Cheesy Lasagna Pie (Printable)
Flaky crust layered with savory meat sauce, ricotta, and melted mozzarella for a comforting Italian-inspired pie.
# What You Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 refrigerated pie crust sheet (9-inch), or homemade equivalent
→ 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 jar (24 ounces) 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 use
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How-To:
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. Prick the bottom gently with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add 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. Cook 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 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 top.
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 let the layers set. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust gets golden and flaky on the bottom while the cheese on top stretches in long strings when you pull a slice away.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, maybe even better, which makes it perfect for planning ahead.
- You can swap the meat for plant based crumbles and lose nothing in flavor or texture.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time, slicing too early means everything floods onto the plate instead of holding its shape.
- If the crust edges brown too fast, wrap just the rim with thin strips of foil during the second half of baking.
03 -
- Blind baking the crust for five minutes before assembling gives you a noticeably crisper bottom that never goes soggy.
- Let the meat sauce cool slightly before layering so it does not melt the ricotta mixture on contact and make swirling impossible.