Cheesy Lasagna Pie (Printable Version)
Italian-style lasagna baked in a flakey pie crust with rich meat sauce and gooey cheese layers.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 sheet refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
→ 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 pepper to taste
→ Cheese and Filling
09 - 1½ cups ricotta cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (1 teaspoon dried may be substituted)
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out the pie crust and carefully fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim any overhanging dough and flute the edges. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork to prevent puffing. Set aside.
02 - Heat 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. Pour in the marinara sauce and stir in the dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes to meld the flavors. Remove from heat.
04 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the mixture is creamy and well blended.
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. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella evenly over the top.
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 gooey layers set. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It gives you every single thing you love about lasagna without the fuss of boiling noodles and assembling a tower that slides apart.
- The pie crust gets golden and flaky on the edges while soaking up just enough sauce underneath to become almost dumpling tender.
- You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your fridge and pantry right now.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time or you will end up with a soupy slice that runs all over the plate and breaks your heart a little.
- Blind baking the crust for 5 minutes before assembling makes a huge difference if you want a crisp bottom rather than a soggy one.
03 -
- Drain the meat thoroughly after browning because excess grease will pool in the bottom of the pie and make the crust sad.
- Shred your own mozzarella from a block rather than buying pre shredded, since the anti caking additives on bagged cheese prevent it from melting into those gorgeous gooey stretches.