Skillet Lasagna – Everything you love about lasagna but made in a skillet. Noodles, ricotta cheese, sausage, sauce, and melted cheese in a skillet.
I seem to be on a lasagna kick. Not even just a lasagna kick, but one where I figure out how to get everything I love about lasagna, made in less time. Since we moved to Kansas, I have been cooking dinner almost every single night.
When we lived in California, it was very easy to run and get a quick dinner if I ran out of time at the end of the day. Here, that is not the case. We have limited options, and most of them are not very healthy. We are also committed to living on a budget for the first time in our adult lives.
So eating out is a rare treat, not a twice-weekly occurrence. When we do eat out, we usually venture to Kansas City, and have a meal that includes knives and forks, and does not include a drive-thru window. Where am I going with this? I have become a very good meal planner. I still spend a lot of money on food. I refuse to sacrifice quality, so I have to be a little more careful and creative. Do you meal plan? Do you have any tips or tricks that help you cut down on your grocery budget? Please share if you do.
There a few things that I have a very hard getting here, fresh herbs being one of them. We moved here too late in the season to plant any, and it is very hit or miss to find them in the store. When I do find great herbs, I need to use them quickly, they do not have a very long shelf life. So I will group things together on my meal plan that uses some of the same, very perishable, ingredients. In this instance, I had some basil to use, and some ricotta, so this quick take on lasagna was born. I saw something similar on Pinterest, and used the idea to make this. I also have made this with ravioli when I do not have any ricotta on hand.
Skillet Lasagna Ingredients //
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 links sweet Italian sausage
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh flat parsley
- 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
How to Make // The Steps
Step 1: Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large saute pan (that is oven-proof) heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Take the sausage out of the casing, and cook until brown, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the pepper and onions, and cook for a few minutes until they get soft.
Step 3: Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, and garlic. Cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Add some basil and parsley. I reserve a little for garnish.
Step 5: The sauce will on the thick side.
Step 6: Toss in the bowtie pasta.
Step 7: Add dollops of ricotta cheese.
Step 8: Layer the mozzarella cheese over the pasta.
Step 9: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Step 10: Put the skillet into a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Garnish with the remaining basil and parsley.
Skillet Lasagna
Skillet Lasagna - A quick weeknight version of lasagna.
Ingredients
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 links sweet Italian sausage
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh flat parsley
- 1 large ball fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large saute pan (that is oven proof) heat the olive oil over medium-high hear. Take the sausage out of the casing, and cook until brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the pepper and onions, cook for a few minutes until they get soft.
- Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, and garlic. Cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Add some basil and parsley. I reserve a little for garnish.
- Toss in the bowtie pasta.
- Add dollops of ricotta cheese.
- Layer the mozzarella cheese over the pasta.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Put the skillet into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Garnish with the remaining basil and parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g
Marcia
Monday 14th of January 2013
Love Lasagna but have never made it b/c thought it would be too much for just me. But this recipe looks good & perfect for dinner & lunch a couple of days for an individual. I don't use fresh herbs much, but seeing that you come into the KC area occassionally...when the weather warms some & you've not yet planted yours, you might try the Overland Park Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings -- https://www.downtownop.org/farmers-market/ -- you may find some things there. Personally, I do better with dry herbs & am just starting to experiment more. I get some of mine from the Phoenix Herb Company in Kansas City off 43rd & Main -- https://phoenixherb.com/
Great tips from others re meal planning, just getting started there too.
bakedbree
Monday 14th of January 2013
We don't live in Kansas anymore, but the OL market is a great one.
winnifer
Thursday 22nd of November 2012
quick tip for extending herbs when you can't use them all. you've probably heard of this. I just chop and freeze portions in an ice cube tray . cover with water or broth. They're quick to add to a sauce and better than dried. Fresh is best, but rather than waste them, this is my option.
love your blog - was thinking about stabilizing whip cream, when I came upon it! I had found Whip It yesterday at World Market, was curious, but wasn't sure of the quality. Glad I bought it - Have a two mile high French Silk Pie in the fridge for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! Can't wait to see my chocoholic grandkiddo dig in!
I wonder if the gelatin gives it more of a set texture? have you ever doubled the amount? Will try that tomorrow on my lemon pie. Went to a tea house in kentucky over the summer that had fabulous pies. They said their topping was plain whipped cream, but I don't believe them - it was more like the texture of a white chocolate mouse!!! She wouldn't tell me her secret. hmmm. maybe a white chocolate mouse on the lemon pie would be good!!.... happy cooking, happy thanksgiving, and looking forward to sharing your blog with friends and family....bon apetite!
bakedbree
Wednesday 28th of November 2012
White chocolate mousse on a lemon pie... I think that you are on to something. :)
Lindsay
Monday 14th of November 2011
Bree, is there any way you could start posting about how many portions you can get out of each dish? I feed a larger group, and sometimes it's hard to tell from your photos if I can feed my peeps off of one or if I must double. Thanks so very much! Can't wait to make this!
bakedbree
Tuesday 15th of November 2011
I can give you an idea, but it is hard sometimes, it depends on a lot of factors. For this recipe, I would say at least 4 adult portions, and about 3 kid ones.
Haley
Monday 14th of November 2011
This looks delicious and I will definitely try it out this week. Do you think I could use lean ground beef?
Also, like Tracy I too have a Foodsaver and I love love LOVE it! I always buy meet in bulk and just repackage and freeze it. The meat lasts such a long time (at least 6 months +) and it really does save you a ton of money. Plus it's easy to store away. Also, if you buy the rolls instead of the pre-sized bags this will save you some money. I was hesitant at first because I thought the rolls would be more complicated but they're really not and you get to use exactly how much bag you need- none wasted. Hope this helps!
bakedbree
Tuesday 15th of November 2011
Of course you can. Thanks for the info on the Foodsaver, that is very helpful.
Tracy
Sunday 30th of October 2011
Hi Brie, I am new to your blog and I love it! My husband and I have been on a budget for a long time, like Karin's post, my husband and I are also followers of Dave Ramsey . I have a very tight grocery budget. Like most local markets our market sends out a weekly flyer of what's on sale. I think alot of people probably do this but each week I look through the flyer to see what's on sale and plan my menu. For example some of things on sale this week boneless skinless chicken thighs canned tomatoes, and red bell peppers so we are having chicken caccatore. Each week I write down my menu in a notebook, so if there is a week that I'm not inspired I peruse through my notebook for ideas. I also like to buy things like rice, beans, oats and some meats in bulk, we have a food saver, so we measure things like rice etc. into 1-2lb bags. We have a garden so we can and freeze alot of things. Hope some of those ideas are helpful.
bakedbree
Sunday 30th of October 2011
Those are some great ideas. Do you love your food saver? I have been on the fence about buying one.