This High Protein Skillet Lasagna is an easy one-pan dinner you'll want to make on repeat! It has all the classic lasagna flavors including a rich tomato sauce, Italian seasonings, melty cheese, and lean ground beef, but there's no need for layering noodles since it's made in a skillet. Adding extra veggies at the start of the recipe adds tons of extra nutrition and flavor!
Quick Look: High Protein Skillet Lasagna
- 🧁 Serves: 6
- ⭐ Features: Fresh ✓ Healthy ✓ One-Pan ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 1 hour
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? Everything comes together in one skillet so there's no need to layer noodles! And adding extra veggies gives it tons of flavor. 😊
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As a dietitian, my favorite recipes are one-pan recipes. 😊 And while I love regular lasagna, sometimes I don't feel like layering the noodles. For this easy skillet lasagna, you'll make the veggie & meat sauce in a pan and then add in the noodles and let them cook before mixing in some creamy cottage cheese and topping with a blend of mozzarella and parmesan! If you're craving those same cozy flavors in a soup, try my healthy lasagna soup.
What I love the most about this lazy lasagna is that it's such an easy way to get in protein and vegetables. And it's a complete meal you can serve right out of the pan!
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my unstuffed peppers recipe for busy weeknights.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This high protein skillet lasagna is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes but be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom for the measurements.
- Lean Ground Beef - ground beef is a high quality protein that also provides important nutrients including zinc and iron. If you prefer you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or Italian sausage instead. If you're looking for another ground beef dinner, try my stuffed spaghetti squash with tomato meat sauce.
- Fresh Vegetables - carrots, red bell peppers, and zucchini add tons of flavor! Fresh baby spinach stirred in at the end is optional, but I recommend it. While traditional lasagna usually only has onions and tomatoes, I love adding lots of additional vegetables to this easy lasagna recipe because it's a great to add more nutrition and make it more hearty. If you love zucchini in a hearty skillet dinner, try my zucchini skillet with ground turkey and white beans.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic - aromatics to add flavor. You can use garlic powder and onion powder if you're in a pinch. If doing so, I recommend to use 1 teaspoon of each.
- Tomato Paste
- Crushed Tomatoes - you can use marinara sauce if you prefer, but I like to use crushed tomatoes to make a rich tomato sauce since marinara can have added sugars and other ingredients.
- Seasonings - this recipe is seasoned with a combination of dried herbs including basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. You can easily replace the combo of seasonings with Italian seasoning which is a blend. I like to add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. And of course kosher salt & black pepper to tie everything together.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Chicken Bone Broth - using bone broth will add more protein! But if you don't like the flavor, you can use regular chicken broth. If you use regular chicken broth, I suggest using low sodium chicken broth to give you more control over the saltiness in the soup base.
- Lasagna Noodles
- Blend of Cheeses & Cottage Cheese- a combination of cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese is added at the end. If you want an alternative to cottage cheese, use ricotta cheese.
- Fresh Basil
Recipe Variations
The best part about this easy skillet lasagna is you can customize it to your taste. Below are some ideas.
- Lower Calorie - if you want to cut down on the calories, use less pasta noodles (you can tear them into smaller pieces to help them disperse more evenly), and cut the cheese in half.
- Different Type of Pasta - if you can't find lasagna noodles, you can use a different kind of pasta. Farfalle (Bow-tie) pasta, campanelle, or fusilli are all delicious options. If you're looking for another easy one-pan pasta dinner, try my creamy lemon chicken orzo pasta.
- Spicy - double up on the red chili pepper flakes if you like more spice.
How to Make High Protein Skillet Lasagna
Below are the step-by-step directions to make this recipe with photos that I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Chop the onion, carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat to medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the ground beef, seasonings, and garlic to the skillet. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon or meat masher, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until the beef is mostly browned and no longer pink. It doesn't need to be fully cooked through yet, since it will finish cooking later as it simmers with the sauce and noodles.
- Step 3: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Step 4: Break the lasagna noodles into 2-3 inch pieces and stir them into the skillet, pressing them down so they're mostly submerged in the sauce (add a splash of broth or water if there isn't quite enough liquid to cover them). Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are al dente.
