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This Sheet Pan Lasagna Recipe gives you everything you love about homemade lasagna; tender noodles, hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta and lots of bubbly cheese without carefully assembling all those layers. Everything is tossed together, spread onto a rimmed sheet pan and baked until golden with crispy, cheesy edges. It’s a comforting 45-minute sheet pan dinner that serves the whole family and is perfect for a busy weeknight.
Table of Contents
Kellie’s Note
Lazy Day Lasagna
I love homemade lasagna, but there are nights when I simply do not have the patience for boiling noodles, arranging them in neat rows and trying to divide the filling evenly between every layer. By the time I finish assembling a traditional lasagna, it can feel like I just ran a marathon.
After years of developing easy, family-friendly dinners, I have learned that the best shortcuts are the ones that save time without taking away the reason you wanted the recipe in the first place. With lasagna, that means keeping the rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, tender pasta and blanket of melted cheese while getting rid of the fussy layering.
That is exactly what this Sheet Pan Lasagna does. The broken lasagna noodles are tossed directly with the meat sauce, spread over a sheet pan, dotted with seasoned ricotta and covered with mozzarella and Parmesan. The shallow pan creates more surface area, so you get more golden browned cheese and those crispy pasta edges everyone usually fights over.
It is not traditional layered lasagna, and that is the whole point. This is lasagna vibes with weeknight energy.
Why You’ll Love My Sheet Pan Lasagna
- No fussy layering. Toss the noodles with the sauce, spread everything onto the pan and add the cheese.
- Ready in about 45 minutes. It is much faster than most traditional homemade lasagna recipes.
- More crispy edges. The wide, shallow pan gives the noodles and cheese plenty of room to turn golden around the edges.
- Hearty and comforting. Meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan make this every bit as satisfying as classic lasagna.
- Easy to customize. Use Italian sausage, ground beef or ground turkey, then add vegetables or adjust the heat to fit your family.
- Great for leftovers. The portions reheat well for lunch or another easy dinner.
- Family-friendly. This is the kind of cozy sheet pan dinner that gets everyone to the table without a lot of convincing.
Ingredients For Sheet Pan Lasagna
The full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below, but here is a quick look at what you will need.
- Lasagna noodles: Break regular dried noodles into bite-size pieces. Another ruffled pasta will work, but it will feel more like a pasta bake.
- Ground meat: Italian sausage adds the most flavor, but ground beef or turkey work well too. For a meatless version, use plant-based crumbles or chopped mushrooms.
- Onion and garlic: These build the savory base of the sauce. Shallots, white onion or garlic paste can be substituted.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and optional red pepper flakes keep things simple. Use dried basil and oregano if needed.
- Marinara sauce: Choose a good-quality jarred sauce you already love, or use homemade marinara.
- Water or Chicken Stock: This loosens the sauce and helps keep the noodles tender. Chicken Stock adds a little extra flavor.
- Ricotta mixture: Ricotta, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder and basil create creamy pockets throughout the lasagna. Cottage cheese or mascarpone can also be used.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan: Low-moisture mozzarella melts best, while Parmesan adds salty flavor. Provolone or fontina can replace some of the mozzarella.
- Fresh herbs: Basil or parsley adds a fresh finish. Dried basil works in a pinch.
How to Make Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Get the oven and pan ready. Heat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease a large rimmed sheet pan. The rim is important because it keeps the bubbling sauce and cheese safely on the pan.
- Partially cook the noodles. Boil the broken lasagna noodles in well-salted water, but stop a couple of minutes before the package says they are done. They should bend easily but still have a little firmness in the center. They will finish cooking in the sauce without turning mushy.
- Brown the meat. Cook your sausage, beef or turkey in a large skillet until it is nicely browned with no pink remaining. Break it into small crumbles so every scoop of lasagna gets a little meat.
- Build the sauce. Add the onion and cook until it softens and looks translucent. Stir in the garlic and seasonings just until fragrant, then add the marinara and water or broth. Let the sauce simmer briefly until it looks slightly thicker and everything smells rich and savory.
- Toss in the noodles. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss until every piece looks glossy and evenly coated with sauce. Dry-looking noodles can become tough in the oven, so make sure the sauce reaches all those ruffled edges.
- Spread it out. Transfer the saucy noodles to the sheet pan and arrange them in an even layer. Let a few noodle edges peek through the sauce so they can become crisp and browned.
- Add the ricotta. Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder and basil. Spoon little dollops over the noodles so you get creamy pockets in every portion instead of one heavy layer.
- Finish with cheese. Scatter the mozzarella over the pan and add a little extra Parmesan. Try to cover most of the noodles while leaving a few edges exposed for contrast.
- Bake until bubbly. The lasagna is ready when the cheese is fully melted, the sauce is bubbling and the top has golden spots. The outer noodles should look a little crisp around the edges.
