Cheesy Skillet Lasagna #SundaySupper

This post is sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Cheesy Skillet Lasagna is so much easier to make than traditional lasagna, and it has all the same great tastes! I love all the fresh ingredients in this easy skillet lasagna. It is loaded with 3 different types of cheese, fresh tomatoes, spinach, and herbs for a satisfying meal the whole family will love!

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This recipe is so easy to make! It cooks all in one skillet right on the stove-top, so it makes for easy clean-up and it doesn't heat up the house. With this recipe we can enjoy lasagna year round! Another great reason to make this Cheesy Skillet Lasagna is all the fresh flavors. Using fresh, quality ingredients in this recipe is essential! From the fresh tomatoes and herbs for the flavorful sauce to the 3 different types of Wisconsin cheese for that creamy goodness throughout, you'll taste the freshness in each and every delectable mouthful!

When choosing the cheese for this recipe, I went for quality straight from Wisconsin. Using fresh Wisconsin Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese ensures maximum flavor. Wisconsin makes more than 600 different varieties, types, and styles of cheese and more than 2.5 billion (with a B) pounds of cheese each year! It all starts with quality milk that is tested for purity before the cheesemaking process even begins. Which is a good thing, because it takes about 10 pounds of milk to make just 1 pound of cheese! The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program is the only one of its kind outside of Europe, and it provides unparalleled quality assurance you only get with certified Wisconsin cheese.

In addition to the fresh taste of Wisconsin cheese, I also used fresh Roma Tomatoes (aka Plum Tomatoes), fresh baby spinach, fresh basil and Italian flat-leaf parsley. Avoid using dried herbs in this recipe, as it will result in a less flavorful end result. Dried basil does not even begin to compare to the goodness of fresh basil. I don't even keep it on hand any longer, as it tastes nothing like basil and adds very little, if anything, to recipes.

All of the fresh ingredients are totally worth it! Trust me!! It pays off with maximum flavor and makes this Cheesy Skillet Lasagna good enough for company! Don't plan on too many leftovers though, as this disappears quickly! Don usually can't stop eating it. I remember the first time I made it, he had 4 helpings! 4!! My mom had 2 helpings! Don't get me wrong, I love traditional lasagna, but I rarely make it anymore, because this skillet version is so much easier and tastes amazing too!

Let me show you how easy this recipe is. First we need to do a little prep work. I like to have everything chopped and ready to go, so I get my garlic, onions, herbs, and tomatoes chopped and ready.

Mix 1 (15 ounce) container of Wisconsin Ricotta cheese with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon flat-leaf Italian parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Set that aside until ready to use.

Heat a 10.5 cast iron skillet (or stainless steel heavy duty skillet) over mid-high heat and brown 1/2 pound ground chuck. When the meat just starts to brown, add a tablespoon of freshly minced garlic and a tablespoon of diced yellow onion. Continue to cook until it is cooked through, and then remove the meat mixture from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and let that heat up just a bit. Then add a tablespoon of garlic and a tablespoon of yellow onion, and stir about 30 seconds until the garlic and onions are aromatic and start to soften. 

Next add the diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 tablespoon parsley. Allow that to cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft enough to smush.

Smush the tomatoes with the back of a spoon until you have a delicious sauce. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Sometimes tomatoes need a little sugar, so if you need to counteract any bitterness from the tomatoes, don't be afraid to add about a 1/2 tablespoon of sugar (more or less as needed). My tomatoes were plenty sweet, and the sauce was perfect. The sauce will be a little chunky, but that's okay. If you prefer it to be smooth, you can run it through a blender. I like it chunky, so no need for me to whip out the blender <smile> Reduce the heat to mid-low and pour 1/2 the sauce into a measuring cup and reserve. Half the sauce should be about 1 cup.

You should have about 1 cup of sauce left in the skillet. Top the sauce with 2 no-bake lasagna noodles and layer on 1/2 the spinach, 1/2 the meat mixture, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, 4 slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella cheese, and about 1/4 cup of the reserved sauce.

Repeat the layers using 2 more lasagna noodles, the remaining spinach, meat mixture, and ricotta mixture. Top that with 4 more slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella and 2 more lasagna noodles. Pour the remaining sauce on top and add 4 more slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella.

