Sheet Pan Lasagna Is the Lazy Dinner Hack You Need
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There’s nothing quite like pulling a bubbling pan of cheesy lasagna from the oven when everyone is hungry. This sheet pan lasagna has all those familiar tastes of pasta, rich tomato sauce, seasoned Italian sausage, creamy ricotta and plenty of melted cheese, with the bonus of crispy noodle edges, but no layering! It’s a cozy choice for easy family dinners, busy weeknights, vacations or feeding a hungry crowd on game days.
Easy Sheet Pan Lasagna
If you love traditional lasagna but could do without the time consuming layers like me, this recipe is for you.
You get plenty of saucy noodles, Italian sausage and three kinds of cheese spread across one big pan. It’s a one pan meal that feels like classic comfort food without all the fuss of assembling a traditional lasagna.
Think deconstructed lasagna.
Instead of layering whole lasagna noodles in a deep baking dish, the noodles are broken into smaller pieces and tossed right into the meat sauce. Mozzarella and Parmesan are mixed throughout, then everything is spread over a sheet pan and topped with more sauce, cheese and creamy dollops of ricotta.
Baking the lasagna in a shallow pan gives you lots of those slightly crisp, cheesy edges that everyone in my family always fights over. I love serving this at dinner for my kid’s sleepover parties, for a quick Friday night meal, or on football Sundays as it’s so simple, but definitely a kid and adult favorite.
This layerless sheet pan lasagna is also much easier to scoop and serve when you have several hungry people waiting for dinner.
So if you’ve been looking for lazy dinner ideas or meals with ground sausage that still feel hearty and homemade, this is a good one to keep in your back pocket.
⭐️ Try our other fun and easy sheet pan dinners like my family’s favorite one pan steak fajitas and spicy Chicken thighs with veggies, or the cheesy Sausage and Tortellini bake, this creamy Parmesan Chicken Sheet Pan meal and our flavorful oven baked Tex Mex Beef Quesadillas.
Why You’ll Love This Lazy Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients for Sheet Pan Lasagna With Ricotta
For the lasagna:
- Italian sausage: Use one pound of Italian sausage for a hearty, flavorful meat sauce. Mild or hot sausage will both work, depending on what your family prefers.
- Onion: Half of a diced onion adds extra flavor to the sausage and sauce.
- Minced garlic: Two tablespoons (about 6 medium cloves) give the sauce plenty of garlicky flavor. Add more or less to your taste.
- Pasta sauce: You’ll need one 24 ounce jar or can plus an additional cup of pasta sauce. Most goes into the sausage mixture, while the remaining sauce is spooned over the top before baking.
- Lasagna noodles: A 16 ounce package of traditional lasagna noodles forms the base. Breaking them into thirds makes them easier to mix and spread across the pan.
- Mozzarella cheese: Two cups of shredded mozzarella are divided between the pasta mixture and the topping.
- Parmesan cheese: Half a cup of grated Parmesan adds salty, savory flavor throughout the pasta. We prefer using the fresh parmesan, but the dried one works well too.
- Ricotta cheese: A 15 ounce container adds creamy pockets of cheese across the top.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley adds a little color and freshness before serving.
Equipment You’ll Need:
- Large baking sheet
- Oil for greasing pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Large pot
- Spatula
- Colander
⭐️ Try our other simple family dinner ideas like these 20 minute meals, and these hearty Fall soups or our super easy slow cooker meals, and more filling soup recipes.
How to Make One Sheet Pan Lasagna
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a large sheet pan.
2. Cook the Sausage
Add the Italian sausage, diced onion and minced garlic to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the sausage as it cooks, until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
Drain away the excess grease.
3. Make the Meat Sauce
Pour 24 ounces of pasta sauce into the skillet with the cooked sausage mixture. Stir everything together and simmer for about 5 minutes.
PRO TIP: I usually like to add extra dried oregano (1-2 tsp), basil (1 tsp), dried onion flakes (1 Tbsp) & salt and pepper (to taste) to the pasta sauce for extra flavor.
