Skillet Ground Beef Lasagna Recipe

Name: Skillet Ground Beef Lasagna
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 1 medium yellow onion finely diced; 3 cloves garlic minced; 24 oz jarred marinara sauce; 1 cup water; 8 sheets lasagna noodles broken into roughly 2-inch pieces; 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese; 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp olive oil; salt to taste; black pepper to taste; small handful fresh basil torn, for garnish

AI-generated · Verified on Apr 28, 2026

4 servings

10 min prep

25 min cook

35 min total

Dinner Stovetop Beef Italian

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About

All the cheesy, meaty flavor of classic lasagna made fast on the stovetop in a single skillet. Ready in under 40 minutes with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (80/20)
1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
24 oz jarred marinara sauce
1 cup water
8 sheets lasagna noodles (broken into roughly 2-inch pieces)
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
small handful fresh basil (torn, for garnish)

Equipment

large deep skillet with lid
wooden spoon
measuring cups
cheese grater
knife
cutting board

Steps

1

Brown the Beef
cook 6 min

Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 5–6 minutes until no pink remains and the beef is well browned. Season with salt and black pepper, then tilt the skillet and spoon off any excess fat.
2

Sauté Aromatics
cook 5 min

Reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
3

Add Sauce and Noodles
cook 4 min

Pour in the marinara sauce and water, stirring to combine everything. Nestle the broken lasagna noodle pieces into the liquid, pressing them down so they are mostly submerged. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, which should take about 3–4 minutes.
4

Simmer Until Noodles Are Tender
cook 14 min

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer for 12–14 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking, until the noodles are tender and the sauce has thickened. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and the noodles should yield easily when pierced with a fork.
5

Add Cheese Topping
cook 4 min

Drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese evenly across the surface of the skillet, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the top. Replace the lid and cook on low heat for 3–4 minutes until the mozzarella is fully melted and the ricotta is warmed through.
6

Rest the Skillet
rest 5 min

Remove the skillet from heat and let it rest, uncovered, for 3–5 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the cheeses to set so the dish holds together when served.
7

Serve
serve

Scatter the torn fresh basil over the top for brightness and color. Serve directly from the skillet, scooping generous portions into shallow bowls or onto plates.