Pasta layered with a hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese and fresh herbs all come together for this tasty skillet lasagna. This is not your traditional lasagna, and I am not claiming it’s better than your nonna’s, but it’s simple, easy and delicious. Added bonus? It’s easy on the dishes…woohoo!
Happy Friday friends! We’ve made it through another week, which in 2020, feels like such an accomplishment. How are you holding up? I hope you’re doing well, staying safe, and that you’re finding joy in the little things wherever you are. 🙂 As for me, I’m sitting here wondering how many times making this lasagna in one week is considered to be too many times. It’s all about the comfort foods these day, which I think is entirely appropriate.
Tips for Skillet Lasagna:
- Make sure to use the oven ready noodles. This allows you to skip boiling the pasta and then assembling the lasagna.
- The italian sausage is such a heavy hitter here, providing tons of the flavor to the sauce. I usually go with the mild (thanks to the kiddos), but a spicy version would work wonders as well.
- You want your pasta sauce to be on the thinner side. The noodles will cook in the sauce, inevitably soaking up that yummy liquid. If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with some chicken stock or a splash of red wine.
- Be careful when you add the noodles to the sauce. Since you’re adding them directly to the sauce, be sure to use a spoon to tuck the pasta into the sauce.
- I don’t focus on creating perfect layers. The beauty of this dish is that you can throw it all into the pan and let the magic happen. You will not end up with perfect layers; this is not the recipe for that.
- I used oregano and basil because they were the herbs I had on hand. Parsley, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes will all work. Season the sauce to your liking. If your tomatoes are acidic as a small dash of sugar, orange peel, carrots…whatever works for you and your flavor preferences. That’s the magic of cooking. 🙂
This skillet lasagna is so tasty and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy 🙂
Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lbs italian sausage ground
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup chicken broth low sodium
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella divided
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 egg
- 8 oven ready lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic to the warmed pan. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the italian sausage to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, gently break up the meat. Allow the sausage to brown slightly in the pan. Drain any excess fat.
- Add the crushed tomato, chicken stock, salt and pepper to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Gently allow the sauce to simmer while you prepare the cheese layer.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, basil, oregano, egg, and half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Carefully add the lasagna noodles to the sauce. Use a spoon to ensure they're covered evenly with the sauce. Gently break the pieces in half is needed to ensure there is an even amount of noodles throughout the sauce.
- Add the cheese mixture on top of the sauce and noodles. Spread the mixture to create one even layer. Top the lasagna with the remaining shredded mozzarella.
- Bake the skillet for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned slightly.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately.