Skillet Lasagna Recipe

I made lasagna for dinner this week.  On the stove top.  And it only took me 45 minutes from start to finish.

And the taste?  Amazing.

I found this recipe in an old issue of Cook's Country Magazine and it's a keeper for sure.  It has a lot less cheese than your average lasagna, which allows the tomato and basil flavors to really shine.  And even though it's plenty filling, it doesn't feel like a heavy meal.  The prep is minimal, the technique is simple (and brilliant), and the taste is fantastic.  What more could you want?

In fact, you should make it as soon as possible.  I'm not kidding.  Go now and buy the ingredients.  You'll thank me later.

Skillet Lasagna
Serves 4 to 6 (you'd need some pretty hearty eaters to only get 4 servings out of this)

Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid

Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 bell pepper (red or green), chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for seasoning to taste)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, sausage, etc.)
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths [See note below]
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil


Directions:
  1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup.  Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
  3. Scatter pasta pieces over meat but do not stir.  Pour diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato sauce over pasta.  Cover and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Dot with heaping tablespoons of ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
 Note:  Regular lasagna noodles provided a wonderfully chewy texture (and fun curly edges!) to this recipe, but no-boil lasagna noodles can be substituted if you prefer.


I really wasn't kidding.  Go make this for dinner!

Comments

  1. Courtney, I read it, I think I could even do it, but I was raised among Italians – and if word ever got out that I took a shortcut on the lasagna – well – I just don't even want to think about that :-)
    there's a code :-)

    And even though I'm not going to cook this – the idea made me smile – as did the "fun curly edges" part – I especially liked that – because it's so true – but I never noticed it before enough - and never ever put such a fun description with it. God bless and keep you and each and every one of yours this day, Courtney.

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  2. @Craig--thanks for the laugh! I certainly wouldn't want you breaking any codes on my account. Luckily, I'm a bit of a mutt (heritage wise) and have no such codes to adhere to ;o). I'll be posting a dessert recipe later today...maybe that won't violate your conscience quite as much!

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