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One Pan Skillet Meat Lasagna

One-Pan Skillet Meat Lasagna

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 12-inch oven-safe skillet or sauté pan A cast iron or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet works best to evenly cook the noodles and retain heat.
  • Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring the meat sauce and ensuring nothing sticks.
  • Lid or aluminum foil If your skillet doesn’t come with a lid, foil will help trap steam to soften the noodles.
  • Small Mixing Bowl For mixing cheeses if needed.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground beef or a mix of beef and mild Italian sausage for extra depth
  • 2 cups marinara or homemade lasagna sauce recipe
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 8 lasagna noodles broken into thirds (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

Sauté the aromatics

  1. Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Cook the meat

  1. Add ground beef and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks—this will be the foundation of your meat sauce.

Add the sauce and noodles

  1. Stir in the marinara sauce and water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Nestle in the broken lasagna noodles, pressing them down to ensure they're covered in the sauce.

Simmer and steam

  1. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are tender.

Add the cheese layers

  1. Once the noodles are cooked, dollop ricotta cheese over the top. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.

Melt the cheese

  1. Cover again for 5 minutes or place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and slightly golden.

Finish and serve

  1. Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm. This skillet lasagna dinner pairs beautifully with garlic bread or a crisp Caesar salad.