Skillet Lasagna Bolognese

Skillet Lasagna Bolognese is one of the best things you could make in your cast iron. Sure to become a new favorite for the whole family, this is total comfort food in one pan! Make it even more no-fuss using no-boil noodles.

The longer I sit on a post, the longer it never gets published.  What did it take to publish this sensational skillet lasagna Bolognese. Apparently, a lot!! I cook every night for my kids.

Easy Skillet Lasagna Bolognese Recipe

Can I tell you how often I make a pasta dish? Very often. There aren’t too many pasta dishes that create excitement as this Skillet Lasagna Bolognese!!

It does take a little work. I won’t pretend that it doesn’t and that it’s something you just whip up. Well, actually, it could be!! If you’re simply not into meat or meat sauces, you could make another fantastic lasagna dish that is vegetarian. This butternut squash lasagna is quite popular here and especially during the holidays. And if you don't feel like making your own homemade meat sauce, use your favorite sauce recipe.

You could make this lasagna in steps.

• Simply prep the meat sauce a couple days before.
• Prepare the besciamella (cream sauce)the night before.
• I have made and had lasagna many times with ricotta cheese. But there is nothing that compares with the dreamy texture of a homemade besciamella sauce.

What is besciamella AKA bechamel sauce?

Besciamella (or, bechamel, as it’s known is France), is a white sauce. You make it by starting a roux (a paste) of flour and butter and by adding in milk to this paste. It is pretty commonly used in French and in Italian recipes. Once you learn how to master this luscious and delightful white sauce, you may think twice about adding ricotta cheese to your lasagna dishes.

I have seen many different versions of skillet lasagnas. Some use the noodles that have to be cooked and the noodles end up cooking in the steam. I do like to make my own noodles, when time allows. If you are looking for something delicious and fantastic to enjoy on a cold and dreary winter’s night, this might be what will cheer everyone up and make them say, “Mom, you are the BEST!!”. That’s what my kids say when I make this dish!!

If you are like me,  you may be wondering how to take care of your cast iron skillet. Thanks to my dear mom, I have that covered!! She actually will inspect my skillet once in a while and will admonish me for not taking better care of it. She harumphs and she quietly belly aches as she lovingly makes my sad skillet come back to life.

How to make Skillet Lasagna Bolognese?

If you are doing the meat and the white sauce (besciamella) it does save time by making them both one to two days ahead of time. I'm so obsessed with homemade sauce. Making my own sauce is therapeutic to me like making my own dough. IF you happen to live somewhere where they have an really great ready-to-go meat sauce and white sauce, buy it and save time to make this recipe!

Some more cast iron skillet recipes

Here is a recipe for Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread I shared quite some time ago, but it still SO GOOD!!

Here is Heather’s sweet brown butter cornbread recipe that she makes in her cast iron skillet…gosh, I would love a piece right now, it looks amazing!

And if you are taking out your cast iron skillet and want to bake something sweet, instead of savory, you should consider this  (it’s vegan!!) upside-down cake…just, wow!! Or if you’re craving chocolate, Nutella skillet brownie one may be for you (it has Nutella in it!).

Hope you’re having a super week and staying warm. Thanks for your comments and I appreciate your support!!

Easy Skillet Lasagna Bolognese Recipe

Bolognese sauce

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (you could do a mixture of pork/beef or however you prefer)
• 1/4 cup of onion chopped (you can use sweet onion or yellow onion)
  2 stalks celery, diced
  2 carrot, diced
  2 cloves garlic, minced* you could omit
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (I use San Marzano)
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

besciamella sauce (white sauce)

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 cup chopped mozzarella cheese (or you could use shredded mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

meat sauce:

In medium size sauce pan or a Dutch oven heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. If you are adding the pancetta, now is the time to add it and cook for 5 minutes, then add the beef and saute, stirring frequently.

 

Break up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Add the wine and the remaining ingredients and simmer.

 

I simmer my ragu (Bolognese sauce/meat sauce) for about 2 hours. You could make this a day ahead.

 

white sauce (besciamella):

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until incorporated. The flour will be very dry. Raise the heat to medium-high and in 1/2 cup portions, gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. The besciamella will continue to thicken even when you remove from the heat. If it seems to dense, whisk in a little bit more of milk. Whisk in the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I use about 1 teaspoon of salt and a bit of the freshly ground pepper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

 

To assemble:

Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce in a large cast iron skillet (or nonstick skillet). Cover with 2 lasagna noodles. Spread half of the besciamella (white sauce) on top of the noodles, then sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining besciamella (white sauce), 1 cup meat sauce (Bolognese) and half of the remaining mozzarella. Top with the remaining 2 noodles, then the remaining meat sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

 

Cover the skillet with a piece of aluminum foil paper. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for the remaining 15-20 minutes. Cheese should be bubbling on top.

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Skillet Lasagna Bolognese

Skillet Lasagna Bolognese is one of the best things you could make in your cast iron. Sure to become a new favorite for the whole family, this is total comfort food in one pan! Make it even more no-fuss using no-boil noodles.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cast iron skillet, meat sauce, pasta

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• BOLOGNESE SAUCE
• ¼ onion chopped, you can use sweet onion or yellow onion
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloved diced
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef you could do a mixture of pork/beef or however you prefer
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
• 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes I use San Marzano
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• BESCIAMELLA SAUCE
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 ½ cups whole milk
• teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 cup chopped mozzarella cheese or you could use shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• BOLOGNESE
• In medium size sauce pan or a Dutch oven heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. If you are adding the pancetta, now is the time to add it and cook for 5 minutes, then add the beef and saute, stirring frequently.
• Break up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Add the wine and the remaining ingredients and simmer.
• I simmer my ragu (Bolognese sauce/meat sauce) for about 2 hours. You could make this a day ahead.
• BESCIAMELLA
• Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until incorporated. The flour will be very dry. Raise the heat to medium-high and in 1/2 cup portions, gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. The besciamella will continue to thicken even when you remove from the heat. If it seems to dense, whisk in a little bit more of milk. Whisk in the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I use about 1 teaspoon of salt and a bit of the freshly ground pepper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• ASSEMBLE
• Spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce in a large cast iron skillet (or nonstick skillet). Cover with 2 lasagna noodles. Spread half of the besciamella (white sauce) on top of the noodles, then sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining besciamella (white sauce), 1 cup meat sauce (Bolognese) and half of the remaining mozzarella. Top with the remaining 2 noodles, then the remaining meat sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
• Cover the skillet with a piece of aluminum foil paper. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for the remaining 15-20 minutes. Cheese should be bubbling on top.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

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