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This one pan skillet lasagna recipe has all the best lasagna flavors with a fraction of the effort! It’s simple to make and requires no layering.
You may also be craving my Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe or Lasagna Roll Ups for more creative twists on a classic.
Why you’ll love it
I am the first to admit that I adore a Classic Homemade Lasagna, but sometimes I want those cozy flavors with a little less work. Here in this skillet lasagna we’ve got Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and no fewer than three kinds of cheese. That’s right. Mozza, parm, and ricotta. Easy comfort food, anyone?
There’s no need to precook the noodles in this one pan lasagna recipe, and fewer dishes means that this is a fantastic weeknight meal for your family. I don’t think you’ve tried a shortcut as comforting as this easy lasagna in a skillet! It’s ok to adapt a classic when it’s this tasty.
What you’ll need
- Italian sausage – use either ground sausage, or remove the meat from the casings
- Onion and garlic – for this recipe I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onions
- Marinara sauce – since it’s a star ingredient, use one you really enjoy! I used Mezzetta brand. If you prefer, you can make Homemade Marinara Sauce.
- Broth – use either beef or chicken broth to add moisture and a deeper savory flavor
- Oregano – a signature seasoning in lasagna
- Noodles – we are using regular lasagna noodles you find in the dry pasta aisle (NOT the oven-ready kind)
- Cheese – the iconic trio of mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta for maximum cheesiness
Helpful tips
- This recipe uses regular lasagna noodles. We have not tested with oven ready noodles. Liquid measurements and timing may need to change if you go that route as they will cook faster.
- The method we’re using is quite straightforward, but pay extra attention to step 5! Cookware and stovetops vary, so with one pot recipes you may have to adjust as you go along, which is totally fine.
How to make skillet lasagna
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Sauté the sausage and onion in a large oven-proof skillet until browned, then add the garlic. Stir in the broth, marinara sauce, and oregano. Add in the broken-up noodles.
Let it simmer fairly rapidly until the noodles are pliable (al dente, or a little bendy) and the liquid has reduced, stirring every few minutes. Don’t rush this step! Remove from the heat. Using a spoon, top with dollops of the ricotta.
Top evenly with the parmesan and mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until melty. Broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese, watching it carefully. Season with salt & pepper if desired, and garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
Substitutions and variations
- While we prefer the flavor of Italian sausage, you could sub ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey if needed. You will need to add a splash of olive oil to the skillet if you choose something leaner than Italian sausage.
- You could swap the ricotta for cottage cheese or leave it out altogether.
- Don’t have any dried oregano on hand? Leave it out.
Tools for this recipe
Check out my favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- The garlic is easily minced with a garlic press. No peeling or chopping is needed.
- I used my 12″ Staub skillet. If you’re a regular around here, this is bigger than the one I normally use for many of my other skillet recipes.
- This handheld rotary grater is what I use for the parmesan.
Leftovers and storage
- Any leftover lasagna will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the pasta will soak up the liquid over time.
- Reheat in the oven at 350F, loosely covered with foil, in an oven-safe baking dish. You could also microwave until warmed through.
- Freeze it for up to 3 months.
What to serve with skillet lasagna
- Is lasagna night complete without a big slice of Garlic Bread? Definitely not! You could also try breadsticks or garlic knots.
- A side salad is a great fresh pairing. I like to make a Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs or a Caesar salad with my all-time favorite 10 Minute Caesar Dressing. My from scratch Olive Garden Dressing is great too if you want a house salad.
More pasta recipes to enjoy
Hope you enjoy this cheesy skillet lasagna recipe and leave a review! If the post didn’t answer your questions, talk to me below. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Easy Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 uncooked lasagna noodles (regular, not oven-ready) broken into small pieces
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- In a large, oven-safe skillet (use a skillet no smaller than 12"), add the sausage meat and onion and cook over medium-high until browned (about 10 minutes), breaking it up as you go along.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the marinara sauce, broth, and oregano, and give it a good stir, then add in the lasagna noodles.
- Once it starts to bubble again, reduce the heat so it's simmering fairly rapidly but not boiling like crazy. Let it cook until the noodles are bendy but not fully cooked (al dente) and the liquid has reduced considerably (it should look more like pasta sauce than soup). This should take about 15-20 minutes depending on how hot you're cooking it. Stir it every few minutes to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the noodles all get a chance to be submerged in the sauce as it tends to cook down fairly quickly. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Important: don't rush through this step or the noodles won't end up fully cooked by the end.
- Remove from the heat. Dollop on the ricotta (I just use a spoon), and then sprinkle the parmesan and mozzarella evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes, and then broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully).
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then serve. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Fresh basil and/or parsley are delicious on top but totally optional!
Notes
- Use ground sausage meat or if using whole sausages, take the meat out of the casings. Anything around 16 oz/1 lb. will work.
- Troubleshooting tips: since this is a one pot meal and every oven/stove/skillet can vary, timing or liquid measurements may need to be adjusted on the fly. The key to this recipe is ensuring that the noodles get cooked al dente before you put the skillet in the oven. If you have cooked them on too high of a heat and you find the noodles are still quite hard and the liquid has disappeared well before 15-20 minutes have gone by, add in a splash more broth, reduce the heat, and cook them for a bit longer. See blog post for more tips and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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So easy to make and turned out delicious! I did sub the ricotta with cottage cheese (my husband isn’t a big fan of ricotta) and it was perfect.
I’m so glad you guys liked it, Nicole!! Thanks for taking the time to write me this review! 😀
Could bechamel sauce be used instead of ricotta?
I don’t see why not! 🙂
Love this recipe. I had to cut in half and in half again as I’m cooking for one but this is perfect.
Awesome!!
This dish is so easy and delicious, and I’m so glad I made it! The ricotta adds such a nice creaminess, and I especially love that I needed minimal dishes to bring it together. I recommend placing the uncooked lasagna noodles between two clean kitchen towels (or something similar) to break them more easily and to avoid flying pasta shards, but even WITH flying pasta shards, this skillet lasagna is well worth it!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it. 😀 Love that breaking lasagna tip!
So excited to try this! I’m wondering how much of this I can make ahead. Can I do everything except the final 10 bake and refrigerate it until I’m ready to heat and serve? Or is there a different, better stopping point?
Hi! I have not tried making it ahead. I imagine that would probably be fine, but I am a bit concerned the noodles will soak up the sauce and you’ll be left with a dryer than intended end result. Let me know how it goes if you try.
This recipe is so easy to make and incredibly delicious. I’ve made it twice with lean ground beef instead of sausage and it has become an instant family favourite. Highly recommend!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write me a review, Deanna!
I have not made this yet but looks great! I wanted to try it today but missing the sausage and lasagne noodles.. wondering if ground beef could be subbed and a shaped pasta? Maybe a shell? Thanks for sharing, I have made many of your fabulous recipes with resounding success!
Hi Lois! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes. 🙂 So, I think ground beef would be fine to sub. As for the pasta, you could try, but I wouldn’t know how much to add weight-wise since I use 8 lasagna noodles and break them up. You’d have to keep a very close eye on liquid measurements (like add more liquid if it seems to be going dry) and ensure the pasta is al dente before it goes in the oven.
Hi! I realize you asked this question almost a year ago, but maybe this will still help someone!
I actually tried a short pasta the most recent time I made this, because my daughter decided she might like it better without lasagna noodles, LOL. Unfortunately I did not measure, but I used somewhere around 9 ounces of wheel-shaped pasta. I needed to add about 1/3 cup more liquid, but overall it worked out fine. As for my daughter liking it more, she definitely loved it this time even though the pasta shape was the only difference! Kid logic, haha.