Skillet Lasagna Recipe

This skillet lasagna features a meat sauce made with marinara, ground beef, and sweet Italian sausage. It’s layered with noodles, a mix of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, and a final layer of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Believe it or not, finding the perfect variation of homemade lasagna was a lot easier said than done. We experimented with several different recipes before finally landing on our own perfect lasagna recipe that tasted just like we imagined.

Why I Love This Recipe

I love this lasagna recipe because it’s the perfect ratio of marinara, meat, and ricotta cheese. It sounds obvious but so many recipes fail to find the right balance of layers. This recipe is very tender, and creamy, and has plenty of tomato sauce to prevent it from being bland, too meaty, or dry.

Cooking lasagna in a skillet has some benefits. The hot cast iron cooking surface paired with the overflowing top sears the outer edges of the noodles, making them a little crispy. This is my favorite part!

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to try my no-boil baked ziti and my baked rigatoni next! It’s very similar but comes together quicker. For more delicious Italian skillet recipes, try my skillet chicken parmesan, skillet eggplant parmesan, easy baked gnocchi, and delicious stuffed shells!

Ingredients

• Lasagna noodles: I recommend buying a 16-ounce box and cooking the whole box. You will have a little left over but it’s nice to have extra in case pieces break.
• Fresh mozzarella: I use shredded low-moisture mozzarella for the filling and fresh mozzarella on top for added texture and presentation.
• beef and sweet Italian sausage: I like to use a 50-50 blend of ground beef and ground sausage. If I had to pick just one, I’d opt for ground sausage. Look for 80-85% lean ground beef for best flavor.
• Marinara sauce: the recipe calls for roughly 40 ounces of sauce. Get 2 24-ounce jars so you have some extra left over. You can also make your own tomato sauce. Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce is my favorite.
• Tomato paste: this is important for thickening the sauce so it’s not too runny. This helps to keep the lasagna layers intact.
• Ricotta cheese: a 15-ounce container is 1 3/4 cups so your best to get the next size up.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: shredded mozzarella works best with the ricotta as the cheese filling. it melts nicely with the ricotta to form delicious cheesy layers.
• Shredded parmesan cheese: I prefer to buy a block of parmesan and grate it myself. It’s fresher and contains fewer preservatives than its pre-shredded counterpart.
• Egg: the egg serves as a binder for the ricotta for improved texture and body. It also makes the cheese filling spread easier.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.

How to Make Lasagna in a Cast Iron Skillet

Step 1.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8 minutes, strain, rinse with cool water, and set aside. Cook the whole box so you have extra.

Step 2.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Step 3.

Heat oil over medium heat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Cook onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Add beef and pork and cook until browned and no longer pink. Use the tip of a spatula to break up the meat into very small chunks.

Step 4.

Discard some of the fat if desired and add the marinara, garlic, and tomato paste. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.

Step 5.

Transfer the meat sauce to a large bowl, reserving about one cup in the skillet. Evenly spread to coat the bottom of the pan. Add a little more if needed.

Step 6.

Top with a layer of noodles without overlapping. Trim the noodles with kitchen shears to fit the circular shape (it does not need to be perfect). Layer with 1/3 of the ricotta filling. Repeat twice more starting with meat sauce.

Step 7.

Finish lasagna with a final layer of noodles over the ricotta and another layer of sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Step 8.

Remove from oven, top with fresh mozzarella, and return to the oven uncovered for another 15 minutes. Broil for the last 1-2 minutes to give the cheese a golden finish.

Step 9.

Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting so the lasagna can set. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bake and Broil Lasagna

Bake the lasagna at 350ºF for approximately 45 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the dish to cook through. Once this initial bake is complete, add the final layer of fresh mozzarella cheese. Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the top layer of cheese becomes fully melted.

To achieve the perfect finishing touch, transition to a quick broil. This step adds a golden charred exterior and promotes bubbling, gooey cheese. Just note, that broiling tends to scorch food quickly. Monitor closely and only broil for 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Make Lasagna Ahead

This recipe can be made a few days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to bake. While you can freeze your typical uncooked lasagna, I can’t say I would want my skillet held hostage in my freezer for 2 weeks.

Baking chilled/refrigerated lasagna will add 15 minutes to the initial baking time so please adjust accordingly. For best results, remove from the fridge as your oven preheats.

More Pasta Recipes

• Skillet baked ziti
• Baked rigatoni
• Cheesy baked spaghetti and meatballs
• Penne alla vodka
• Baked cheesy gnocchi bolognese
• Rigatoni bolognese

Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!

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