Cast-Iron Skillet Sausage Lasagna
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 14, 2020
Yield
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup finely chopped onion Salt and pepper 1 garlic clove, mincedPinch red pepper flakes 8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese 1 large egg yolk Pinch dried thyme 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 6 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Before You Begin
Do not use nonfat ricotta or fat-free mozzarella here.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until coarsely ground, 6 to 8 pulses.
- Heat 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in processed tomatoes, bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- In separate bowl, combine ricotta, egg yolk, thyme, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in third bowl.
- Spread ¾ cup sauce over bottom of now-empty skillet. Place 4 noodle halves in skillet, overlapping slightly. Dollop one-third of ricotta mixture over noodles, then top with one-quarter of mozzarella mixture and one-third remaining sauce (in that order). Repeat layering process twice, beginning with noodles and ending in sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella mixture.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese is golden brown and lasagna is bubbling around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with basil and serve.
Yield
Serves 2-3Ingredients
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg yolk
Pinch dried thyme
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
6 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Ingredients
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg yolk
Pinch dried thyme
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
6 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Ingredients
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg yolk
Pinch dried thyme
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
6 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Why This Recipe Works
A bubbling lasagna is the pinnacle of comfort food, whether you're cooking for just a few people or a crowd. We wanted a scaled-down version that could be made quickly, with minimal effort (and minimal dishes) and without sacrificing any flavor. We started building a flavorful sauce by sautéing onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. We then browned some sausage and added tomatoes, simmering only briefly to meld the flavors yet keep it fresh tasting. After cooking the sauce, we emptied the skillet and layered the lasagna as we would in a casserole dish with the tomato-sausage sauce, a ricotta-egg mixture, no boil lasagna noodles, and plenty of Parmesan and mozzarella. Once our lasagna was assembled, we topped it with extra cheese and transferred the skillet to the oven. After a short 30-minute stint, we had the bubbly, cheesy top and perfectly cooked pasta we were looking for, all made in a single pan.
Before You Begin
Do not use nonfat ricotta or fat-free mozzarella here.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until coarsely ground, 6 to 8 pulses.
- Heat 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in processed tomatoes, bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- In separate bowl, combine ricotta, egg yolk, thyme, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in third bowl.
- Spread ¾ cup sauce over bottom of now-empty skillet. Place 4 noodle halves in skillet, overlapping slightly. Dollop one-third of ricotta mixture over noodles, then top with one-quarter of mozzarella mixture and one-third remaining sauce (in that order). Repeat layering process twice, beginning with noodles and ending in sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella mixture.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese is golden brown and lasagna is bubbling around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with basil and serve.
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