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Southern Plate

Recipes to feed your body and warm your heart.

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Skillet Lasagna

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Before we get to the Skillet Lasagna, If you’re on Pinterest of Facebook and could use one of the buttons above, I’d really appreciate it!

I’m gonna be short on today’s post because I’m working on a massive pyrex post that I hope to have up tomorrow. Yesterday I had a lot of fun playing with pyrex for a photoshoot we had at my house and I had such great feedback on Facebook and Instagram (follow me and look at all of my photos by clicking here) that I feel the need to do a full post of how I organize and display my Pyrex, as well as more information on some of the patterns I have.

BUT I had to stop that for a bit so I can bring you this recipe, because we seem to have the same taste in food and I LOVE SKILLET LASAGNA – so you need this recipe. In fact, you need to cook it for supper soon. I’m jes sayin’…

Ooh, speaking of that phrase “I’m jes sayin'”, have you noticed how often it’s used in such ugly ways nowadays? Folks say something awful or mean and then follow with that like “Oh you can’t be mad at me, I was just saying…”. No honeybunchesofoats, I won’t have to be mad at you but if you like to go around sticking barbs in people for sport, I sure can delete you from my friend’s list. 🙂 See quote at bottom of today’s post for a little more insight into this and don’t feel guilty for wanting people of kindness and grace in your circle of friends.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen…

I absolutely love Lasagna, but it has a few strikes against it. Even though my slow cooker lasagna is a dear favorite, it makes enough to feed an army and requires a little bit of planning ahead – and if you’re just not tuning in, there are two things that I’m not: organized or a planner.

This skillet lasagna is a new favorite of mine for several reasons. First of all, let me start by telling you that no matter what you think, it does not taste just like spaghetti. It tastes like skillet lasagna, and you need to make it soon because it is:

  1. Easily made in about 20 minutes
  2. Economical (stretches a 1/2 pound ground beef to feed 4 people)
  3. All the flavors I love in Lasagna but in a perfect serving size for a smaller family.
  4. Easily doubled (see recipe for notes on how I do that)

I love this so much that when my birthday rolled around a week or so ago, rather than going out to eat, I opted to stay home and make this Skillet Lasagna instead. It’s just that good. Seriously.

I’m hungry so let’s get started:

 You’ll need: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, ground beef, onions, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, and about 1/2 a package of egg noodles. 

The beauty of this recipe is that it feeds about four people with only 1/2 pound of ground beef, which is a real budget saver.

I say “about” because putting servings on a recipe is very relative. The first thought that comes to mind every single time anyone asks me how many a recipe feeds is “How hungry are you?“. If you have a casserole that some “say” feeds 6, but four are little kids, it may feed 8-10. Likewise, if you have a half starved lumberjack in the family, it may feed two :).

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown ground beef and onions until it’s no longer pink in the center, breaking it up into smaller pieces as you do so. Drain off any grease once it’s cooked.

Add in your water, tomato paste, tomatoes (with juice), Italian seasoning (Pronounced EYE-talian by my grandmother), and garlic powder.

Stir that up good and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about ten minutes – or until you get tired of simmering.

Either or works for me – I promise I’m not grading on how well you follow instructions.

Cook ’em noodles!

Your package tells you how in case you need to know 🙂

Stir in your cooked egg noodles.

Interesting fact: You know when I do TV I’m not supposed to say “your” egg noodles or “your tomatoes”. I’m supposed to say “the” egg noodles and “The tomatoes”. Which is completely and utterly ridiculous (not that I have an opinion on it or anything) because at this point, if they don’t belong to you, you really shouldn’t be cooking with them. It is not often that I break into people’s homes and cook with ingredients I find in their pantries but I supposed tv folks are supposed to use general terminology in order to avoid make burglar chefs feel guilt or shame about their unfortunate but tasty habit.

The world is a crazy place and I’m just a swinging over it on my trapeze…

Stir your two cheeses together.

Drop that by spoonfuls onto the top of your skillet.

You don’t have to put it in the center like I did, you can just go crazy putting it all over if you want – or even make a smiley face out of cheese blops on the top!

Get creative but if you do anything really fun be sure and send me a picture 🙂

Skillet Lasagna

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 16 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
  • 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon dry Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 ounces Egg Noodles half of a 16 oz pkg, cooked and drained
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup Mozzarella

Instructions

  • In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat until no longer pink in center. Drain off any grease.
  • Add tomatoes in juice, tomato paste, water, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to skillet. Stir well and lower heat to simmer for ten minutes, while you cook the egg noodles separately.
  • Stir cooked egg noodles into the sauce.
  • In separate bowl, stir together cottage cheese and mozzarella. Drop by spoonfuls over top of lasagna skillet. Cover and let cook about five minutes, until the cheese melts.

To double: Cook the entire package of egg noodles and double the sauce and cheese recipe. After you drain egg noodles, pour them into a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon cooked sauce over top and dollop with spoonfuls of cheese and bake in a 350 oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

    “The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.”

    ~Colin Powell

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    Comments

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    4. Margy says

      This sounds like a keeper. I will definitely be trying it. My grandmother, who was born in 1885, pronounced recipe – ra-seep’. She had many good ra-seeps’, and when we use one we still pronounce it that way. She was in her 60s before she had the benefit of TV to let know how the rest of the world pronounced it.

      reply to this comment >

      • Bonny says

        Margy, the old word for “recipe” was “receipt,” pronounced “ra-SEET.” It sounds like your grandmother used a version of that word. She would have been the right age.

