This recipe for Homemade One Pot Lasagna Casserole is the best dinner for busy weeknights. Throw it all into one pot and in under 30 minutes, you have a fast and flavorful meal for the whole family!
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What is Homemade One-Pot Lasagna Casserole?
If you clicked on this recipe, that probably means you love lasagna. I’m a massive lasagna fan, but I hate that it takes so long to put together and bake! This lazy lasagna casserole has all of the delicious flavors of lasagna but without the prep and cook time.
Al dente noodles, a beefy tomato sauce, and a yummy cheese layer, makes for an almost traditional lasagna recipe.
By using one single pot, this classic recipe requires fewer tools and less clean-up. Make this homemade lasagna on busy school nights, or make it on a weekend and add a bottle of wine to fancy it up! Either way, this is going to become your next family favorite easy lasagna recipe.
The Players for this One-Pot Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil for this easy recipe.
- Onion – I prefer using white, brown, or yellow onions.
- Garlic – Lots of freshly minced garlic is essential for this best lasagna recipe. You can also use garlic powder.
- Ground Beef – I purchase 85/15 ground beef, but feel free to use leaner ground beef. You can substitute ground pork if you prefer.
- Italian Seasoning – You’ll need quite a bit of Italian seasoning for this recipe.
- Thyme – Dried thyme is necessary for this classic lasagna recipe.
- Salt & Pepper – You won’t need much salt, but season with plenty of black pepper.
- Marinara Sauce – I love to purchase Rao’s Marinara sauce from the grocery store when it’s on sale, however, feel free to use your favorite marinara sauce.
- Beef Broth – You can substitute beef broth for chicken broth if you prefer. I feel like the beef broth brings a more meatier flavor to this lasagna noodle casserole.
- Campanelle Pasta – I like using Campanelle pasta because it reminds me of the edges of lasagna noodles that have been rolled up. You can also use mafalda pasta or penne pasta.
- Cottage Cheese – Traditionally, there is a creamy ricotta mixture that goes into lasagna. However, to keep costs down, I prefer cottage cheese over ricotta cheese. It’s also a much more accessible ingredient to find.
- Mozzarella Cheese – You’ll need plenty of cheese to be mixed into the pasta mixture and to sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Parmesan Cheese- I always purchase a wedge of parmesan to grate myself. The pre-shredded cheese that you find at the grocery store is coated in a chemical that makes it difficult to melt.
- Parsley – This is optional, but adds a freshness to the top of this easy lasagna casserole recipe.
Tools:
- Deep Skillet – You’ll need a nice, large skillet or Dutch oven to make this cheesy pasta casserole
How to make this One-Pot Lasagna Casserole
In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add your olive oil. With a wooden spoon, begin to saute your diced onions for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add in your minced garlic and saute for 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
To the same skillet, add your ground beef and begin to brown ground beef. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet.
To your meat mixture, add your Italian seasonings, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Pour in your marinara sauce, pasta, and beef broth. Stir your beef mixture until thoroughly combined.
Bring your delicious meat sauce to a simmer, turn the heat down to low heat, and cover it with a lid, to allow the pasta to cook. This will take about 12-15 to achieve tender pasta.
Once your pasta is cooked, turn off the heat, and add in your cottage cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir your sauce mixture, until the cheese has melted. To the top of your pasta casserole, add your remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and all of the grated Parmesan. Cover with the lid for about 5 minutes and allow the residual heat to melt down your cheese.
Top off this easy comfort food with fresh parsley or even fresh basil!
What to serve with this One-Pot Lasagna Casserole
- Green Salad
- 5 Ingredient Cheesy Bread
- Garlic Bread
- Roasted Vegetables
- Caesar Salad
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How to store this Lasagna Casserole
If you have leftover lasagna, the best way to store it is in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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If you end up making this delicious Homemade One-Pot Lasagna Casserole recipe, leave me a comment, I’d love to chat with you!
​Looking for other easy, busy weeknight dinner ideas? Check these out next!
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Classic Meatloaf with Ground Beef Recipe (and Ketchup Glaze)
- Easy Sticky Honey Chicken Recipe with the Best Sauce
- The Best Baked Fish Tacos Recipe (with Crispy Broccoli Slaw)
- Easy Shrimp Scampi with Linguine Recipe
Easy Homemade One Pot Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 85/15
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp thyme
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 28 oz marinara sauce, jarred or homemade
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 lb campanelle pasta
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
- parsley, chopped optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat up your olive oil. Add in your onions and saute for 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in your minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add in your ground beef and brown. Drain off any excess fat with a spoon.
- To your ground beef and onions, add Italian seasoning, thyme, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in your marinara sauce, pasta, and beef broth and combine until fully mixed.
- Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover your skillet or dutch oven, and allow the pasta to cook for 12-15 minutes.
- Once your pasta has cooked, turn off your heat, and stir in your cottage cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and parmesan cheese to the top of the pasta and place the lid back on for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Top with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
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Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Very good I like it want More food please yum