This is my Lazy One Pot Lasagna that requires minimal washing up, low effort cooking, and results in a delicious simple dinner. I like to also call this: lasagna without the drama. To replace the béchamel sauce, we make a phenomenal mascarpone sauce that honestly rivals a classic béchamel. I really hope you enjoy this recipe!
A classic lasagna is one of my favourite comfort foods, and is probably one of yours too. But it can be a bit of a faff. So, when you're craving lasagna but can't be bothered with all the dishes, this one pot lasagna version is for you.
If you're a fan of comforting pasta one pot dishes, then check out my gnocchi lasagna recipe, ground beef and sweet potato casserole, or my deconstructed ravioli soup that is great when you want something you can slurp on too!
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About Emily's Recipe
If you're new here, hi! I'm Emily - a recipe developer, food content creator, and cookbook author! Thanks for stopping by to check out my One Pot Lasagna recipe. I really hope you enjoy it and please do let me know in the comments if you give it a go!
If you'd like to join a community of food lovers, just subscribe to my newsletter for recipes, cooking tips, and foodie chats. Now, let me tell you a bit more about this recipe...
Texture: al dente pasta sheets dotted around the soft rich ragu. Then you've got a creamy topping.
Taste: tomato beef and herby rich ragu with a creamy nutmeg infused mascarpone béchamel topping.
Ease: it's all made in one pan so I'd say pretty simple!
Top Tips: 1. when frying the beef mince, you want to create a "fond" which is when the mince creates the brown bits on the base of the pan...this creates loads of flavour which we then scrape off when adding in the tomatoes. 2. leave the lasagna ragu to simmer on low heat, the longer the better (around 30 minutes). 3. Make extra mascarpone béchamel sauce if you like things extra creamy.
Would I make this again? yes, it's a simple one pot dish for when I'm tired or when I fancy something super comforting.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Garlic: we're using fresh garlic cloves for this recipe but you could also use ½ teaspoon garlic granules.
Shallots: you can use shallots or white onions, whatever you fancy!
Zucchini: zucchini/courgette or aubergine/eggplant just adds an extra textural element to our one pot lasagna. If you don't like these veggies, then feel free to omit.
Ground beef: we're using 20% fat beef mince because it adds loads of flavour. If you're looking for a healthier option, then opt for a 5% fat beef mince.
Tomato paste: to add richness to the dish.
Mixed herbs: we're talking oregano, parsley, and thyme. Dried is great.
Tinned tomatoes: the better the quality of these tomatoes, the tastier your ragu will be. I love Mutti, but go for whatever you fancy. I'd recommend chopped canned tomatoes rather than plum whole tomatoes.
Beef stock: you can totally use water, veggie, or beef stock. Beef stock adds another level of flavour.
Mascarpone: this is our béchamel substitute. It's rich, creamy, and delicious. You can alternatively use ricotta or cream cheese.
Nutmeg: I highly recommend using ground nutmeg in the creamy sauce. It adds a really nice depth and cosiness to the flavour.
Lasagna sheets: we'll be breaking these up into little pieces. I've used dry sheets, but if you want to use fresh sheets, go for it, they'll just take a fraction of the time to cook.
The full list of ingredients and quantities is at the bottom of this blog in the recipe card!
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Place a large pan on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the garlic and shallots. Fry for a few minutes until softened. Add in the courgette or aubergine. Fry for another 5 minutes until slightly softened.
Step 2: Add the beef mince into the pan and leave to fry for 5-10 minutes until slightly browned.
Step 3: Add in the tomato paste, dried herbs, tinned tomatoes, beef stock, salt and pepper, give everything a mix and leave to simmer for 10-30 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.
Step 4: Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of milk or water to loosen the mixture.
Step 5: Once the ragu has enriched in flavour, add in broken pieces of lasagne sheets and cook for 10 minutes. If there's minimal liquid in the pan, feel free to add a splash more to help the pasta cook. Break apart the pasta with the back of a spoon, because they can easily clump together if not separated.
Step 6: Once the pasta is al dente and cooked to perfection, top with the mascarpone topping and optionally some finely sliced wild garlic or herbs. Serve up right now, or as a further next step, you can top the pan with cheddar and mozzarella grated cheese and grill for 5minutes.
Step 7: If you've grilled your one pot lasagna, remove from the grill and serve up! Enjoy my friends!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: leave the one pot lasagna to cool, then place in airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: once cooled, place in containers and don't forget to label with date and contents. Place into the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and leave to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: you can either reheat in the microwave (leave the lid ajar) and heat until piping hot. Or you can transfer the container goods to a pan and heat on low heat until piping hot.
FAQs
For sure! Replace the beef mince with extra firm tofu, crumbled or lentils. Don't use beef stock, use veggie stock. Instead of mascarpone, use a plant-based cream cheese alternative. Same goes for any other cheese you choose to use!
For sure, just make sure to use gluten-free pasta sheets.
You could add tinned green lentils, chopped red peppers, cubed sweet potato, or peas.
More recipes you might enjoy!
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Lazy One Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 small shallots thinly sliced
- 1 courgette cubed - you can also use an aubergine/eggplant
- 400 g ground beef I used 20% fat beef mince
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ tablespoon mixed herbs dried oregano, parsley, and thyme
- 400 ml tinned tomatoes chopped tomatoes rather than plum or whole tomatoes
- 400 ml beef stock or veggie stock
- 150g lasagna sheets add more if you like
Mascarpone sauce
- 250 g mascarpone
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Optional cheese topping
- 25 g mozzarella cheese grated
- 25 g cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Place a large pan on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in the garlic and shallots. Fry for a few minutes until softened. Add in the cubed courgette or aubergine. Fry for another 5 minutes until slightly softened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the beef mince into the pan and leave to fry for 5-10 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add in the tomato paste, dried herbs, tinned tomatoes, beef stock, salt and pepper, give everything a mix and leave to simmer for 10-30 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of milk or water to loosen the mixture. Taste and season accordingly.
- Once the ragu has enriched in flavour, add in broken pieces of lasagne sheets and cook for 10 minutes. If there's minimal liquid in the pan, feel free to add a splash more to help the pasta cook. Break apart the pasta with the back of a spoon, because they can easily clump together if not separated. Stir frequently so the pasta sheets don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the pasta is al dente and cooked to perfection, top with the mascarpone topping and optionally some finely sliced wild garlic or herbs. Serve up right now, or as a further next step, you can top the pan with cheddar and mozzarella grated cheese and grill for 5 minutes.
- If you've grilled your one pot lasagna, remove from the grill and serve up! Enjoy my friends!
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