This Easy Sheet Pan Lasagna is the ultimate weeknight win! All the cheesy, comforting flavor of classic lasagna comes together in a single pan, making it fast, simple, and perfect for feeding a crowd. It looks like it took hours to make, but you’ll secretly know it only took minutes. Perfect for busy nights, casual dinners, or anytime you want a cozy, stress-free comfort food favorite.
If your family is like mine, any kind of pasta dish is a winner, especially on busy weeknights. The combination of protein and pasta will satisfy hungry bellies and fast prep is like a gift to busy moms! Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite sheet pan recipe. A deliciously filling meal that begins with minimal prep and ends with quick cleanup is the name of the game.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Easy – You can’t mess this up. Really! This simple lasagna recipe will have your kids begging for more and your friends asking for the recipe!
- Fast – Lasagna is not traditionally a fast dish to make. But this recipe will have it ready to eat in around 30 minutes!
- Basic Ingredients – You probably have several of these ingredients in your pantry already. Otherwise, they are easy to find year round in your local grocery store.
- Crowd Pleaser – Lasagna is the ultimate kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing classic dish! This easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or for stress-free serving for a large group.
Recipe Notes
This sheet pan lasagna recipe is as simple as promised! Just 15 minutes of easy prep and 20 minutes of bake time for a family friendly meal that can’t be beat.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this easy homemade sheet pan lasagna to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Lasagna Noodles – You’ll break up the noodles before cooking them.
- Mild Italian Sausage – This adds to much flavor to your sauce. If you can’t find ground Italian sausage, simply buy sausage links and remove the casing.
- Ground Beef – I always go for a lean beef option. You could also use ground turkey or chicken.
- Onion – I use a yellow onion in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever you might have on hand.
- Garlic – You can press your own or use minced garlic that is jarred. Keeping this on hand in the fridge is so convenient!
- Marinara Sauce – Choose your favorite jarred brand. If you have extra time, making your own homemade marinara sauce would be amazing!
- Basil – This simple herb really elevates your sauce. Be sure to use fresh!
- Ricotta Cheese – I recommend using a whole milk ricotta. It adds such creaminess to your lasagna. You could use a low-fat option if you prefer.
- Egg
- Frozen Spinach – If you happen to have fresh on hand, that will work as well. Just saute a bit and drain the excess liquid so it doesn’t make your lasagna watery.
- Mozzarella Cheese – You can grate your own or buy pre-packaged, shredded mozzarella.
- Parmesan Cheese – Other aged hard cheeses like Asiago or Romano are great choices as well.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Extra Cheesy Sheet Pan Lasagna – You can make this lasagna extra cheesy by mixing extra parmesan and mozzarella into the noodle sauce mixture before pouring it onto the sheet pan.
- Spicy Sausage Sheet Pan Lasagna – You can use hot Italian sausage if you’d enjoy a bit of a spicy kick to your lasagna. Another option would be to add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes when you’re browning the meat.
- Vegetarian Sheet Pan Lasagna – If you’d prefer a vegetarian option, omit the ground beef and Italian sausage. You could use the marinara sauce by itself, or add in a few veggies such as sliced mushrooms, eggplant or zucchini to add texture to the dish.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make this easy Sheet Pan Lasagna.
Mix to combine ricotta, egg, spinach, salt and pepper.
Brown the sausage, ground beef and onion over medium heat. Drain any excess grease. Add the marinara sauce, garlic and basil.
Add cooked lasagna noodles and stir to coat them in the sauce.
Pour the noodle mixture and spread evenly over a large half sheet pan. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
Cover the top of the lasagna with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the noodles sticking up are starting to get a little crisp.
Recipe Tips
- Use 2 sheet pans – If you don’t have a baking sheet pan large enough, you can use two smaller sheet pans to bake the lasagna.
- Drain the fat after browning – If you start with a leaner ground beef, this may not be necessary. But if you have a fattier meat, like 85/15 or 80/20, then you’ll want to drain off some of the extra fat that’s released during cooking. This will help prevent your sauce from becoming overly greasy.
- No oil needed– Since you’ll be cooking the Italian sausage, ground beef and onion all at once, there’s no need to add oil to the pan. The grease from the meat will be perfect for cooking the onion.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prepare in advance – This is an easy recipe to prep ahead of time. You can make the noodle and meat sauce mixture as well as the ricotta mixture in advance. When you’re ready to cook and serve, simply spread on pan, dollop on the ricotta mixture, sprinkle on cheeses and bake!
- Pre-diced onion – You can often find pre-chopped onion in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Packaged shredded cheese – Although grating cheese from a block is far superior, in my opinion, for melting, flavor and value. Grabbing a bag of shredded cheese is definitely faster.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this sheet pan lasagna recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- You can absolutely freeze this recipe before cooking, however you need to consider your storage options. First, prepare and assemble all of the ingredients. Option 1: If you want to be able to bake this lasagna straight from frozen, you’ll need to store it on a sheet pan in the freezer. Cover with aluminum foil. Option 2: If you have less room in your freezer, you can pre-make everything and store it in an airtight container.
- If you go with Option 1: You can bake directly from frozen.
- If you go with Option 2: Allow the lasagna to thaw in the fridge overnight. When your’e ready to bake, spread it evenly over a sheet pan and bake.
How to Freeze Sheet Pan Lasagna After Cooking
- Allow lasagna to cool completely.
- Store it in an airtight container.
- You can warm from frozen in the oven, or allow to thaw in fridge overnight and then cook for a shorter cooking time. Individual portions can even be warmed in the microwave.
What to Serve with Sheet Pan Lasagna
Since this protein based dinner has the classic flavors of popular tomato-based pasta dishes, it will pair well with many of your favorite Italian side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Side Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing or Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette– nothing beats homemade dressings!
- Pesto Roasted Vegetables
- Garlic Bread or Garlic Cheese Bread– THE best!
- Garlic Parmesan Broccoli
- Sauteed Green Beans
Sheet Pan Lasagna Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Recipe FAQ’s
Why use both Italian sausage and ground beef in this recipe?
Using both proteins improves both the flavor and texture of the sauce. The combination balances the deep taste of the ground beef with the richness and added flavors of the Italian sausage. Trust me! Use both!
Why is egg added to the ricotta mixture?
The egg acts as a binder to this cheesy mixture. It prevents the cheese from becoming watery. It helps bring form and structure to this delicious easy lasagna.
Do I need to boil the lasagna noodles before baking?
Yes, boiling the noodles will make the baking step go that much faster! There is such a thing as precooked, dehydrated noodles. If you decide to use these, you’ll need to ensure that the noodles are completely covered by the sauce so they can absorb the mixture and fully rehydrate. You might even need a bit more sauce.
More EASY Sheet Pan Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy sheet pan recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Bites with Buttered Corn
- Caprese Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken
Sheet Pan Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lasagna noodles
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 ounces marinara sauce, (1 large jar)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Break lasagna noodles into pieces. Cook the pasta per package directions. Once done drain pasta.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef, and onion, and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the marinara sauce, garlic and basil to the skillet. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Add cooked lasagna noodles and stir to coat them in the sauce.
- Squeeze as much moisture as possible from the spinach. Prepare the ricotta by adding the ricotta, egg, spinach, salt and pepper to a medium sized bowl. Mix to combine.
- On a large half sheet pan (13×18 inch) pour the noodle mixture and spread it evenly over the pan.Dollop the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then cover the whole pan with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the noodles sticking up are starting to get a little crisp. Remove from oven.Optional: garnish with chopped parley and freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve.
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