My "Sheet Pan Lasagna" Has Forever Changed the Way I Make Lasagna

As much as I love lasagna, it’s rare that I have a free afternoon I can dedicate to making one. That’s because it usually involves simmering a pot of sauce on the stove as well as throwing together a béchamel sauce or ricotta filling. For this reason, I love making sheet pan lasagna. It eschews the usual time-consuming process and endless layering while delivering all the beloved textures and flavors of a traditional lasagna. By cooking it on a sheet pan, every bite has that sought-after crispy edge along with a blanket of cheese. I might never go back to making classic lasagna ever again.

The best part? There’s no need to boil the noodles, which saves you time and dishes. No, it’s not because this recipe uses no-boil noodles — regular ol’ sheets of dried lasagna work just fine here. The key is to soak the noodles in water first, followed by making sure the noodles are coated in enough sauce; this imparts them with moisture and cooks the noodles through perfectly as they bake.

Why You’ll Love It

• All the flavors and textures of a classic lasagna. This dish delivers all the elements of lasagna with a fraction of the work or time involved.

• There’s no need to boil the noodles. Soaked in warm water then covered with enough sauce, the noodles cook through perfectly as they bake in the oven.

Key Ingredients in Sheet Pan Lasagna

• Lasagna noodles. Regular lasagna noodles are broken up into smaller pieces to ensure every bite has the perfect balance of crispiness and cheesiness.

• Marinara sauce. To make this recipe come together quicker, use store-bought marinara sauce.

• Ground beef. Cooked with aromatics to create that classic lasagna filling.

• Mozzarella. Shredded low-moisture mozzarella melts evenly over the lasagna.

• Parmesan. Adds that classic lasagna flavor and a hint of umami.

How to Make Sheet Pan Lasagna

1. Prep the noodles. Break dried lasagna noodles into rough 2- to 3-inch pieces and place in a large bowl, then add enough warm water to cover by an inch or so.

2. Cook the ground beef. Cook the ground beef until browned and cooked through with onion and garlic.

3. Add the sauce and noodles. Add store-bought marinara sauce and drained lasagna noodles and stir to combine.

4. Transfer to a sheet pan. Spread the lasagna mixture in an even layer in a sheet pan. Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan and low-moisture mozzarella over the lasagna.

5. Bake! Bake the lasagna until the cheese has melted and the noodles have cooked through.

Sheet Pan Lasagna Recipe

Think classic lasagna — but minus the hassle.

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time 40 minutes to 45 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• Cooking spray

• 1 (16-ounce) box dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 pound ground beef (85% lean)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 (about 24-ounce) jars marinara sauce (about 5 1/4 cups)

• 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)

• 8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

• 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 packed cup)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF. Coat an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan) with cooking spray. Break 1 (16-ounce) box dried lasagna noodles into rough 2 to 3-inch pieces and place in a large bowl, then add enough warm water to cover by an inch or so.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add 1 pound ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef up into small pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4. Drain the noodles. Add the noodles and 2 (about 24-ounce) jars marinara sauce to the pot and stir to combine.

5. Transfer to the baking sheet and spread into an even layer, making sure all the noodles are covered with a layer of sauce. Using a spoon, dollop 8 ounces ricotta cheese evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle with 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese and 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake uncovered until the noodles are tender and the cheeses are melted and browned, 30 to 35 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Further Reading

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

Do Water Filters Really Work — And Which Ones Are the Best?