Cheesy Lasagna Pie (Printable)
Comforting Italian-American lasagna baked in a flakey crust with rich meat sauce and gooey cheese layers.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 sheet refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
→ Meat Sauce
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage, or plant-based alternative)
04 - 1 small onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Cheese and Filling
09 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out the pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and flute the edges, then prick the bottom gently with a fork. Set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth and creamy.
05 - Spread half of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared crust. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the sauce and gently spread it into an even layer. Top with the remaining meat sauce, then finish with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
06 - Loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes before slicing to preserve the gooey layered texture. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- All the saucy cheesy comfort of lasagna but with a flaky buttery crust that takes it somewhere completely new.
- It slices beautifully once it cools a bit and the layers hold together in a way regular lasagna never quite manages for me.
- You get the satisfaction of a from scratch dinner without spending half your evening building perfect pasta stacks.
02 -
- Skipping the rest time means your slices will slide apart into a soupy mess on the plate, which still tastes wonderful but photographs terribly.
- Blind baking the crust for five minutes before assembling makes a huge difference in preventing a soggy bottom, especially if your sauce is on the thinner side.
03 -
- Let your ricotta drain in a fine mesh strainer for twenty minutes before mixing because excess moisture is the enemy of clean slices.
- If the crust edges start browning too fast during baking, wrap just the rim with a thin strip of foil and the rest will catch up without burning.