Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe
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What makes a skillet lasagna? This has all of the same elements of a classic lasagna recipe – meat sauce, cheese sauce and pasta plus more cheese of course, but the process couldn’t be easier. Everything is stirred together with penne pasta (no layering required) and it cooks fast!
GUESS WHAT?? There is no ricotta cheese in this easy lasagna recipe. It is replaced with a surprising ingredient that works really well. My sister, Sveta (who is also my Marketing Manager) came up with this recipe, filmed an irresistible pasta cheese pull on her phone and sent it my way. My first thought was “HOLD ME BACK!!”
I have a weakness for incredible cheese pulls but it wasn’t just that – the meat sauce underneath the lovely crown of cheese is equally amazing. Every bite of this Skillet Lasagna Casserole is juicy, satisfying and loaded with flavor (see next photo for proof).
We have included Amazon affiliate links to our favorite kitchen tools used in this recipe.
Lasagna Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
10 oz Ranchero Cheese (Queso Fresco), crumbled
1 Tbsp sour cream
1 egg
4 oz (1 cup) mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
Lasagna Pasta and Toppings:
1 lb penne pasta, or broken up lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
1/2 to 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
2 oz (1/2 cup) cheddar, shredded
2 oz (1/2 cup) mozzarella cheese, shredded
Lasagna Meat Sauce Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (use lean 90/10 or an 85/15 fat content)
1 medium diced onion
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
24 oz marinara sauce (homemade, or store-bought)
How to Make Easy Skillet Lasagna
1. Bring a 5 Qt pot of water to a boil and add about 1 Tbsp salt. Add penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (firm to the bite).
2. In a large, deep, oven safe pan, combine ground beef and diced onion and sauté over medium/high heat, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until meat is fully cooked and onion is soft (5 to 8 mins). Spoon out and discard any excess fat released from ground beef.
3. Stir in the seasonings: 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp pepper then pour in marinara, bring to a simmer and turn off the heat.
4. Meanwhile, place 10 oz ranchero cheese into a medium mixing bowl and crumble/ mash it up with a wooden spoon. Add remaining cheese sauce ingredients: 1 Tbsp sour cream, 1 egg, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 2 Tbsp parsley and 1 tsp garlic salt. Stir together then add it to the meat sauce and mix just until combined.
5. Stir in cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to make it juicier (I used 1/2 cup pasta water). (Transfer to 9×13 casserole dish if not using an oven-safe pan). Smooth out the top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and center is hot and steamy.
This easy, cheesy lasagna pasta bake is such a treat! It also refrigerates and reheats really well so leftovers are niiice!
Print-Friendly Skillet Lasagna Casserole Recipe:
Easy Skillet Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients
Lasagna Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
- 10 oz Queso Fresco (Ranchero Cheese)
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 egg
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese, (1 cup shredded)
- 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Lasagna Pasta and Toppings:
- 1 lb penne pasta, (reserve 1 cup pasta water)
- 2 oz cheddar cheese, (1/2 cup shredded)
- 2 oz mozzarella cheese, (1/2 cup shredded)
Lasagna Meat Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef, use 90/10 or an 85/15 fat content
- 1 medium diced onion
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 24 oz marinara sauce, homemade, or store-bought
Instructions
- Bring a 5 Qt pot of water to boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Add penne pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions.
- In a large, deep, oven-safe pan, combine beef and onion. Sauté over med/high heat, until meat is fully cooked and onion is soft (5 to 8 mins), breaking up meat with a spatula. Discard any excess fat released from beef.
- Stir in seasonings: 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp pepper. Add marinara and bring to simmer then remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, crumble up ranchero cheese in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tbsp sour cream, 1 egg, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 2 Tbsp parsley and 1 tsp garlic salt. Stir together then add it to the meat sauce and mix just until combined.
