This Skillet Meatball Lasagna delivers a twist on classic lasagna by combining homemade meatballs, noodles, marinara, ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Everything comes together in one cast-iron skillet and bakes until hot, bubbly, and golden brown.
A hearty, cheesy, and satisfying dinner that’s perfect for bringing the whole family around the table.
Why You’ll Love This Skillet Meatball Lasagna
If you love meatballs and lasagna, this recipe gives you a little bit of both in every serving. Instead of layering the pasta traditionally, softened lasagna sheets are draped over individual meatballs before being covered with marinara and cheese.
It’s cheesy, saucy, comforting, and the individual meatball portions make for a fun presentation straight from the skillet.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
Watch how I make this step-by-step in the video above
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground beef: I like using 85/15 ground beef for the meatballs. It has enough fat to keep the meatballs tender and flavorful without making the skillet overly greasy.
Oven-ready lasagna noodles: Even though these noodles are designed to go straight into the oven, I boil them for about 3 minutes first. This makes them soft and flexible enough to drape over the meatballs without breaking.
Whole-milk ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta gives the filling a richer, creamier texture.
Marinara sauce: Use a marinara sauce you already enjoy since its flavor comes through strongly in the finished dish.
Mozzarella and Parmesan: Mozzarella gives you that gooey, melted cheese layer while Parmesan adds a sharper, savory flavor.
Your exact measurements will be in the recipe card below
How To Make Skillet Meatball Lasagna
Prepare the lasagna noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the oven-ready lasagna noodles and boil for about 3 minutes, just until they’re soft and pliable. Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool and drain. Once they’re cool enough to handle, cut each sheet in half and set aside.
Make the ricotta mixture. Combine the whole-milk ricotta, Parmesan, fresh parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the lasagna.
Prepare the meatballs. Combine the ground beef with your meatball ingredients and form into approximately 16 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs. Heat your 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches, turning them so they develop color on all sides. Remove the meatballs and carefully discard the excess oil from the skillet.
Assemble the lasagna. Return the meatballs to the skillet, leaving a little room between them. Drape one piece of softened lasagna noodle over each meatball, allowing the pasta to fall around the sides.
Spoon marinara sauce over the pasta, making sure the lasagna is completely coated so there are no dry areas. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the spaces between the meatballs.
Finish with grated Parmesan, mozzarella, and a light sprinkle of dried parsley.
Bake. Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and broil briefly until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Keep a close eye on it while broiling.
Tips for the Best Skillet Meatball Lasagna
- Don’t skip softening the oven-ready noodles. You’re not boiling them until fully cooked; you’re making them flexible enough to drape over the meatballs.
- Cover every bit of pasta with marinara. Exposed pasta can become dry in the oven.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet when browning the meatballs. Working in batches makes them easier to turn and brown.
- Watch the broiler closely. You’re only looking for bubbling cheese and some beautiful golden-brown spots.
- Check for doneness. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F in the center.
Can I Make Skillet Meatball Lasagna Ahead of Time?
Yes. You can prepare the meatballs and ricotta mixture ahead of time and store them separately in covered containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to cook, soften the lasagna noodles, assemble everything in the skillet, and bake as directed.
I prefer assembling the lasagna closer to baking time so the noodles don’t sit in the sauce for too long and become overly soft.
What to Serve With Meatball Lasagna
Because this is already a rich, filling dinner, I’d keep the sides simple. Garlic bread, a green salad, roasted broccoli, or roasted asparagus would all work nicely.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover and warm them in the oven until heated through.
If you love classic meatballs and cheesy lasagna, give this Skillet Meatball Lasagna a try. It’s a fun way to bring the two together in one skillet, and that bubbling layer of marinara and melted cheese makes for one seriously good-looking dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Have to Boil Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles?
For this recipe, I recommend briefly boiling them. You’re not trying to cook the noodles completely. Boiling them for about 3 minutes simply makes them flexible enough to drape over the meatballs without cracking.
Can I Use a Different Size Skillet?
A 12-inch cast-iron skillet works best for the amount of meatballs and sauce in this recipe. A smaller skillet may become overcrowded and make assembly difficult.
How Do I Know When the Meatballs Are Done?
The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F in the center.
Can I Use Store-Bought Meatballs?
You technically can, but I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. The homemade meatballs are a major part of what makes this skillet lasagna special.
Easy Skillet Meatball Lasagna
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the oven-ready lasagna noodles and boil for 3 minutes, just until softened and pliable. Transfer the noodles to a wire rack and allow them to cool and drain. Once cool enough to handle, cut each noodle in half and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, Italian parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix until well combined.
- Form the meat mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown the meatballs on all sides. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- Carefully remove the excess oil from the skillet and allow the skillet to cool slightly. Return all 16 meatballs to the skillet, leaving a little space between each one.
- Drape one piece of softened lasagna noodle over each meatball, allowing the pasta to fall around the sides. Leave small spaces between the noodles for the ricotta mixture.
- Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the lasagna noodles, making sure all exposed pasta is coated with sauce.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture into the spaces between the lasagna-covered meatballs. (Use as little or as much as desired)
- Sprinkle the top evenly with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Finish with a sprinkle of dried parsley.
- Cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F
- Remove the foil and switch the oven to broil. Broil briefly until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven, serve and enjoy!
Video
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Did you make this Skillet Meatball Lasagna? Leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!