Cheesy One-Pan Skillet Lasagna with Ground Beef

This quick and easy skillet lasagna is loaded with all your favorite Sunday night dinner flavors but it comes together on the stovetop with minimal prep work! Al dente lasagna noodles, ooey gooey cheese, sliced zucchini, and ground beef make this a welcomed one-pan dinner on a busy weeknight.

 

This post was sponsored by Lifeway Foods. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

You Will Love This

• It’s quick and easy! The ingredient list is short and sweet and includes all the favorites you’d see in traditional lasagna. However, instead of boiling the pasta, browning the meat, and then tediously layering everything together – the pasta, zucchini, and beef simmer right along with the sauce and then it’s all topped with plenty of cheese. It’s a simple one pan dinner that your family will love!
• If you loved this skillet lasagna recipe, be sure to check out my:
  • One Pan Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
  • Easy No Boil Manicotti
  • Cheesy Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground Beef – I prefer to use 80/20 ground beef for this stove top lasagna. Remember that fat equals flavor so a leaner ground beef – like 90/10 or 93/7 – is not going to be quite as flavorful. You could also use ground sausage, Italian sausage, or ground turkey in place of the ground beef.
• Italian Seasoning – Feel free to sub the Italian seasoning with a combination of dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
• Garlic & Onion – Fresh garlic and onion, along with dried herbs, is the easiest way to boost the flavors of store-bought spaghetti sauce.
• Zucchini – I love adding sliced zucchini to this one pot lasagna, but you could substitute with other veggies instead. Try sliced mushrooms, red peppers, or a couple handfuls of fresh spinach!
• Lasagna Noodles – I like to take whole lasagna noodles and break them into smaller pieces, but you could also use rigatoni, rotini, or penne. Just make sure you use 8 oz. of pasta.
• Spaghetti Sauce – Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, or marinara sauce will work well in this recipe. You could also make my quick and easy veggie Bolognese.
• Lifeway Foods Farmer Cheese – The star of this dish is the farmer cheese! Farmer cheese is a cultured soft cheese with the most amazing flavor. In this lasagna, I like to mix it with basil pesto just to add a bit more fresh flavor.
• Basil Pesto – Use your favorite store-bought brand or make my super easy basil walnut pesto!
• Shredded Cheese – I like to use whole milk mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese for this lasagna recipe. You could also use Monterey Jack or a blend Italian cheeses.

Instructions

Cook ground beef, crumbling it with a spatula until browned. Remove ground beef from the pan and set it aside.

Sauté onion, then add garlic, dried herbs, and sliced zucchini.

Cook for a couple minutes.

Add brown ground beef to the pan along with noodles, spaghetti sauce, and water.

Stir to combine.

Cover pot and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes or so.

Combine Lifeway Foods farmer cheese and pesto in a small bowl.

Drop large spoonfuls of pesto farmer cheese mixture across the skillet.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Simmer until the cheese is melted and pasta is cooked al dente. Broil for 1-2 minutes until cheese starts to get dark golden brown.

Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Tips

• You can substitute ricotta cheese or cottage cheese for the farmer cheese in this recipe. The farmer cheese is going to add delicious flavor but cottage cheese or ricotta cheese will work as well. Just be sure to grab whole milk ricotta or 4% cottage cheese. Low fat ricotta and cottage cheese aren’t going to have as much flavor!
• You can also cook the noodles ahead of time if you’re looking to get this dinner prepped and ready to go the day before. Boil the noodles according to package directions just until al dente, then assemble the lasagna as directed in the instructions below (minus the 1.5 cups of water) and skip the 15-20 minutes of simmer time. You can top the cooked noodles and sauce with cheese and then simmer until heated through and the cheese is melted.
• For crispy golden brown cheese crust on this skillet lasagna, pop the pan into the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as it can burn quickly. Once you see little spots of cheese turning brown, pull it out of the oven and top it with fresh chopped parsley.

Serve Lasagna With

• Easy 5 Minute Garlic Bread
• Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread
• Tomato Mozzarella Caprese Garlic Bread
• Pepperoni Garlic Bread Pizza
• Garlic & Olive Oil Burrata Appetizer
• Olive Oil & Balsamic Bread Dip

FAQ

Why You Will Love Lifeway Foods Farmer Cheese

• The flavor. The tangy flavor is SO delicious. I love using farmer cheese in place of ricotta or cottage cheese because it adds so much more flavor!
• The texture is similar to ricotta cheese – just a tad thicker.
• The probiotics and protein. I love getting an extra boost of protein and probiotics from a product that tastes delicious!

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make-Ahead: If you’re looking to prep this skillet lasagna ahead of time, you can brown the ground beef and boil the noodles up to 3-4 days in advance! When you’re ready to make dinner just follow the recipe instructions but skip the 1.5 cups of water and reduce the simmering time down to 5 minutes or so – just enough time to warm the noodles through. That will cut your overall prep and cook time down to about 10-15 minutes or so.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. You can also also pop it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds at a time until heated through.

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