Lasagna, for One

Last weekend I spent a whole day at home alone, just me and my laptop, belting out music and blasting online TV shows while I mixed dough and pushed pans into the oven. I could tell you I ate a sandwich, a cup of soup, some fruit – that I scrambled eggs, even…

Vertical top-down image of a plate full of simple stovetop lasagna beside a gold fork and scattered sprigs of basil on a white cloth, and a small bowl of grated parmesan cheese.

But I’d be lying. In fact, I ate a handful of oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies, followed by some other cookies, chased with a hazelnut coffee. All of these were eaten while I stood over the sink or fiddled with ingredients for my recipe in progress, never while I was seated, and certainly not off a plate.

These are the joys of eating alone.

Vertical closely cropped image of a white plate with a blue geometric pattern around the edge, filled with lasagna noodles topped with sauce and melted cheese, on a white cloth background with scattered green basil leaves and a small dish of grated parmesan cheese in shallow focus.

There are different joys, of course, when eating with friends: conversation, for example, which is not to say that speaking cannot happen when one is alone in the kitchen, but just that most speaking is improved with a listener and their less predictable responses.

Also, eating with someone amplifies the sensual understanding: knowing someone else smells the sweet doughy air when you pull cinnamon rolls out of the oven gives you a stronger sense of the experience as a whole.

You’re not just smelling something; you’re smelling something with someone. They may comment on it, they may not react; it is irrelevant. The communal seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, communicating – what’s known as commensality – changes the way you eat. You are no longer just eating. You are eating with someone else, and having a shared experience, usually around a table.

A patterned white plate full of stovetop lasagna, with melted cheese on top, with a gold fork to the left, on a white cloth background with scattered sprigs of basil.

Eating alone, however, is filled with entirely different pleasures. There is something to be said for learning to be alone, just you and your thoughts and the kitchen, and being comfortable.

Alone, you don’t have to be interesting or smart or funny even. You don’t have to talk, you don’t have to chop the onions the “right” way, you don’t have to worry about making a mess. There are no rules but the ones you make for yourself, and those are okay to break.

No one’s watching. Alone, you can just be you.

A white dinner plate of lasagna noodles coated with sauce and topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs, on a table topped with a white cloth, with a gold fork, basil leaves, and a white ceramic dish in shallow focus in the background.

Eventually, as this long solo day wound to a close, I wanted some substance. And having never blow-dried my hair or put on makeup, let alone donned normal daytime clothes, I didn’t want to go out. Thus, this version of a classic dish was born: lasagna for one.

Essentially, you cook up some onions and garlic in a skillet, then add broken chunks of lasagna noodles, topped with diced tomatoes and sauce. This simmers for a while, softening the pasta and flavoring it with the sauce and olive oil, maybe a bit of salt and pepper.

Next comes the cheese – my favorite part – which you scatter on top of everything before covering the pan and removing it from the heat. Enclosed, the skillet will melt the cheese, sending it oozing and bubbling over the tomatoes and noodles, creating a sloppy, saucy medley.

Vertical image of a white patterned dinner plate of stovetop lasagna for one, with a gold fork being stuck into the noodles to grab a bite, on a white cloth background with sprigs of green basil and a small dish of grated parmesan with a spoon stuck into it in shallow focus behind the plate.

Remove the cover, and voila: something that’s a lot like lasagna without the picky layers or needing to heat up the house by turning the oven on just for one dish, ready to be eaten, all for you.

Just between us, dining over the sink works fine. But at the end of a long day, sometimes it’s so much better to lounge on the couch, pour a glass of wine, put your feet up, and dig into something good.

This dish is also perfect if you’re headed out of town, since there won’t be any leftovers. It makes one substantial serving, or two smaller servings that will pair nicely with a fresh green salad, or maybe some leftover veggies if you have them, like these tasty rosemary carrots.

Hungry yet? I thought so! Heres’s the recipe:

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
A white dinner plate of lasagna noodles coated with sauce and topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs, on a table topped with a white cloth, with a gold fork, basil leaves, and a white ceramic dish in shallow focus in the background.

Lasagna, for One (or Two)


  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x

Description

No leftovers – or worries, for that matter – when you make lasagna for one, easy as can be, in a skillet on the stovetop.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 5 curly-edged no-boil lasagna noodles broken into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • water (as needed)
  • 4 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped basil

Instructions

  1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures just over one cup.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  3. Scatter pasta on top but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juice and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/8 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons of mozzarella, cover and let stand off heat for five minutes. The cheese will melt and ooze all over the softened pasta by the time you remove the cover. Sprinkle with basil and remaining Parmesan. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: comfort food, lasagna, single serve, one pan, easy

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Measure Ingredients

First, measure all of the ingredients listed to establish your mise en place.

Laying out all of your ingredients close to your cooking workspace before you start helps to save time, since you can more easily grab them, and they’ll be ready to go.

Step 2 – Prep Vegetables

Mince the garlic, using a chef’s knife or your trusty garlic press. Chop the basil.

Dice up your onions and tomatoes. Then measure out the diced tomatoes along with their juices and seeds, adding water as needed to fill to one cup, using a liquid measure.

Top-down view of a glass Pyrex pitcher-style liquid measuring cup filled with diced tomatoes and their juices, on a white background.

Note: A cutting board with a reservoir around the edge is perfect for saving all of those flavorful juices. Just pour them right into your measuring cup. Or, if fresh tomatoes aren’t available, you can use the diced canned variety with the juice from the can.

If you’ve prepared some tomato concasse ahead of time, it’s perfect for this. See our article on storing fresh tomatoes for more info.

Step 3 – Cook the Onions

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with oil. Add the onions, and cook until browned and soft, about 5 minutes.

Closeup of a large nonstick frying pan filled with browned finely chopped onions.

Stir in the garlic and the pepper flakes, cooking briefly. Be sure to scrape up any browned onion bits that stick to the pan! There’s lots of flavor in those.

A wooden spoon or silicone spatula is best for this, to avoid scratching your pan.

Step 4 – Add Noodles and Simmer

Break up the lasagna noodles, then scatter them on top of the vegetable mixture. DO NOT stir.

A nonstick frying pan filled with broken curly-edged lasagna noodles, on a white background.

Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the top.

Top-down view of a large nonstick frying pan filled with uncooked lasagna noodles, chopped tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the noodles are tender.

Step 5 – Stir in Parmesan and Season

Remove from heat and stir in 1/8 cup of the parmesan cheese. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6 – Melt Mozzarella on Top and Garnish

Add mozzarella cheese in heaping tablespoonfuls all over the top of the mixture in the pan. Cover and let stand for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Vertical image of a large nonstick pan filled with no-bake lasagna, topped with melted cheese.

Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese and garnish with freshly chopped basil. Dinner is served!

Italian Made Easy

Lasagna is usually one of those dishes reserved for big gatherings or Sunday dinners when you have all day to prep. I was blown away by how simple this recipe was to make, and how flavorful every bite was.

This is the easiest lasagna recipe I’ve ever made, and it’s perfect for a weeknight when you need that Italian pasta fix, but don’t have hours to dedicate to crafting the perfect pan of lasagna to feed a crowd.

You can even play around with this recipe to make it fit your tastes!

Like it a little spicy? Add more red pepper flakes, or add some sliced pepperoni, like what we do for our Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna.

Have leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked Italian sausage in the refrigerator? Throw some in when you add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce for a boost of protein.

Want more fresh herb flavor? Stir in some additional freshly chopped basil and when you add the parmesan and taste for seasoning, for a boost of herbaceous notes.

Closeup of a pan full of cooked lasagna noodles coated with tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese and finely chopped basil.

Regardless of how you love your traditional lasagna, you are going to have fun making this simple recipe at home.

And the best part? No need for even layers or trying to make each serving look like a slice of perfection. The mess is what makes this easy recipe so gorgeous!

Would you make this dish for yourself, or would you share…? Be sure to give this recipe a rating and let us know what you think of the dish in the comments below.

For more pasta inspiration, check out all of our pasta recipes now!

Or if lasagna is your thing, then some of these tasty variations are sure to please:


Don’t forget to Pin It!

A collage of photos showing different views of a recipe for lasagna made for one person.

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 10, 2008. Last updated: December 29, 2019 at 9:22 am with additional writing and editing by Meghan Yager and Allison Sidhu.

*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

13 thoughts on “Lasagna, for One”

  1. oh how true. the best meals i’ve ever had have been alone. i don’t have to be graceful or mindful of someone else. i can hog the ketchup, not have to talk/respond. and i love love love noah’s article on eating alone. i spent the first two years of college eating with friends, never alone. and then all of a sudden, the last two years were spent in quiet, unadulterated reflection over really bad mess hall food. i loved it.

    excellent post.

    Reply
  2. I can’t believe I never thought of this. Great way to make a one serving (although a good sized one!) of a baked dish.

    You can do the same thing with baked ziti.

    great post!
    Nick

    Reply
  3. there is certainly something to be said about those who cook for themselves AND can enjoy it. because while cooking for a crowd can be satisfying, a person can really learn a lot about herself when creating a meal just for one — whether throwing together an old favorite with her eyes closed or trying a new recipe and welcoming the mistakes.

    love this post, and the photos. thanks for this one! 🙂

    Reply
  4. what an interesting adaptation! i always feel a bit miffed when cooking for one, like i’m cheating. i usually end up eating bread and cheese, with some raw veggie thrown in for good measure. This look like a great idea!

    Reply
  5. ooOo I could totally do that for a twosome as well!! how handy of a recipe….I wonder if I could use other noodles… like little bows or something.

    when Jake is not home I eat horrrid!!!.. maybe like a cookie (or 3).. and then… a string cheese…. and a whole bunch of green olives… and finish it off with a bag of popcorn… ok jake works a 12 hours shift.. so I have a lot of time to scarf that down… hahaa… i always make nice well rounded meals for when he comes home though!! so I eat well at least once a day!!

    Reply
  6. OK, that photo of the tomatoes in the measuring cup is just gorgeous. I want some … now! (I take mine with a little salt, please.) 🙂

    Reply
  7. Stumbled on this post and I am so happy to know that I am not alone in this. Often times I do work from home and find myself staring into space wondering what to eat when it comes to lunch; the problem is not so bad when there’re left over from the night before and that my beautiful wife had set them aside for me.

    I have to tell you, I am definitely going to give this a go and will probably be making it quite often. Incidently, I am looking for a classic spaghetti sauce recipe, if you come across one, please send it my way.

    Excellent post, thanks…

    Reply
  8. Kiet, Thanks for visiting and for the empathizing comment. It’s always good to hear there are other people eating alone sometimes in their own kitchens! Oh, and as far as a classic spaghetti sauce, I gotta say my mom’s is to-die-for. However, like a lot of classic recipes, it’s more in her head than on paper. If I figure out a way to get it written down, I’ll be sure to post it here.

    Reply
  9. Im actually making this right now! sans fresh tomatoes.. 🙁 boo to me-Im using canned , but i remembered this recipe … and i was thinking I am so hungry and I had about 8 leftover noodles form making lasagna a couple weeks ago!

    Reply
  10. Wow, quick, easy, tasty. What more is there to ask for? This one is super simple and makes the perfect weeknight meal.

    Reply
  11. This has been one of my favorite dishes to make for myself during this trying time. Please hurry up with those vaccines! I like my own cooking but sometimes you just want someone else to do it (and the dishes).

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.