- Stir in cooked pasta and add reserved pasta water to taste for a juicier casserole (I used 1/2 cup pasta water).* Smooth out the top then sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake at 350˚F for 20 min to melt cheese and make the center steaming hot.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Mmm… Cheesy saucy goodness! Are you hungry yet? 😉
P.S. If you’re a big lasagna fan, you won’t want to miss our slow cooker lasagna recipe which is perfect for Sunday lunch.
Hi, I don’t like sour cream so I never have it on hand for recipes… what can I use instead of sour cream?
Thanks
Hi Sharon, I have not tested any substitution to advise.
Regular lasagne is now dead to me! This recipe was seriously easy and super tasty. I used sweet Italian sausages instead of ground beef and used remnants of two open jars of pasta sauce that were in my fridge. I used just a pinch of sugar (not a full teaspoon) and added red pepper flakes and extra oregano. Something about the queso and the cumin gives this a really interesting and yummy flavor. This recipe makes a huge pot of pasta so there will be plenty to freeze for future meals. Thanks for this GREAT recipe!
You’re so very welcome, Lori! Thank you for sharing.
Hi, Who doesn’t like lasagna but I’m lazy and don’t like the work involved. I never used queso cheese before. Nice.. much more flavorful and better texture than ricotta. And queso doesn’t cost much more. TIP: I divide it up into those small, reusable, microwave safe, black plastic containers with lids (Walmart) and freeze for later before baking. One container is perfect size for kids or elderly couple. Lightly coat container with non stick spray. Once frozen the entire contents will pop out easily in one piece. Flip over and transfer to pie pan and bake in toaster (energy saver) or regular oven. Or leave in plastic container and microwave on medium. Your recipe tastes just as good as traditional lasagna and much easier. Thanks for sharing
Hello Luke, thanks so much for your detailed review and feedback. So happy that you loved the recipe!
Hi Natasha… do you think I can freeze this recipie? I didn’t realize how much this recipe makes 😅😅😅 should have made atleast half. Don’t want it to go to waste.
Hi Olga, I haven’t tried freezing it but in general lasagna does freeze well so I think that should work fine with this recipe.
What’s a good sub for the queso fresco cheese ?
Hi, I haven’t tried that cheese in lasagna. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
What is Ranchero Cheese. Have never seen it in New Zealand. What could I substitute? Sounds lovely.
Hi Pam, one of our substituted with mild Feta, and mentioned it worked out amazing.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use Italian Parsley in this recipe?
Hi Cindy! That should work!
Made this today – very cheesy- yummy- very easy to pull together 😛
Thank you for sharing your good feedback with us, Andrea!
oh and I don’t do social media so I can’t take photo and send them to you but trust me they look marvelous. Thank you buches !
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Sunshine!
I am so thankful I found your receipes.
Every one I have tried is excellent !
YOU ROCK !!
I am always searching for new receipes to make . I will probably end up making most of yours.
Aww! That’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
This is absolutely delicious!
I’ve made it with mild Italian turkey sausage and with ground beef and it is great both ways. I think the secret to the flavor is the Ranchero cheese. It makes this dish incredibly flavorful. I don’t like ricotta because it has no flavor and turns grainy but this made the whole dish come alive. Excellent recipe!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Maria. I’m so glad that you loved this Lasagna Casserole recipe! Yes, that really enhances the flavor of this dish.
This was an excellent dish for the family! Simple and delicious! My kids loved it and they can be very picky! I was thinking of adding mushrooms next time. Not that is wasn’t already a great product! Thank you!
Hi Chris! I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed this recipe! That’s so great! I bet mushrooms would be a delicious addition!
Made this tonight using gluten free brown rice pasta. It turned out spoon-licking good. I even followed your easy marinara recipe to add to this one. I’ll save this recipe for a busy night when I want something to feed and have left over. Thank you!
That’s nice info, thanks for sharing that with us. I’m sure others would like to try making this recipe gluten-free too!
