This Easy Skillet Lasagna recipe just takes one pan, a few simple ingredients, and about 30 minutes to make, from start to finish. It is filled with your favorite traditional lasagna flavors; rich marinara sauce, ground beef, tender lasagna noodles, and melty cheeses. It is completely a family friendly dinner ready in about 30 minutes!
This is an incredibly easy stove top lasagna, no need to turn on the oven! Saute the beef and onions, add the sauce and noodles and simmer for a total of 20 minutes. This can be a great dinner even on a busy night. And if you like pesto, definitely give this Pesto Lasagna Skillet recipe a try!
If you are also a fan of easy skillet dinners, check out my Skillet Dirty Rice and Beans, Skillet Mac and Cheese, or Skillet Cajun Shrimp!
Listen To The Recipe
You can listen to this full recipe, all the tips and serving ideas on the podcast Let’s Make Dinner. There is an audio player right in the recipe card below.
Lasagna Noodles
When I make this I buy either traditional lasagna noodles or mafaldine noodles, which are like if you took a lasagna noodle and broke it in half down the middle, lengthwise.
Oven ready, no-boil noodles will work too! However they are a little thinner than a traditional noodle so it may require a few more noodles.
Step by Step Picture Instructions
Start with a large skillet that has a well fitting lid.
- Brown Beef & Soften Onions
- Add Sauce
- Nestle In The Noodles
- Add Cottage Cheese & Mozzarella
- Cook Another 10 Minutes
Over medium heat sauté the ground beef, crumbling while cooking. Add ½ cup diced onions and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Sauté for another 5 minutes until the ground beef is cooked and the onions are softened.
Pour in 2 cups of your favorite jarred marinara, 1 ½ cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring this to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and nestle all the broken lasagna noodles into the liquid. Pop the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. If the pan is looking dry add another ½ cup water (I usually do this). Stir in 1 cup cottage cheese and sprinkle the top with 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese.
Pop the lid back on and simmer on low for another 10-12 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted.
Let the Skillet Lasagna sit off the heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Skillet Lasagna for Dinner
If it is a busy night then I highly recommend just having this with a bagged caesar salad. However if you have a little extra time add a salad and warm garlic bread or breadsticks.
More Delicious Lasagna Recipes
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Did you make this recipe?
I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me
30 minute Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ cup diced yellow or white onion
- 2 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups jarred marinara
- 1 ½ cups water
- 8-10 dry lasagna noodles - See Note #1 – traditional or oven ready both work
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet (that has a lid), over medium heat start to brown and crumble the ground beef. Stir in the the onions and garlic. Sauté until the beef is cooked the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.Drain any excess grease.½ lb ground beef, ½ cup diced yellow or white onion, 2 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- Stir in the kosher salt, 2 cups marinara and 1 ½ cups water, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.2 cups jarred marinara, 1 ½ cups water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Once it boils turn the heat to low, nestle in broken up pieces of lasagna noodles.8-10 dry lasagna noodles
- Pop the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom, if the pan is looking dry add another ¼-1/2 cup water.Nestle in the 1 cup cottage cheese, dotting it throughout the pan, and then sprinkle 4 oz shredded mozzarella over top.1 cup cottage cheese, 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cover and simmer an additional 10-12 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
- Remove from the heat and let sit uncovered to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving!
Serving
- On a busy night serve as is!
- For a heartier dinner add a green side salad with Basil Vinaigrette or A Big Italian Salad, and don't forget the garlic bread!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- Both traditional lasagna and oven ready noodles work. However we prefer the traditional noodles. They cook up a little thicker and heartier. If you choose the oven ready noodles add a few extra noodles to the pan.
- If you are not a fan of cottage cheese you can always stir in ricotta cheese in its place.
- Try stirring a little pesto with the marinara.
- Use ground turkey or sausage instead of ground beef.
Melanie says
I made this with ricotta cheese rather than cottage, added a little Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. It was very simple and very good!
Laura says
This is a delicious, easy version of lasagna. We even used cottage cheese (I have always used ricotta when I have made other recipes). Very good, very easy. Even cooked it on a boat stove.
Janice says
Five stars for the delicious, easy recipe, but one shouldn’t have to enter an email address just to print the recipe. That’s ridiculous. I found a way around it though haha! Another note: I used 8 ounces of conchiglie pasta, and that was easier than breaking up lasagna noodles.
Melissa says
My kids love lasagna but they don’t care if it’s the skillet or traditional way so this is a win for me. It turned out great! I added in chopped fresh basil and pepperoni for fun.
Stephanie says
I just want to tell you how amazingly helpful it was to have the measurements within the directions. I don’t know why other people don’t do this, I hate scrolling up and down when reading recipes. Yours was so helpful and easy to go by!
lisa Martinez says
Yes!! I totally agree about how easy it is when the ingredient measurements are listed under the instruction step.
Chris says
This recipe is a keeper!! I couldn’t believe how easy it was to prepare. Great for a quick weeknight meal for a small family.
Helen says
Made this for a second time and just love it!
I added peppers and celery, fresh herbs from the garden and a combination of mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese.
I didn’t have lasagna noodles so I used gemelli pasta.
Turned out perfectly!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
Helen says
I added a Tbsp of Italian seasoning and a tsp black pepper. I also used veggie ground (tofu).
Added fresh herbs to the leftovers.
DeAnna says
I made this for dinner tonight and the family are it like they were starving lol. I made enough to have for the next night as well It was so much easier to make the regular layered lasagna and it tasted great.didnt take that long to put together and it definitely was an A+ from the family.so thank you for the recipe I plan to add this to my monthly schedule meals.
Lorene says
Simply yummy !my go to recipe . Comfort food at it’s best!
Monique S Croom says
My son was craving lasagne and I saw this receipe, it was a hit!! I did add more seasoning like Oregano, Italian seasoning and seasoned my meat (Ground Turkey). I did not have to add more water maybe because i don’t drain my Turkey after it cooks. I also added more yellow cheeses and had to cook it about 15 minutes longer. I will be making this again. Fast and simple, Thanks!!!
Kimberly Osmon says
I alternated ricotta cheese in place of the cottage cheese. I preboiled the broken up noodles for six minutes in the microwave in water. Fast quick meal!
Peewee Furman says
Looks excellent, much better than the H.H. stuff that comes in a box. I would use at least 80% lean ground beef since I don’t like to drain the flavor away with the grease.
Bethany says
This is my second time making this and it is a winner. My whole family LOVES this and it’s easy and brilliant.
Mark says
Nice Quick Fix Thank you
John says
I could eat this for weeks in a row. LOVE this recipe!!