By Becky Hardin
Published Mar 15, 2024
This one pan Skillet Lasagna recipe is a quick and easy way to make everyone’s favorite Italian dish! My family asks for lasagna more times than I can count, and this skillet version has made things so much quicker and easier. Italian sausage, lasagna noodles, ricotta and mozzarella cheese all cook together in one skillet, which means it’s the perfect weeknight dinner.
What’s in This Lasagna Skillet Recipe?
My kids and husband love lasagna , and it’s easier to make than ever with just 7 ingredients in this one-pan recipe! I love making this recipe on busy weeknights, but it’s also delicious enough to serve company.
- Sausage: We like mild Italian sausage, but you can use hot if you prefer.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic adds an earthy flavor and aroma to the dish.
- Sauce: We like tomato basil garlic pasta sauce, but use your favorite.
- Broth: Low-sodium vegetable broth adds flavor as it cooks the noodles.
- Noodles: You’ll need half a package of lasagna noodles.
- Cheese: Creamy ricotta cheese and fresh sliced mozzarella create gooey, cheesy layers.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
I make this lasagna from start to finish with just one skillet. There isn’t much prep work for this recipe, so you can get right to cooking when you get home from work. I also love that there is only one dish to clean. My entire family loves this delicious dish filled with noodles, Italian sausage, cheese, and a tasty tomato sauce.
Variations on Cast Iron Skillet Lasagna
There are so many ways to make this easy skillet lasagna your own. Try replacing the sausage with ground beef , turkey, or sauteed mushrooms. We have also made a white lasagna version using Alfredo sauce and chicken.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover skillet lasagna tightly covered with aluminum foil, or in airtight containers, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat covered with foil in a 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
I freeze leftover lasagna tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil, or freezer-safe containers, for up to 3 months. I reheat directly from frozen, removing the plastic wrap but leaving on the foil, in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty lasagna skillet is a filling meal all by itself for those busy nights. When I have an extra few minutes, I throw some easy garlic bread in the oven to go with it. No muss, no fuss! It’s also delicious paired with a caesar salad .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 24 ounces tomato basil garlic pasta sauce (1 jar)
- ▢ 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ▢ 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles (½ package)
- ▢ ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- ▢ 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- ▢ Chopped fresh basil optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Heat the sausage and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked. Be sure to break the sausage apart and stir it frequently. 1 pound mild Italian sausage, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add the entire jar of pasta sauce and vegetable broth to the pan and stir well. 24 ounces tomato basil garlic pasta sauce, 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- Cover the skillet and let the sauce come to a boil.
- Break each noodle into 3 equal pieces and add to the boiling sauce. Stir gently to make sure that all the noodles are covered. 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
- Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook at a low boil for 20-25 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. You’ll want to stir it occasionally so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, making sure they are covered with sauce as evenly as possible.
- Once the noodles are cooked, gently stir in the ricotta and top the lasagna with the fresh mozzarella. ¾ cup ricotta cheese, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- Cover the lasagna again, turn off the heat, and allow the lasagna to set for 5 minutes so that the cheese can soften and the sauce can thicken.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil, optional, and serve hot. Chopped fresh basil
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Becky’s Tips
- You can use any kind of jarred pasta sauce you like.
- While ricotta is traditional, you can also use cottage cheese if you prefer.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Skillet Lasagna Step by Step
Brown the Sausage: Heat 1 pound of Italian sausage and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until browned, breaking the sausage apart and stirring frequently.
Add the Sauce: Add the entire jar (24 ounces) of tomato sauce and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth to the skillet, stir well, then cover the pan and let the sauce come to a boil.
Add the Noodles: Break each lasagna noodle into 3 equal pieces, and place on top of the sauce. Stir gently to make sure that all the noodles are covered. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low, then cook at a low boil for 20-25 minutes (or until the noodles are fully cooked). Be sure to stir it occasionally so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add the Cheese: Once the noodles are cooked, stir in 3/4 cup of ricotta , and top the lasagna with 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella.
Melt the Cheese: Cover the skillet of lasagna again, turn off the heat, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes so that the cheese can melt/soften and the sauce can thicken. Garnish with fresh basil to serve, if you like.
While it’s traditional to make lasagna in a baking dish, I really love making it in a skillet to save on time and pans! You can use a cast iron skillet, or another oven-safe skillet.
Because this is made in a skillet, it shouldn’t stick! But I recommend assembling it in the order described in the recipe, and stirring regularly, to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
If you forget to cover your lasagna, the sauce will start to evaporate out, leading to a dry lasagna that may become stuck to the pan.
More Lasagna Recipes to Try
- Vegetarian Lasagna
- Mexican Lasagna
- Crockpot Lasagna
- Dutch Oven Lasagna
- Ravioli Lasagna Bake
- Weight Watchers Lasagna
Skillet Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 24 ounces tomato basil garlic pasta sauce (1 jar)
- 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles (½ package)
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- Chopped fresh basil optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the sausage and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked. Be sure to break the sausage apart and stir it frequently. 1 pound mild Italian sausage, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add the entire jar of pasta sauce and vegetable broth to the pan and stir well. 24 ounces tomato basil garlic pasta sauce, 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- Cover the skillet and let the sauce come to a boil.
- Break each noodle into 3 equal pieces and add to the boiling sauce. Stir gently to make sure that all the noodles are covered. 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
- Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook at a low boil for 20-25 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. You’ll want to stir it occasionally so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, making sure they are covered with sauce as evenly as possible.
- Once the noodles are cooked, gently stir in the ricotta and top the lasagna with the fresh mozzarella. ¾ cup ricotta cheese, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- Cover the lasagna again, turn off the heat, and allow the lasagna to set for 5 minutes so that the cheese can soften and the sauce can thicken.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil, optional, and serve hot. Chopped fresh basil
Video
Notes
- You can use any kind of jarred pasta sauce you like.
- While ricotta is traditional, you can also use cottage cheese if you prefer.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
