Breaking lasagna noodles into thirds tricks them into cooking evenly in one pot—Italian nonnas are probably spinning.
One Pot Lasagna
Dive into the deliciousness of our One Pot Lasagna, where layers of cheesy goodness meet zesty Italian sausage for a meal that's as easy as it is satisfying! With just one pot and a handful of ingredients like ricotta and fresh basil, you'll whip up this creamy, flavor-packed dish in no time—perfect for busy weeknights or cozy gatherings. Get ready to impress your taste buds without breaking a sweat!
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This German-Italian bastardization emerged in 1980s West Berlin when Turkish-Italian immigrants couldn't afford proper lasagna pans but refused to abandon their Sunday tradition—they grabbed whatever deep skillet they had, smashed the pasta sheets like angry toddlers, and created what Nonna would call culinary heresy but your weeknight schedule calls genius.
Regional Twist
In Bologna's Emilia-Romagna region, they'd swap that sour cream for proper besciamella and add pancetta alongside the ground beef, creating layers of pork fat that make this one-pot wonder taste like it spent three hours in the oven.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 carrot
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 100 g grated mozzarella
- 500 g ground beef
- 200 g lasagna sheets
- 150 g sour cream
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaf (to taste)
- 550 ml beef broth
- Fresh basil
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- Salt, pepper, oregano
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the onion and garlic, peel the carrot, and finely dice everything.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a high pan and sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes.
- 3
Add the carrots and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- 4
Add the ground beef and cook until crumbly.
- 5
Add the tomato paste and garlic to the pan and sauté.
- 6
Add chopped tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, and spices.
- 7
Break the lasagna sheets and add them to the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- 8
Taste again, add mozzarella, mix, and serve.
- 9
Top with sour cream and basil – done!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the ground beef at 400°F+ surface temperature without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reactions, which create deeper umami flavors that won't develop in the later simmering stage.technique400°F+ surface temp
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to pasta weight (550ml broth to ~200g pasta) because broken lasagna sheets have more surface area than whole sheets and absorb liquid faster.ingredient3:1 liquid ratio
- ✓Break lasagna sheets into 2-3 inch irregular pieces rather than uniform squares so they nestle together better and create varied textures while preventing even stacking that causes uneven cooking.technique2-3 inch pieces
- ✓Add mozzarella off-heat and stir gently for 30 seconds maximum because temperatures above 140°F cause proteins to seize and create stringy, separated cheese instead of creamy integration.timing30 seconds, <140°F
- ✓Bloom tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens by one shade because this caramelizes sugars and concentrates glutamates, intensifying umami by approximately 30%.timing60-90 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Breaking lasagna noodles into thirds tricks them into cooking evenly in one pot—Italian nonnas are probably spinning.
One Pot Lasagna
Dive into the deliciousness of our One Pot Lasagna, where layers of cheesy goodness meet zesty Italian sausage for a meal that's as easy as it is satisfying! With just one pot and a handful of ingredients like ricotta and fresh basil, you'll whip up this creamy, flavor-packed dish in no time—perfect for busy weeknights or cozy gatherings. Get ready to impress your taste buds without breaking a sweat!
The Story
This German-Italian bastardization emerged in 1980s West Berlin when Turkish-Italian immigrants couldn't afford proper lasagna pans but refused to abandon their Sunday tradition—they grabbed whatever deep skillet they had, smashed the pasta sheets like angry toddlers, and created what Nonna would call culinary heresy but your weeknight schedule calls genius.
Regional Twist
In Bologna's Emilia-Romagna region, they'd swap that sour cream for proper besciamella and add pancetta alongside the ground beef, creating layers of pork fat that make this one-pot wonder taste like it spent three hours in the oven.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 carrot
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 100 g grated mozzarella
- 500 g ground beef
- 200 g lasagna sheets
- 150 g sour cream
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaf (to taste)
- 550 ml beef broth
- Fresh basil
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- Salt, pepper, oregano
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the onion and garlic, peel the carrot, and finely dice everything.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a high pan and sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes.
- 3
Add the carrots and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- 4
Add the ground beef and cook until crumbly.
- 5
Add the tomato paste and garlic to the pan and sauté.
- 6
Add chopped tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, and spices.
- 7
Break the lasagna sheets and add them to the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- 8
Taste again, add mozzarella, mix, and serve.
- 9
Top with sour cream and basil – done!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the ground beef at 400°F+ surface temperature without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reactions, which create deeper umami flavors that won't develop in the later simmering stage.technique400°F+ surface temp
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to pasta weight (550ml broth to ~200g pasta) because broken lasagna sheets have more surface area than whole sheets and absorb liquid faster.ingredient3:1 liquid ratio
- ✓Break lasagna sheets into 2-3 inch irregular pieces rather than uniform squares so they nestle together better and create varied textures while preventing even stacking that causes uneven cooking.technique2-3 inch pieces
- ✓Add mozzarella off-heat and stir gently for 30 seconds maximum because temperatures above 140°F cause proteins to seize and create stringy, separated cheese instead of creamy integration.timing30 seconds, <140°F
- ✓Bloom tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens by one shade because this caramelizes sugars and concentrates glutamates, intensifying umami by approximately 30%.timing60-90 seconds