I like to call this my “lazy girl lasagna.” While my Italian grandfather would gasp at the thought of this one-skillet wonder, I know that if he were still alive he’d take one bite and then quickly devour the entire pan. Inspired by my love for lasagna, one-pot meals, and the Lasagna Hamburger Helper, this recipe is the ultimate way to feed my hungry family with very little effort. Feel free to swap in regular marinara instead of the arrabbiata sauce if you are sensitive to heat. However, we don’t find this dish spicy at all — the arrabbiata just kicks the flavor up a notch!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup small-diced yellow onion (about 1/2 small onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 pound ground beef (90/10)
- 1/2 pound bulk mild or spicy Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- One 24-ounce jar arrabbiata or marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup store-bought basil pesto or Lemon Basil Pesto (page 8 of Dinner Tonight)
- Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 6 ounces no-boil oven-ready lasagna noodles (sub gluten-free no-boil lasagna for gluten-free)
- 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving
Instructions
PREHEAT the oven to 375°F.
IN a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage. Continue to cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
DRAIN off the excess fat, then add the salt, pepper, arrabbiata sauce, 1/3 cup of the pesto, and the lemon zest and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low.
CAREFULLY break up the lasagna noodles into 1- to 2-inch pieces and add them to the skillet. Don’t worry if they get a little jagged and imperfect; it will still come together nicely. Gently fold the noodles into the sauce to ensure they are coated in the sauce, then use the back of a spatula to spread the contents of the skillet into an even layer.
PLACE the mozzarella slices evenly across the top of the skillet in a single layer, then dollop small spoonfuls of the remaining 1/4 cup pesto across the top. Carefully cover the skillet with aluminum foil, ensuring the foil does not touch the top of the lasagna.
BAKE for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue to bake, uncovered, until the cheese is golden, 10 to 12 more minutes.
REMOVE the lasagna from the oven and let cool, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the sauce to settle and thicken a bit more. Top with the basil and serve.
Excerpted with permission from Dinner Tonight by Alex Snodgrass of the Defined Dish.
Known for her “cleaned up” weeknight comfort food, Alex Snodgrass knows how important it is for healthy food to be accessible both in flavor and in preparation. When you get to the end of a long day in a long week, you just want to whip up a low-fuss, delicious meal that makes up for the stresses of the day. With Dinner Tonight, Alex provides dinners that make eating healthy a breeze, and not another hill to climb.