This one pot lasagna has all the magnificent flavours of a traditional lasagna, without the hassle. Super easy, minimal dishes, down right delicious flavours! A family favourite, or bulk meal for leftovers.
Now, lasagna was one of my favourite dishes growing up as a child. Now that I’m grown, I can really appreciate the effort that goes into making a proper traditional lasagna. So, here I am with a super simple one pot version!
For this recipe, there are 2 alternatives depending on how much effort you feel like putting in… one uses a premade or packet cheese sauce, but I have also included a simple cheese sauce recipe. If you opt to make your own cheese sauce, then technicallyyy it is not a ‘one pot’ recipe. Either way is super easy!
Key Ingredients
- Carrot is not traditional in a lasagna, but I like to add it as an additional vegetable – and a slight pop of colour! Carrot brings a subtle sweetness that helps with balancing the acidity of the tomato based ingredients.
- Aromatics onion and garlic help build the base for the flavour of this one pot lasagna, adding a sweet and savoury depth to the dish. The onion is finely sliced to blend in with the texture of the beef mince, and the garlic is crushed for optimal flavour.
- Mince will be consisting of the beef variety. For this dish I have gone with premium lean beef mince, to reduce the amount of fat. Recently I have made a habit of buying our meat from the butchers, and it has made a big difference! Often cheaper, but if not, definitely better quality.
- Pasta of choice is of course lasagna – but not of the traditional form. The pasta I use for this dish is in the shape of smaller wavy square cuts – the Diamond brand Lasagna Pasta is typically the specific one I use.
- Pasta sauce I used was a pre-made tomato and cheese sauce from the jar. This made the one pot lasagna process super simple and absolutely delicious. Rather than a traditional lasagna sauce, I chose tomato and cheese.
- Beef stock adds additional liquid to help the pasta cook properly, but also contributes to the depth of flavour with an umami boost.
- Tomato paste is used to deepen the flavour of the sauce. It adds another layer, and enhances the richness – without going overboard. The key with tomato paste is allowing it to cook and caramelise a little before mixing it with liquids, this helps diminish the bitterness of the paste.
- Italian herbs are the seasoning of choice. Of course this is a (far from traditional) take on a classic lasagna, so it only makes sense to use Italian herbs! These herbs bring a nice Earthy tone to the flavour of this one pot lasagna.
Cheese sauce ingredients
- Butter is mixed with the flour to form the roux. I use butter instead of oil, as it brings a nicer flavour to the sauce.
- Flour is the thickening agent of the cheese sauce. You want to make sure you are stirring the flour in the butter consistently, to ensure the sauce doesn’t turn lumpy! The flour and butter mix should turn a light caramel colour, to cook out the floury taste, but we do not want a deep brown for a cheese sauce.
- Cream is my dairy of choice. Milk is the more common choice for a cheese sauce, but by using cream it brings the sauce to another level. This contributes to the smooth velvety texture.
- Cheese for my sauce is going to be a mix of Tasty and parmesan. Tasty is an aged cheddar cheese that is popular in New Zealand. I find it is not as sharp as Edam. And of course, as always, if there is going to be cheese in a dish of mine – there is almost always going to be parmesan! Parmesan brings a gorgeous slight nuttiness to the sauce.
How to make this super easy one pot lasagna
Brown the beef mince.
Start by browning the beef mince in a large pot at a medium-high heat. Remove any excess fat that renders out, leaving a little bit left. Then remove from the pot and set aside.
Prepare the vegetables.
Whilst the beef mince is cooking, prepare your vegetables by finely dicing both the carrot and onion.
Deglaze and saute the aromatics.
Pour in a splash of the beef stock to deglaze the pot. Pour in a drizzle of olive. Add the onion and saute until it begins turning translucent. Crush or grate the garlic in with the onion. Then add the carrots. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes until they soften.
Tomato paste and herbs.
Now add the tomato paste along with the italian herbs to the pot. Mix to coat, let the tomato paste cook and lightly caramelise for a minute or so.
Combine the one pot lasagna components.
Return the beef mince back to the pot. Pour in the premade tomato and cheese pasta sauce. Stir so that the mince, vegetables, and sauce are combined. Add the lasagna pasta into the beef mince mix, carefully folding it in. Pour in the remaining beef stock. Stir so that it is not only pooled on top of the mince.
Cook the pasta.
Place the lid on the pot, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked.
Add in the premade cheese sauce.
If using a packet or premade cheese sauce, follow the instructions then gently fold it into the lasagna – careful not to incorporate it fully.
If making the cheese sauce from scratch
Melt the butter.
Whilst the pasta is cooking in the lasagna beef mince and sauce, it is time to prepare the cheese sauce. Start by melting the butter in a separate pot.
Make the roux.
Add the flour to the butter. Stir until the flour has fully incorporated into the butter. Cook for a minute or so, be careful it does not burn.
Add the cream.
Pour in the cream, consistently stirring to avoid clumping.
In goes the cheese.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in your grated tasty cheese and parmesan. Keep mixing until the cheese has melted.
Fold into the one pot lasagna.
Once the cheese sauce is ready, gently fold it into the lasagna – careful not to incorporate it fully.
Time to eat.
Serve and enjoy!
Storage
This is a fantastic meal to make a large portion, and have as leftovers. Allow the one pot lasagna to cool to a lukewarm/room temperature, then place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to serve with the one pot lasagna
Good question! Whilst this dish is perfect to have on its own, you could definitely whip up some greens to serve with it. I would suggest either sauteed green beans, or broccolini. If you wanted to add a pop of green to the actual lasagna, you could also opt for incorporating some spinach into the beef mince.
More cozy recipes:
- Tomato Pesto Pasta
- Mince and Cheese Pie
- Pulled Pork Tacos
- Potato Top Sausage Rolls
- Pork and Leek Lasagna
- Bacon Tomato Pasta
- Ham Hock Soup
Alrighty, now you should have everything you need to know to make this divine one pot lasagna. So come on, grab those ingredients, let’s get to cooking!
One Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
Mince
- 1 carrot
- 1 brown onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 500 g beef mince
- 450 g premade pasta sauce tomato & cheese
- 3 c beef stock
- 300 g lasagna pasta
- 1 tbsp italian herbs
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 packet premade cheese sauce
Cheese sauce (optional)
- 50 g butter
- 1.5 tbsp flour
- 300 mL cream
- ¾ c tasty cheese
- ¼ c parmesan
Instructions
Mince
- Start by browning the beef mince in a large pot at a medium-high heat. Remove any excess fat that renders out, leaving a little bit left. Then remove from the pot and set aside.
- Whilst the beef mince is cooking, prepare your vegetables by finely dicing both the carrot and onion.
- Pour in a splash of the beef stock to deglaze the pot. Pour in a drizzle of olive. Add the onion and saute until it begins turning translucent.
- Crush or grate the garlic in with the onion. Then add the carrots. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes until they soften.
- Now add the tomato paste along with the italian herbs to the pot. Mix to coat, let the tomato paste cook and lightly caramelise for a minute or so.
- Return the beef mince back to the pot. Pour in the premade tomato and cheese pasta sauce. Stir so that the mince, vegetables, and sauce are combined.
- Add the lasagna pasta into the beef mince mix, carefully folding it in.
- Pour in the remaining beef stock. Stir so that it is not only pooled on top of the mince.
- Place the lid on the pot, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked.
- If using a packet or premade cheese sauce, follow the instructions then gently fold it into the lasagna – careful not to incorporate it fully.
Cheese sauce (optional)
- Whilst the pasta is cooking in the lasagna beef mince and sauce, it is time to prepare the cheese sauce. Start by melting the butter in a separate pot.
- Add the flour to the butter. Stir until the flour has fully incorporated into the butter. Cook for a minute or so, be careful it does not burn.
- Pour in the cream, consistently stirring to avoid clumping.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add in your grated tasty cheese and parmesan. Keep mixing until the cheese has melted.
- Once the cheese sauce is ready, gently fold it into the lasagna – careful not to incorporate it fully.
- Serve and enjoy!
