A family favorite brings a depth of flavor without the depth of pan! This Sheet-Pan Lasagna is everything you love in the traditional Italian classic with the simplicity you look for in a weeknight meal.
I know lasagna is essentially a pasta dish but for some reason, I never think of it as one. But it’s true (shocker, I know). You can make it with your choice of meat, veggies, and cheeses, just like you can your favorite traditional pasta dish. Heck, you have so much freedom, you can make your lasagna as a casserole or with ravioli. And, as this recipe proves, you can make it in a sheet pan.
Using a sheet pan takes all the ingredients you’ve come to know and love in your lasagna and mixes them up for an easy, midweek meal that’s a cinch to prep and takes so little time. My kids—ever the hard workers—love it because they say it saves them from having to cut their food. Yes, I’ve never been more proud. Then again, I can hardly point the finger. I love this dish because I don’t have to deal with the layers of your regular lasagna, a process I can find tedious at times.
With a sheet-pan lasagna, everything gets mixed together for a fun and low-maintenance pasta dish fit for the whole family.
What Is In Italian Seasoning?
Lasagna is an Italian dish and so, it needs Italian seasoning! But what is traditionally included in this seasoning? Well, you will usually find oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Of course, there is no hard and fast rule regarding what constitutes Italian seasoning, which is why we’ve listed the red pepper flakes separately (you wouldn’t want to miss out on that heat, would you?). Examine the ingredients list on your seasoning shaker to make sure all the boxes are ticked. If you prefer more of one particular herb/spice then feel free to add it separately. Bear in mind that dried seasoning is more potent than its fresh counterpart, so if you wanted to go this route, you’ll probably need to add more than is laid out in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 (5 oz.) container baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 lb. lasagna noodles broken into 2-inch pieces
- 1 (25 oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 2 ½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
How to Make Sheet-Pan Lasagna
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and oil a 12×17-inch baking sheet.
Step 2: Sauté the minced garlic, and red pepper flakes in a tablespoon of olive oil for a minute, until the garlic is just golden. Add in the spinach with ½ teaspoon of salt and stir until it’s wilted. Move the spinach to a strainer to drain any extra liquid, then mix it with the ricotta in a bowl.
Step 3: Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel. Add the remaining olive oil and ground beef. Cook until browned and crumbled. Stir in the diced onion, Italian seasoning, and the rest of the salt. Cook until the onions are soft.
Step 4: While the beef is browning, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your lasagna pieces until they’re al dente (follow instructions on the pasta package). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cups of the pasta water.
Step 5: Mix the marinara sauce with the beef & onion mixture. Add the reserved pasta water, the broken lasagna noodles, and half of both cheeses. Stir.
Step 6: Pour the saucy pasta mixture onto your oiled baking sheet. Dot it with spoonfuls of the spinach-ricotta mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over top.
Step 7: Bake the sheet pan in the oven for about 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese browned.
Step 8: Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
FAQs & Tips
If you want to prep your lasagna one day to enjoy on a later day, follow the instructions right up until you’re told to bake. At this point, cover your lasagna with aluminum and keep in the fridge for up to three days. When you want to eat the lasagna, recommence the instructions by baking it in the oven. You can also freeze it uncooked and keep it around for up to three months.
Once the lasagna has completely cooled, cover it with aluminum or move it to an airtight container and set it in the fridge for up to three days. If you want to freeze it, first double-wrap it with plastic then aluminum. It should keep for up to three months. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight then warm it up in the microwave.
The lasagna has just spent a long time in a hot oven—it needs a rest! Granting it these 5–10 minutes lets its ingredients and sauce come together and thicken, making it easier to serve. The lasagna will continue to cook during this time, thanks to its residual heat, so cutting into it prematurely will interrupt this step. Besides, while it rests, you can have the kids set the table!
Of course. In fact, you may prefer using them, as it removes a step and simplifies the recipe.
Got a fussy oven? I’ve been there. Try covering your lasagna with aluminum foil for the first part of the cooking process. This will ensure your lasagna is cooked evenly and the cheese doesn’t burn prematurely. So that you don’t miss out entirely on the crispy brown top, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
A proper Italian lasagna needs proper Italian sides. Think a hearty, crusty loaf of bread—perfect for absorbing all that sauce! Add a salad for a refreshing color. Over top pour this Homemade Italian Dressing (dip that crusty bread in this, too!). For dessert, whip up a batch of cupcakes. Why cupcakes? Because then you can top them with Italian Meringue Boiled Icing!
Sheet Pan Lasagna
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 (5 oz.) container baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 lb. lasagna noodles
- 1 (25 oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 2 ½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and oil a 12×17-inch baking sheet.
- Sauté the minced garlic, and red pepper flakes in a tablespoon of olive oil for a minute, until the garlic is just golden. Add in the spinach with ½ teaspoon of salt and stir until it’s wilted. Move the spinach to a strainer to drain any extra liquid, then mix it with the ricotta in a bowl.
- Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel. Add the remaining olive oil and ground beef. Cook until browned and crumbled. Stir in the diced onion, Italian seasoning, and the rest of the salt. Cook until the onions are soft.
- While the beef is browning, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your lasagna pieces until they’re al dente (follow instructions on the pasta package). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cups of the pasta water.
- Mix the marinara sauce with the beef & onion mixture. Add the reserved pasta water, the broken lasagna noodles, and half of both cheeses. Stir.
- Pour the saucy pasta mixture onto your oiled baking sheet. Dot it with spoonfuls of the spinach-ricotta mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over top.
- Bake the sheet pan in the oven for about 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese browned.
- Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