        This recipe/receipt sounds great! Thanks for a speedy meal, Christy. I was just looking for something quick and good to make before bad weather blows otnight. I like to have something on hand when weather is rough. If we lose electricity, I have something good and homemade to reheat, and I’d a whole lot rather eat homemade than open a can any day.

        reply to this comment >

    12. CHERYL BONE says

      Sounds like one of my dishes I made when my son’s drumline from HS just happened to drop by and ask What’s for supper! I fed 10 at a time from a pound of ground beef and they never knew the difference. Like the cheeses like that.

      reply to this comment >

    14. Jill F. says

      It’s so much easier and cheaper to make it like this instead of buying hamburger helper.
      My husband is 1/4 Sicilian. He liked to have wet his pants when I said Eyetalian the first time. LOL

      reply to this comment >

    16. Heather says

      Christy, this looks delicious and fast. My two most attributes in weeknight dinners. I agree with you 100% about the just sayin’ remark. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people use that saying as an excuse to throw out a mean/petty/ugly/disrespectful comment toward someone else. My opinion on the matter is, “If you don’t feel good about what you’re about to say without adding “just sayin’ on the ending, you don’t need to be sayin’ it.” Just sayin’… 😉

      reply to this comment >

    17. Debbie Strum says

      Your recipe is quite close to a casserole I make that I named Poor Man’s Lasagna. Our versions are so much easier to make that the usual one and just as tasty!! I hope folks will take you up on your suggestion to be creative with the cheese mixture and share pictures. I’d LOVE to see just what they come up with. Will be having this tomorrow nite. Looking forward to it! Thanks Christy!!

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    18. Taterbug says

      Christy hon, I just love your sense of humor. I started giggling at the “your egg noodles” and like to died by the time you called them “burglar chefs.” You gotta put that one in a future cookbook. 😀

      reply to this comment >

    19. Caroline says

      This recipe looks so delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I will probably substitute ricotta for the cottage cheese, since that’s how I make my lasagna. I might even try freezing some of it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

      reply to this comment >

    21. Stacey says

      I have my grandmothers recipe to this only a few minor differences than yours. She used to cook it at the school house when she was a cook. (way back before these silly food requirements kids have now)

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      • Emily says

        I made a double batch of this tonight for my family. I tried to fit it all in one 9×13 pan like suggested in the notes, but I must not have used a deep enough one. I ended up splitting it between the 9×13 pan and a 2.5 qt casserole dish. I placed them both in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese was nice and melty. It was delicious! Usually when a recipe says “feeds about 4 people” I double it so we can have leftovers the next night. I served the 2.5 qt dish with some steamed green beans and some garlic bread. We probably had enough leftover in the dish to feed 2 more people generous servings. I love how economical this dish is! With a pound of ground beef my family can eat on a double batch 3 times! We look forward to the leftovers tomorrow, and I put some in a 6 cup container in the deep freezer for a future meal!

        reply to this comment >

    22. Rita says

      This sounds good mmmmmm.
      Loved your remark about the noodles. My husband always corrects me when I say I am going to eat my breakfast or I am going to take my shower. He says Take a shower or eat breakfast. I always say nobody else is eating my breakfast or nobody is in the shower with me so its MY shower! Glad someone else feels like I do about the MY thing lol
      I love your recipes. I am married to a Southern Boy and I am a California girl. Mom in law taught me alot about southern cookng. But now hubby is diabetic and finding those southern dishes I can change for him to eat is hard. He loves the pie you posted last week. Infact I have already made it twice for him

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    24. Stacy Nichols says

      Well I’ll be darned….never thought to use egg noodles in place of pasta! It’s one of those times ya think “why didn’t I think of that?” Well, I have some so I’m off to make dinner! I had no idea what I was going to make. I was going to make regular lasanga tonight but didn’t feel like it after cleaning the basement. 😉

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    25. Mollie says

      Mmmm…. I love me some skillet lasagna! My recipe has water added to the sauce. Then I just add the dry noodles in and cook until done (about 10 minutes), stir and add the cheeses. It also has some chopped zucchini in it–good way to get extra veggies in the kids!

      reply to this comment >

    26. Rose says

      Speaking of “receipts” and someone was a bit ago, I have a wonderful spiral bound (First Edition that belonged to my mother in law, who would be 103 in May) named “Charleston Receipts”. It’s a lovely go-to for Low Country cuisine. This “receipt” is a wonderful idea. I’ve done similiar with left-over spaghetti sauce but didn’t have the forethought to add the cheeses. Yum! Oh, and you were simply marvelous on Paula’s show. Boy Howdy! She sure can “gild a lily” can’t she? LOL Love you both!

      reply to this comment >

    27. dragongirl says

      O.o Yum, this looks sooooo good! jus sayin! teehee
      Question tho that I hope someone will answer…. Can leftovers be frozen and if so how and how long would it keep? I’m cooking for one and ought to have leftovers no matter how delicious it turns out.

      Thanks in advance and thanks Christy for being you!!! Sure love your attitude and great recipes all the time.

      reply to this comment >

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