4. Cook the Lasagna Noodles
While the sauce simmers, break the lasagna noodles into thirds.
Cook them in a large pot according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well in a colander.
5. Mix Everything Together
Add the cooked lasagna noodles to the meat sauce.
Stir in 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella and ½ cup of grated Parmesan. Gently toss until the noodles are coated in sauce and cheese.
6. Spread Onto the Sheet Pan
Transfer the noodle mixture to your prepared sheet pan. Spread it into an even layer so the noodles cover the pan.
7. Add the Toppings
Pour the remaining 1 cup of pasta sauce over the noodles.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella over the top, then add spoonfuls of ricotta across the lasagna.
8. Bake, Garnish & Serve
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and some of the noodles around the edges are beginning to crisp.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
Let the lasagna sit for a few minutes before scooping it onto plates and serving.
STORING LEFTOVERS: Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or place larger portions in an oven-safe dish, cover and warm in the oven until heated through.
Can You Freeze It? Yes. Once completely cooled, transfer portions to freezer-safe containers and freeze.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Freezing individual portions can be especially handy when you want an easy lunch or dinner without reheating the entire batch.
Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Cook them just until al dente since they’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the sausage well. Removing excess grease keeps the finished lasagna from becoming too oily.
- Spread the noodle mixture out. An even layer helps create more browned, slightly crispy pieces around the pan.
- Keep some sauce for the top. That final cup helps prevent the noodles from drying out while the lasagna bakes.
- Let it rest briefly. Giving the pan a few minutes to sit after baking makes the lasagna easier to scoop and serve.
Substitutions
- Switch out the meat : Swap the Italian sausage for ground beef, or ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meal. You could even use rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Cottage cheese: If you don’t have ricotta, cottage cheese works as great high protein alternative.
- Italian cheese blend: A shredded Italian cheese blend can replace some or all of the mozzarella.
- Different pasta sauce: Use marinara, tomato basil or another favorite pasta sauce.
Easy Variations
- Spicy: Use hot Italian sausage meat and add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Extra cheesy: Add more mozzarella & parmesan over the top before baking.
- Veggies: Add cooked mushrooms, spinach, zucchini or bell peppers to the sauce. For a vegetarian option you could leave out the meat, increase the veggies and add black beans or chickpeas to the pasta sauce.
- Pepperoni: Scatter chopped pepperoni over the top before baking for a pizza inspired version.
What to Serve With Lasagna
Since lasagna is already a hearty dinner, simple sides work best. Serve it with garlic bread, breadsticks or warm crusty bread for soaking up extra sauce.
For something fresh, add a Caesar salad, a simple green salad or roasted, stir fried or steamed vegetables. Green beans, broccoli and asparagus all work well alongside the rich pasta and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to boil the lasagna noodles first?
Yes. For this recipe you will need to use the type of lasagna noodles that need to be pre-cooked, as there’s not enough sauce or layers to cook them in the sheet pan itself. Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just al dente before mixing them with the sauce and cheese.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. You can cook the sausage mixture and noodles ahead of time and refrigerate them separately. Assemble the lasagna when you’re ready to bake so the noodles don’t sit in the sauce for too long and become overly soft. Or precook the lasagna, portion it out into containers, and freeze up to 3 months.
What size sheet pan should I use?
Use a large rimmed sheet pan (around 13″ x 18″) with enough room to spread the noodle mixture into a relatively even layer. The rim is important because it keeps the sauce and melted cheese contained while baking.
Final Thoughts: Easy Layerless Sheet Pan Lasagna
This recipe gives you the cheesy, saucy comfort of homemade lasagna with a much simpler way to put dinner on the table.
Breaking up the noodles and spreading everything across a sheet pan means less assembly and plenty of golden, cheesy edges to scoop up.
Keep this lazy lasagna recipe handy for those nights when you’re craving a hearty pasta dinner without all the hassle.
