Cheesy Lasagna Pie (Printable Version)
Lasagna baked in a flakey pie crust with rich meat sauce and gooey melted cheese layers.
# What You 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 (Italian sausage or plant-based alternative may be substituted)
04 - 1 small onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Cheese and Filling
09 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (1 teaspoon dried may be substituted)
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out the pie crust and press it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim any overhang and flute the edges. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork to prevent puffing. Set aside.
02 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until evenly browned and cooked through, approximately 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. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from heat.
04 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, chopped basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth and well incorporated.
05 - Spread half of the meat sauce evenly across 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 sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the surface.
06 - Loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
07 - Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes before slicing to let the layers set. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The flaky crust soaks up the marinara in a way no noodle ever could, and that alone is worth making this.
- You get all the comfort of lasagna in a fraction of the time and with way less dish washing.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day straight from the fridge.
02 -
- Skip the cooling step and your slices will slide apart into a messy puddle of cheese and sauce, which still tastes good but defeats the purpose of a pie.
- Blind baking the crust for five minutes before assembling makes a huge difference if you hate a soggy bottom.
03 -
- Let the meat sauce cool slightly before layering so it does not melt the cheese filling into a swirl before it even hits the oven.
- Use a deep dish pie pan if you have one because this recipe fills a standard pan right to the brim.