Step 5: Remove from heat. If using spinach, stir it in until wilted. Add the cottage cheese and stir until warmed through and creamy. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan, cover, and let it sit off heat for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is fully melted. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil.
Optional step: For a golden brown, bubbly top, transfer the skillet (if oven-safe) to the broiler for 2-3 minutes after the cheese has melted, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
Adding veggies like the zucchini, carrots, and red bell pepper in this high protein skillet lasagna makes for a more fiber-rich meal and also adds important nutrients AND flavor! The hardest part is chopping the veggies. So if you can, do that part in advance so everything is ready to go when you want to make dinner. 😊
If you enjoy vegetable-packed skillet dinners, my unstuffed cabbage rolls skillet is another cozy option.
Expert Tips
- Chop the veggies into small pieces so they cook faster.
- Use less lasagna noodles if you want to lighten it up.
- Stir it occasionally while it simmers with the noodles to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- You can use 1½ tablespoon of Italian Seasoning to replace the dried herbs if you want.
High Protein Skillet Lasagna FAQs
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. The ground beef provides protein, iron, and zinc. The added vegetables provide fiber, antioxidants, and important nutrients such as vitamins A and C. The tender lasagna noodles provide carbohydrates which are your brain's preferred energy source.
Absolutely! You can use any meat you prefer. Ground turkey would be my next preferred option.
Some other veggies that go great with the lasagna flavors are mushrooms or eggplant.
Fridge - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you're making it ahead of time, make it up until step 4. Then when you're ready to serve, bring everything back to a boil and add the pasta noodles and finish the recipe. Add an extra splash of broth if needed.
More Healthy Skillet Dinners
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
High Protein Lasagna Skillet, One-Pan Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large skillet with lid (at least 12 inch or 4.5 qt)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (or ½ large)
- 1-2 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use ½ teaspoon if using fine table salt, more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth (or water)
- 6-8 lasagna noodles (broken into pieces)
- 2 cups spinach
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- fresh basil for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the onion, carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat to medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, seasonings, and garlic to the skillet. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon or meat masher, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until the beef is mostly browned and no longer pink. It doesn't need to be fully cooked through yet, since it will finish cooking later as it simmers with the sauce and noodles.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Break the lasagna noodles into 2-3 inch pieces and stir them into the skillet, pressing them down so they're mostly submerged in the sauce (add a splash of broth or water if there isn't quite enough liquid to cover them). Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are al dente.
- Remove from heat. If using spinach, stir it in until wilted. Add the cottage cheese and stir until warmed through and creamy. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan, cover, and let it sit off heat for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is fully melted. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil.
- Optional step: For a golden brown, bubbly top, transfer the skillet (if oven-safe) to the broiler for 2-3 minutes after the cheese has melted, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
Video
Notes
- Chop the veggies into small pieces so they cook faster.
- Use less lasagna noodles if you want to lighten it up.
- Stir it occasionally while it simmers with the noodles to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- You can use 1½ tablespoon of Italian Seasoning to replace the dried herbs if you want.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Sharon
So good! One of our new favorites.
Kate Judge
Great recipe! I made this last night and it was a hit with my family. Lots of flavour and just enough cheese to keep everyone happy. Large portions and a low WW points. A bit of work to make but totally worth it.
Mallory Brown, RDN
Hi Kate, thank you so much for taking time to leave a rating a review!! I'm sooo happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! 😊 -Mallory
Natalie Paxton
Made this last night for my family. doubled it to make one batch gluten-free. It was excellent! Sautéed all the vegetables first plus cauliflower rice & then blended them so no kids could detect 😂. It was a family favorite- thank you!
Mallory Brown, RDN
Hi Natalie, thank you so much for taking time to leave a review and also for the idea to add cauliflower rice!! Such a great idea! 😊 -Mallory
Korin
I made this last night. It was great and most family members went back for seconds. Next time I will add 2 or 3 more noodles. Thank you Mallory
Mallory Brown, RDN
Hi Korin, thank you so much for taking time to leave a rating and review! I'm sooo happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it and love the idea to add more noodles. -Mallory