Lazy Sheet Pan Lasagna
This sheet pan lasagna has all those familiar tastes of pasta, rich tomato sauce, seasoned Italian sausage, creamy ricotta and plenty of melted cheese, with the bonus of crispy noodle edges, but no layering! It’s a cozy choice for easy family dinners, busy weeknights, vacations or feeding a hungry crowd on game days.
Ingredients
For the lasagna
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
- 24 oz pasta sauce, plus 1 additional cup
- 16 oz lasagna noodles
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Equipment you’ll need
- Large baking sheet
- Oil for greasing pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Large pot
- Spatula
- Colander
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a large sheet pan.
2. Cook the Sausage
Add the Italian sausage, diced onion and minced garlic to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the sausage as it cooks, until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
Drain away the excess grease.
3. Make the Meat Sauce
Pour 24 ounces of pasta sauce into the skillet with the cooked sausage mixture. Stir everything together and simmer for about 5 minutes.
PRO TIP: I usually like to add extra dried oregano (1-2 tsp), basil (1 tsp), dried onion flakes (1 Tbsp) & salt and pepper (to taste) to the pasta sauce for extra flavor.
4. Cook the Lasagna Noodles
While the sauce simmers, break the lasagna noodles into thirds.
Cook them in a large pot according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well in a colander.
5. Mix Everything Together
Add the cooked lasagna noodles to the meat sauce.
Stir in 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella and ½ cup of grated Parmesan. Gently toss until the noodles are coated in sauce and cheese.
6. Spread Onto the Sheet Pan
Transfer the noodle mixture to your prepared sheet pan. Spread it into an even layer so the noodles cover the pan.
7. Add the Toppings
Pour the remaining 1 cup of pasta sauce over the noodles.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella over the top, then add spoonfuls of ricotta across the lasagna.
8. Bake, Garnish & Serve
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and some of the noodles around the edges are beginning to crisp.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
Let the lasagna sit for a few minutes before scooping it onto plates and serving.
FREEZING TIPS:
Once completely cooled, transfer portions to freezer-safe containers and freeze.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Freezing individual portions can be especially handy when you want an easy lunch or dinner without reheating the entire batch.
Notes
TIPS
- Storage Tips: Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or place larger portions in an oven-safe dish, cover and warm in the oven until heated through.
- Freezing Tips: Once completely cooled, transfer portions to freezer-safe containers and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Freezing individual portions can be especially handy when you want an easy lunch or dinner without reheating the entire batch.
- Don't overcook the noodles. Cook them just until al dente since they'll continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the sausage well. Removing excess grease keeps the finished lasagna from becoming too oily.
- Spread the noodle mixture out. An even layer helps create more browned, slightly crispy pieces around the pan.
- Keep some sauce for the top. That final cup helps prevent the noodles from drying out while the lasagna bakes.
- Let it rest briefly. Giving the pan a few minutes to sit after baking makes the lasagna easier to scoop and serve.
Substitutions
- Switch out the meat : Swap the Italian sausage for ground beef, or ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meal. You could even use rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Cottage cheese: If you don't have ricotta, cottage cheese works as great high protein alternative.
- Italian cheese blend: A shredded Italian cheese blend can replace some or all of the mozzarella.
- Different pasta sauce: Use marinara, tomato basil or another favorite pasta sauce.
Easy Variations
- Spicy: Use hot Italian sausage meat and add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Extra cheesy: Add more mozzarella & parmesan over the top before baking.
- Veggies: Add cooked mushrooms, spinach, zucchini or bell peppers to the sauce. For a vegetarian option you could leave out the meat, increase the veggies and add black beans or chickpeas to the pasta sauce.
- Pepperoni: Scatter chopped pepperoni over the top before baking for a pizza inspired version.
What to Serve With Lasagna
- Simple sides work best. Serve it with garlic bread, breadsticks or warm crusty bread for soaking up extra sauce.
- For something fresh, add a Caesar salad, a simple green salad or roasted, stir fried or steamed vegetables. Green beans, broccoli and asparagus all work well alongside the rich pasta and cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2234Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 18gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 2212mgCarbohydrates: 354gFiber: 25gSugar: 27gProtein: 97g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered from online calculators.