Another winner Natasha! We were blown away at how delicious this recipe was. I honestly don’t know which I like better, your lasagna recipe or this one. This was a lot easier to make, and I always lean towards easy. My 6 year old even gave this the thumbs up, which is basically unheard of for the picky eater. I’ll be making this again and again.
That’s a tough choice because both recipes are amazing but yes I think you should go for the one that is easier to make especially if you need to save some time. Thanks for giving this recipe excellent feedback and I hope your 6-yr old will love every recipe that you will try!
Hi Natashia,
Just want to take this opportunity to thank you for making me a better chef in our family. Whenever its my turn to cook, everyone is just to excited what im gonna make. Of they want to know how i become a good cook, of course its all because of Natashia. You are just the funniest, super entertaining cook I’ve seen online. All your recipes are just the best and and easy to make especially for moms like me.
Btw, while im writing this, i wonder what brand do you use for your oven safe casserole and pan. I wanted to order online but I’m not sure what size and brand. It would be nice to hear from you. We love you Natasha and more power to you. Stay healthy and safe.
Hello Marivic, thank you so much for your kind words and comments. Reading your message just makes me smile and more inspired. Regarding your question, you can check out our Amazon page, the kitchen tools that I am using on a daily basis can be seen there. Stay safe and healthy too!
Hi Natasha! I’d like to try your lasagna casserole but here in my country we don’t have ranchero cheese as well as ricotta. Can you suggest another substitute for it? Thanks in advance for replying & warm regards from the Philippines!
Hi Ellen, I honestly haven’t tried anything besides ricotta. You could use ricotta only and leave out the cottage cheese but I’m not sure what to use in its place or what is available where you are.
You mention to leave out the cottage cheese, but I don’t see cottage cheese in it. Am I missing something somewhere?
Sorry I meant the other way around – to leave out the ricotta and use cottage cheese, but it will have a different texture.
What would you suggest to use instead of marinara? Would Alfredo sauce work? Not a fan of anything tomato..
Hi Olesya, I haven’t tested that but I think that could work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
I made this last night changed a few things added 8 ozs sliced mushrooms, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 lbs of ground pork instead of beef, the wife and I loved it!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me, Tomas!
This was very tastey. Hubby and I had seconds!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Olga. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Wow!! So easy and yet so delicious! Thank you 😊
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I made this for dinner last night. I had never used the Ranchero cheese. This was so easy to make, and I didn’t burn myself on the lasagna noodles during the assembly process. LOL Delicious and easy to make. Another winner from Natasha
I’m happy you didn’t burn it 🙂 Thank you for that great review, Vickie!
Can you make veg.lasagna without meat
I think that could work with diced and cooked zucchini or mushrooms or eggplant or any combination of these. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes!
My family enjoyed this easy recipe, and I will, definitely, cook it again!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Truly was easy to make and tastes delicious! Will be making again 🙂
Hi Nat! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Thank you my kids loved this recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that!
I am not the cook in the house, this recipe was easy to follow. It turned out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Love, love, love the Extra Easy lasagna recipe. Made it last nite using wide egg noodles in place of penne. It was DELISH!. Grand-daughter (10 yrs) LOVED it! Will absolutely make it again.
That’s so great DeAnna! I’m so happy the family enjoyed that together!
I have made this recipe so many times and my kids eat it up! love it!
Thank you for sharing that with us!
Can I make this without the meat?
Hi Mary, I think that could work with diced and cooked zucchini or mushrooms or eggplant or any combination of these. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes! 🙂
Can i make the casserole ahead of time and bake later in time for dinner?
Hi Natalie, I think that would work to make it ahead of time, cover and refrigerate then bake before dinner. It may need a few minutes more in the oven if you are starting with a chilled casserole. I hope you love it!
I was worried the cheese mixture would be too much but it blended in well.
I added water to leftovers When warming it up since it was a little dry.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your helpful review with other readers!
Absolutely and I mean absolutely delicious! Made this tonight and looking forward to leftovers! I love your recipes to the max
I’m so glad you love the recipe Wendy! Thanks so much for following and sharing your excellent review!