- Let it rest. Give the pan about five minutes before serving. This helps the cheese settle slightly and makes the lasagna easier to scoop without losing all those creamy, saucy layers.
How to Store Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Refrigerator: Let the lasagna cool, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the lasagna completely and freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Smaller portions thaw and reheat more evenly than one large block.
- To reheat in the oven: Place the lasagna in an oven-safe dish, add a small spoonful of marinara if it looks dry and cover with foil. Warm at 350°F until hot, then uncover for the last few minutes to refresh the cheesy top.
- To reheat in the microwave: Microwave individual portions in short intervals until heated through. Cover the dish loosely to keep the sauce from splattering.
- To make it ahead: The meat sauce and ricotta mixture can be prepared in advance and refrigerated separately. For the best noodle texture, cook the pasta, assemble the pan and bake it shortly before serving.
Kellie’s Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Use a large rimmed sheet pan. A standard half-sheet pan, approximately 13 by 18 inches, gives the pasta enough room to spread out and keeps the bubbling sauce contained.
- Break the noodles before boiling. Two- to three-inch pieces are easy to stir, scoop and eat. Breaking them after cooking is messier and can cause the softened noodles to stick together.
- Salt the pasta water. This is your first chance to season the noodles themselves.
- Do not fully cook the pasta. Noodles that are just shy of al dente hold their shape and finish cooking in the sauce. Fully cooked noodles can become soft or mushy in the oven.
- Coat every noodle with sauce. The sauce keeps exposed pasta from becoming dry and hard. Toss gently but thoroughly before transferring everything to the pan.
- Leave a few edges exposed. A little sauce-free surface area is the secret to those crisp, browned noodle tips.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella can release extra water and make the Sheet Pan Lasagna softer and wetter than intended.
- Grate your own cheese when possible. Freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan melt more smoothly and brown more evenly.
- Do not skip the rest. Five minutes gives the cheese and sauce a chance to settle, so the lasagna is still creamy but much easier to serve.
- Want it extra creamy? Stir a little heavy cream or mascarpone into the sauce before adding the noodles.
- Add vegetables without making it watery. Stir baby spinach into the hot sauce until just wilted, or use roasted zucchini, mushrooms or bell peppers so excess moisture has already cooked away.
What to Serve with Sheet Pan Lasagna
Sheet Pan Lasagna is rich, cheesy and hearty, so I like to keep the sides simple. A crisp salad or green vegetable balances the meal, while a warm loaf of bread makes sure none of that sauce gets left behind.
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- Easy Garlic Toast
- Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
- Chicken Caesar Salad without the chicken for a simple side salad
- Caesar Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Balsamic Roasted Vegetables
- Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
- A simple arugula salad with lemon and Parmesan
More Easy Italian Recipes
If you love this easy Sheet Pan Lasagna Recipe, try one of these cozy Italian-inspired dinners next:
- Ravioli Lasagna
- Skillet Lasagna
- Lasagna Roll Ups
- Quick and Easy Lasagna Soup
- Baked Rigatoni Bolognese
- Five Cheese Ziti al Forno
- The Best Baked Ziti
- Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Easy Stromboli
No-Layer Sheet Pan Lasagna Recipe
This easy Sheet Pan Lasagna skips the fussy layering and turns classic lasagna into a quick, family-friendly pasta bake. Broken lasagna noodles are tossed with a simple meat sauce, dotted with creamy ricotta and baked with mozzarella until bubbly with crispy, cheesy edges.
Equipment
- large pot
- large skillet
- large rimmed sheet pan
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 12 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 24- ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a large rimmed sheet pan.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain well.
- While the noodles cook, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, ground beef or ground turkey. Cook until browned, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks.
- Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and water or chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Add the drained lasagna noodles to the skillet and gently toss until every piece is evenly coated with sauce.
- Spread the saucy noodles over the prepared sheet pan in an even layer.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder and chopped basil. Dollop the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top, followed by a little additional Parmesan.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling with golden spots around the top and edges.
- Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve.
Notes
- Use a large rimmed sheet pan so the sauce stays contained as the lasagna bubbles.
- Do not fully cook the noodles before baking. They should be just shy of al dente so they do not become mushy in the oven.
- For the crispiest edges, spread the pasta into an even layer and leave a few noodle tips peeking through the sauce and cheese.
- Low-moisture mozzarella works best because it melts well without releasing too much water.
- For a creamier sauce, stir in a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of mascarpone before tossing in the noodles.
- For extra vegetables, wilt baby spinach into the sauce or add roasted zucchini, mushrooms or bell peppers.
- Mild or hot Italian sausage, ground beef and ground turkey all work. Drain excess grease before adding the sauce if needed.
- Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes before serving so the cheese and sauce can settle.
Nutrition
Calories: 735kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 1704mg, Potassium: 784mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1030IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 368mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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