Cover and simmer over mid-low heat for 25 minutes or until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese is nicely melted. If you don't have a cover for your skillet, you can carefully (don't burn yourself) tent it with foil like so...

Allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Top with remaining herbs and some shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

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Cheesy Skillet Lasagna

By Life Tastes Good

Published 06/07/2015

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) container of Wisconsin Ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2.5 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped and divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped and divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound ground chuck
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic, divided
• 2 tablespoons diced yellow onion, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh Roma Tomatoes, diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
• 5 ounce bag of fresh baby spinach
• 4 ounces Sliced Wisconsin Mozzarella Cheese (at least 12 slices)
• Shaved Wisconsin Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Mix 1 (15 ounce) container of Wisconsin Ricotta cheese with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon flat-leaf Italian parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Set that aside until ready to use.
2. Season the 1/2 pound of ground chuck with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a 10.5" cast-iron skillet (or stainless steel heavy duty skillet) over mid-high heat and brown the seasoned meat. When the meat just starts to brown, add 1 tablespoon of freshly minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of diced yellow onion. Continue to cook until it is cooked through, and then remove the meat mixture from the skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet over medium heat, I add a tablespoon of olive oil and let that heat up just a bit. Then I add 1 tablespoon of garlic and 1 tablespoon of yellow onion, and stir about 30 seconds until the garlic and onions are aromatic and start to soften.
4. Next add the diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 tablespoon parsley. Allow that to cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft enough to smush. Smush the tomatoes with the back of a spoon until you have a delicious sauce. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper as needed. It's a little chunky, but that's okay. If you prefer it to be smooth, you can run it through a blender. I like it chunky <smile>. Reduce the heat to mid-low and pour 1/2 the sauce into a measuring cup and reserve. Half the sauce should be about 1 cup.
5. You should have about 1 cup of sauce left in the skillet. Top the sauce with 2 no-bake lasagna noodles and layer on 1/2 the spinach, 1/2 the meat mixture, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, 4 slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella cheese, and about 1/4 cup of the reserved sauce.
6. Repeat the layers using 2 more lasagna noodles, the remaining spinach, meat mixture, and ricotta mixture. Top that with 4 more slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella and 2 more lasagna noodles. Pour the remaining sauce on top and add 4 more slices of Wisconsin Mozzarella. Cover and simmer this over mid-low heat for 25 minutes or until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese is nicely melted. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Garnish with some herbs and shaved Wisconsin Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 30 mins.

Total time: 45 mins.

Tags: Cheesy Skillet Lasagna, Cast-Iron Skillet, Wisconsin Cheese, Fresh, Vegetables, Easy, Recipe, Food, #SundaySupper, Herbs


For more cheesy recipes, be sure to follow the Wisconsin Cheese board on Pinterest, and visit all of our #SundaySupper family friendly recipes featuring Wisconsin cheese...

Cheese Appetizers:

• Cheese Crispies by Shockingly Delicious
• Cheese Fondue by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Prosciutto Havarti Spinach Bundles by Daily Dish Recipes

Cheese Bread:

• Parmesan Pull Apart Bread by Magnolia Days
• Spicy Cheese Twists by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Main Dishes with Cheese:

• Cheese Curd Stuffed Meatball Sliders by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cheesy Crab Stuffed Peppers by FoodieTots
• Cheesy Skillet Lasagna by Life Tastes Good
• Cheesy Vegetable Enchiladas by Alida's Kitchen
• Fontina Chorizo Spinach Quiche by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Ham, Blackberry Ricotta, and Fresh Mozzarella Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Korean-style Poutine 2.0 by kimchi MOM
• Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Couscous Salad with Arugula by Ruffles & Truffles
• Pimento Cheese Potato Soup by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Sausage and Burrata Pasta by Family Foodie

Cheese Side Dishes:

• Cheesy Jalapeno and Bacon Potato Au Gratin by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chipotle Beer Mac & Cheese by One Sweet Mess
• White Mac and Cheese by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Desserts:

• Coconut Lime Cheese Crepes with Brandied Cherry Topping by The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

10 Ideas for Cheese Dip Dippers by Sunday Supper Movement

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.