A super easy one pot lasagna with meatballs. This stovetop lasagna is a true game changer. It has everything we love about lasagna, it’s fuss-free, saucy and takes this beloved dish to the next level by using sausage meatballs. Loaded with tender noodles that are cooked right in the sauce, and three kinds of cheese. Serve with a salad and some garlic bread for a real treat.
Why You’ll Love One-Pot Meatball Lasagna
This isn’t a beautifully layered slowly cooked lasagna that’s finished in the oven with roasted vegetables and bechamel sauce… this one is a little more weeknight-friendly. It’s straightforward, super easy and prepared in just one skillet on your stovetop. And that’s just all there is to it. A weeknight lasagna that you can add to your dinner rotation.
And this is what you’ll get, a super saucy lasagna loaded with Italian sausage meatballs, jazzed up with cream cheese and finished off with three kinds of cheese.
We skip the layering by preparing the lasagna noodles in a sauce that has chicken broth in it. The broth helps to cook the dry noodles, and as they cook, they release starch which thickens the sauce as it bubbles away.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step video.
Helpful Tips
- You can add mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers to the sauce.
- Use sweet or hot Italian sausage.
- Alternatively, you can finish the lasagna in the broiler for a crispy golden-brown top, but you can add the cheese in the last minutes on your stove if you don’t want to turn on the oven.
- You can use sour cream, cottage cheese or ricotta instead of cream cheese.
- To keep the cream cheese from curdling, bring it to room temperature before adding to the sauce and use full fat cream cheese.
- Use a pan that’s big enough, a large Dutch oven or skillet with high sides that will hold the sauce.
Storage tips
- Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- You can make this lasagna one to 2 days ahead of time, reheat, covered, over medium low.
- To freeze, store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
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One Pot Lasagna with Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 pound Italian sausage - sweet or spicy
- 2 shallots - finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 carrots - peeled and diced
- ½ cup white wine - like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- 4 ounces cream cheese - at room temperature
- 7 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 mozzarella balls - torn into small pieces
- 2 ounces shredded cheddar
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan
- chopped parsley - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic, finely chop the shallots and dice the carrots. Remove casing from sausages, roll into meatballs.
- If you like a crispy golden-brown lasagna top, turn on your broiler and use an ovenproof skillet.
- Heat oil and butter in a a large high-sided skillet or a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add meatballs, brown on all sides, about 6 minutes, remove from skillet. Leaving as much grease as possible in the skillet.
- Add shallot and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, black pepper, paprika and sage. Add carrots, cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine, simmer for 2 minutes, stir with a wooden spoon while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil. Add crushed tomatoes and slowly stir in cream cheese until melted. Bring to a simmer.
- Add lasagna noodles to the skillet. Spread into an even layer and push down to submerge. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking, about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Add meatballs together with the released juices. Top with cheddar, mozzarella and Parmesan. Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer over low, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley if using, let stand for 10 minutes.
- Alternatively, place under the broiler for a crispy golden-brown top.
Video
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