Cheats Frypan Lasagne (Print version)

A quick stovetop version with layered meat sauce, creamy cheese, and soft pasta—all made in one pan.

# What you need:

→ Meat & Sauce

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 14 oz ground beef or pork
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ cup water

→ Pasta

12 - 6 oven-ready (no-boil) lasagne sheets, broken into large pieces

→ Cheese Mixture

13 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
14 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
02 - Add ground meat to the pan and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned throughout, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and water. Combine thoroughly and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
04 - Nestle broken lasagne sheets into the sauce, pressing them down to submerge. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - While pasta simmers, combine ricotta and Parmesan in a mixing bowl until evenly blended.
06 - After the initial 10-minute simmer, distribute spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella.
07 - Cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender and cheese has melted.
08 - Remove lid and sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top. Cover for 2 minutes until fully melted.
09 - Let the lasagne rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • You get all the comfort of baked lasagne without turning on your oven or waiting an hour
  • The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all those meaty flavors instead of plain water
  • One pan means practically zero cleanup, which is basically a gift to your future self
02 -
  • The sauce will look too thin when you first add the pasta, but it thickens beautifully as the noodles cook and release starch
  • Breaking the lasagne sheets into 3-4 pieces each creates more surface area for sauce to cling to
  • If your pan is drying out too fast, add water 2 tablespoons at a time
03 -
  • Use a pan with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam and cook the pasta evenly
  • Don't skip the resting period—the cheese needs to set slightly or you'll end up with a messy plate

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