If I don’t have ranchero cheese what can I use in its place?
I wanted to thank you for coming up with delicious recipes that my picky eaters love each and every time!
Hi Carol, I think it works a little better with ranchero but it may work with ricotta. Since ricotta cheese has more liquid and it blends into the marinara making it more of a creamy sauce. It could work and I have tested a similar casserole with ricotta but I prefer the ranchero for the casserole lasagna. I do love ricotta in the regular lasagna since it is in layers and doesn’t blend as much into the marinara sauce. I’m so glad you enjoy our recipes!
This lasagna casserole is amazing – so full of flavor (queso adds a lovely twist) and so easy and quick to make! We loved your slow cooker recipe, too – but this one is definitely our new favorite. We tried it with both regular and rustic cut marinara, and both turned out great.
Thank you from our family!
My pleasure Elena! I’m happy to hear your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for following and sharing your excellent review!
Hi Natasha! Can u really taste the cheese in the lasagna, my kids won’t eat lasagna with ricotta cheese, I want to try this, but wondering if this cheese will give strong taste to this dish. Thankyou !
Hi Zara, the cheese is very mild in flavor and is not overpowering in this dish. You can reduce the mozzarella if they don’t like cheese but the cheese is not overwhelming in this recipe 🙂
Made this for our life group from church and it was a huge hit! Perfect just the way it is. I’m so happy you have an instant pot – means I can look forward to more IP recipes in the future 😉
I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a success! Thanks for sharing and DO expect more IP recipes! 🙂
Great recipe, thank you!
My picky 10 year old son who won’t eat lasagna went for seconds with this one and my husband and toddler loved it as well. Will definitely be making it again.
My pleasure Inna! I’m happy to hear the recipe is “picky eater” approved! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
What can you use insead of queso fresco cheese ??
Thanks, Vivian Hill
Hi Vivian, you could try ricotta but I would use less ricotta since it makes the sauce more loose and creamy. I have tested with both and we love the queso fresco more because it is more distinctive in the casserole without completely blending into the marinara.
I used French Feta instead queso fresco cheese …turned out great.
Thank you for sharing that with us Bill!
I also substituted with mild Feta, worked out amazing
Everything looks good, especially the eggplant lasagna and the BBQ meat loaf. I definitely want to try these.
I hope you do! 🙂
Pasta with ground meat is the only thing my toddler would eat. Thank you for this recipe! It turned out great!!
My pleasure! I’m glad to hear your whole family enjoys the recipe. Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Does anyone in Ontario , Canada know what the equivalent cheese would be to the Ranchero Queso? I have never seen it here!
It is also called “Queso Fresco” and is located in the Mexican cheese section in our local grocery stores. Hope that helps!
That cheese sounds interesting. Will try!!
This recipe is so easy AND delicious, I hope you try it Natalie!
Can I use ricotta cheese instead of ranchero cheese?
Hi Lydia, I think it works a little better with ranchero since ricotta cheese has more liquid and it blends into the marinara making it more of a creamy sauce. It could work and I have tested a similar casserole with ricotta but I prefer the ranchero for the casserole lasagna. I do love ricotta in the regular lasagna since it is in layers and doesn’t blend as much into the marinara sauce.
it should probably work if you drained the ricotta for an hour or two.
Thank you for the recipe Natasha, I made this for lunch today and it’s SO GOOD!! And when kids ask for seconds….and thirds, nothing feels better!
My pleasure Mariya! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a hit. Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
This looks delicious! Is the ranchero cheese a strong flavor?
Hi Tammy, it is very very mild similar to ricotta but not wet like ricotta. The moisture level is closer to feta cheese but the flavor is closer to a cross between ricotta and fresh mozarella.
Can this recipe be frozen?
Hi Terri, I haven’t tried freezing it but in general lasagna does freeze well so I think that should work fine with this recipe.