitting around in your freezer, go ahead and use that!
- Craving the ricotta cheese from a traditional lasagna? Add a few dollops on top of the skillet as the mozzarella cheese melts. I don't recommend swapping it for cottage cheese in this recipe, though.
- Toss in some diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or onion as you brown the meat. You could also stir in some minced garlic if you like it.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Brown beef in the skillet, then combine with the pasta sauce, water, dry Italian seasoning mix, and noodles. Cover and simmer.
- Stir in the cottage cheese and a cup of mozzarella.
- Let the cheese melt. Add a little water if the noodles are starting to stick.
- Top with remaining mozzarella cheese, let it melt again, and enjoy!
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
Easy skillet lasagna is one of those great recipes that just so happens to make delicious leftovers.
Spoon extra lasagna into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for four or five days.
You can freeze leftovers, too—enjoy them within three months.
Let frozen one-pot skillet lasagna thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Enjoying leftovers as a second weeknight dinner? You can warm larger portions on the stovetop over medium heat until everything is hot again. Be sure to cover the pot and add a splash of water if it seems a little dry.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: With recipes like this, it's always a good idea to keep a careful eye on the cooking food. Give it all a good stir every few minutes, and press down any stubborn noodles that pop above the sauce mixture.
- If you don't have a skillet, a large Dutch oven will work just fine.
- Broken lasagna noodles are easier to pick up with a fork, but don't crush them into dust. Just break each noodle into a few smaller pieces.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese melts so much creamier than pre-shredded. Try it out and notice the difference!
- If the cheese is too soft to shred easily, pop it in the freezer for a bit (start with 3-4 minutes.) This will make it easier to handle.
- Don't forget the lid! We cover the skillet lasagna to keep all the moisture inside. This'll help the noodles cook without burning or sticking.
- Spice things up with some garnish. We love to top each bowl with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a touch of fresh basil—yum.
👩🍳 FAQs
Nope! Feel free to start at step two in the recipe card if you don't like or don't eat meat. Make sure to use a marinara sauce for a vegetarian skillet lasagna.
Sure, it'll work the same way. Curly egg noodles or flatter bowtie pasta are good alternatives. Just watch carefully, as the cooking time will vary depending on the thickness.
No, I recommend using dry lasagna sheets. Not only are they easier to find (and often cheaper) they soak up the sauce perfectly. There's too much liquid in this recipe for oven-ready lasagna noodles.
📚 Related recipes
- Lasagna Soup is another fun spin on a classic. It's packed with gooey cheese and tender noodles and is done in just 20 minutes.
- If cheesy pasta dishes are a family favorite, you need this Crack Chicken Spaghetti. With bacon and ranch seasoning, it has loads of flavor!
- Easy, creamy, and loaded with flavor, this Chicken Lasagna with Alfredo Sauce fills up hungry tummies and satisfies even your picky eaters.
- BBQ Macaroni Salad
- Alfredo Ravioli with Chicken and Spinach
- Bacon Pimento Mac & Cheese
- Best Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe...Ever
🍽️ Serve with...
Skillet lasagna goes great with so many different sides, but why make things fussy? Fluffy garlic knots and a quick, crisp Italian green bean salad perfectly complement the simple recipe.
After a hearty meal, we love to finish things off with some dessert. This easy Chocolate Brownie Trifle is fun to make and so addicting to eat!
📞 The last word
Who loves lasagna? We do!
Who has time to make it? Not us!
There's nothing more satisfying that taking a time-consuming (but favorite) recipe and paring it down to the bare bones. This skillet lasagna has all the flavor without the time investment.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Easy One-Pot Skillet Lasagna
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef, 97/3 or 90/10 see note
- 25 ounces pasta sauce, some jars are 24 ounces - that's ok.
- 3 cups water, may need a bit more
- 1 ounce dry Italian dressing mix, I used Good Seasons
- 10 lasanga noodles, uncooked and broken into pieces
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese, I used 4% large curd
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded from a block - divided use
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in the skillet. Pour off any fat.
- Add the pasta sauce, water, dry Italian dressing mix, and noodles.
- Stir well.
- Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked the way you like them.
- Stir in the cottage cheese and 1 cup of Mozzarella.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Add the cover back on and let simmer on very low heat for about 5 minutes. Add a little water if the lasagna seems dry or is starting to stick to the bottom.
- Remove from heat and add the remaining Mozzarella.
- Cover and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt OR, if you've used an oven-proof skillet, put it under the broiler for a minute or two.
Notes
- I used 97/3 lean ground beef and there was no fat to drain off.
- It took 25 minutes and some extra water to get the noodles as soft as I like them You may need a little more or a little less time.
- If you don't have a skillet, a large Dutch oven will work just fine.
- Broken lasagna noodles are easier to pick up with a fork, but don't crush them into dust. Just break each noodle into a few smaller pieces.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese melts so much creamier than pre-shredded. Try it out and notice the difference!
- If the cheese is too soft to shred easily, pop it in the freezer for a bit (start with 3-4 minutes.) This will make it easier to handle.
- Don't forget the lid! We cover the skillet lasagna to keep all the moisture inside. This'll help the noodles cook without burning or sticking.
- Spice things up with some garnish. We love to top each bowl with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a touch of fresh basil—yum.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published September 17, 2023. Last updated October 5, 2023, to add video.
Camden Rusincovitch says
This skillet lasagna is incredible! I feel like cooking with a skillet always makes everything better. Thanks for sharing this!
Alyssa says
I can't wait to try this skillet lasagna. This recipe seems quick and easy.
Kristen says
We always make lasagna on Christmas Eve (it's been a tradition since I was little, that I carried one with my own family), but to be honest, I am usually so exhausted from everything on Christmas Eve that the last thing I truly want to do is cook. I'm DEFINITELY going to try making this skillet lasagna with cottage cheese, instead, this year!
Kristen says
*carried on
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
Skillet lasagna is the greatest invention of all time. I love lasagna but it takes forever! This is a great weeknight meal.
Brittany says
I love that this skillet lasagna is a one pot recipe. It makes clean up so much easier!