Skillet Lasagna Recipe

Name: Skillet Lasagna Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 lb. grass fed ground beef; 1 large shallot (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 1/2 cups homemade marinara sauce (or your favorite marinara sauce); 2 cups water; 8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (each noodle broken into thirds); 2 cups baby spinach; 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (divided); 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; Freshly chopped basil (for serving (optional))

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by Marcie // May 13, 2020 (updated 9/19/23)

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This Skillet Lasagna is homemade lasagna without the fuss! It’s cheesy and comforting with ground beef and marinara sauce, and it’s made in one pot in just 30 minutes!

overhead shot of skillet lasagna with chopped basil on top

Lasagna is a dish that my family absolutely loves, but in the past I rarely made it because it takes so much work. Cooking everything separately in different pots, layering it all then baking it forever is time consuming, and clean up is another story entirely.

This Skillet Lasagna recipe has changed everything for me. This hearty, cheesy goodness is made in 30 minutes, in just one pot, and I love that I don’t even have to turn the oven on!

I should have titled this meal lazy lasagna, because that’s precisely what it is. 🙂

If you want a low carb option, be sure to check out my Zucchini Lasagna!

serving of skillet lasagna on plate with basil on top and alongside

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This one pot lasagna recipe is everything you love about lasagna with a lot less work! There’s no need to pre-boil the noodles and there’s no layering involved!
It’s nice and hearty with grass fed ground beef, homemade marinara sauce and plenty of cheese.
It’s easily customizable with your favorite protein, pasta, sauce and cheese!

close up of stove top lasagna with chopped basil on top and linen alongside

Recipe ingredients

Olive oil. Just a bit of olive oil is needed to cook the ground beef.
Grass fed ground beef. I use 85% lean grass fed beef, which is still nice and hearty and keeps this lasagna on the healthier side. Ground bison is even leaner and nobody will ever know that it’s not beef!
Shallot. Shallots are small onions that grow in clusters, and they have a subtle, sweet onion flavor that I love. White or yellow onion may be substituted — simply add it a minute or two sooner than the shallot as it takes longer to cook.
Garlic. Three cloves of garlic are used in this recipe for maximum flavor.
Marinara sauce. I used my Homemade Marinara Sauce for this recipe, which I often make in advance and store in the fridge or freezer to make meal prep go much more quickly. Use your favorite store bought sauce (I highly recommend Rao’s Homemade!), or substitute with plain tomato sauce and add fresh or dried herbs like basil or oregano for flavor.
Lasagna noodles. I make this recipe with regular lasagna noodles, but no boil lasagna noodles should work as well. If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the pasta with your favorite gluten-free noodles, but cooking time is subject to vary.
Baby spinach. The spinach breaks up the richness of the lasagna, while adding nutrition and a pop of color.
Mozzarella cheese. Grated mozzarella is my go-to cheese for this stove top lasagna for it’s meltability and mild flavor. It may be substituted with your favorite!
Parmesan cheese. Parmesan adds a delicious savory flavor that works perfectly combined with the mozzarella.
Freshly chopped basil, for serving (optional). The basil adds great color, flavor and freshness. Freshly chopped parsley is a great option as well.

What type of skillet should I use for this recipe?

Use a 12″ cast iron skillet, non-stick skillet or dutch oven for this recipe.

My 12″ ceramic non-stick GreenPan is pictured in this post, and I can’t say enough good things about it. The clean up is so easy!

I’ve also used my Lodge cast iron skillet with great results.

front shot of skillet lasagna in pan with basil on top

How to make one pot lasagna

It doesn’t get easier than this one pot lasagna recipe! There are minimal steps involved and just a few ingredients to prep.

Pro tip: Prep the shallot and garlic and have all of your ingredients at the ready as this meal goes quickly!

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

Cook the ground beef for 4-5 minutes or until almost cooked through, then drain all but 1 tablespoon of grease. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute or until softened.
Add the marinara sauce, water and noodles to the skillet and press the noodles down into the liquid until completely submerged. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes until the noodles are tender. Do your best to separate the noodles while stirring as they are prone to stick together.

Remove from heat and stir in the baby spinach until wilted.
Add 1/2 cup of the grated mozzarella and the parmesan, and stir until combined.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the top of the skillet lasagna and cover with the lid until melted.
Serve garnished with fresh basil, if desired, and enjoy!

Recipe notes

Pro tip: Prep the shallot and garlic and have all of your ingredients at the ready as this meal goes quickly!
Ground beef may be substituted with ground chicken, turkey or sausage. Make this a vegetarian skillet lasagna by omitting the meat and using 1 lb. of chopped mushrooms.
Shallot may be substituted with white or yellow onion, just add it to the pan after the ground beef has been cooking for 2 minutes or so as it takes longer to cook.
A 24 ounce jar of pasta sauce may be substituted for my homemade marinara sauce, or use plain tomato sauce and add fresh or dried herbs during the cooking time for flavor.
I make this recipe with regular lasagna noodles, but no boil lasagna noodles should work as well. If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the pasta with your favorite gluten-free noodles, but cooking time is subject to vary.

close up of one pot lasagna on a plate with fork alongside

More one pot pasta recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram