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The easiest Sheet Pan White Pesto Lasagna. Trust me, this is going to become your new go-to, weekly lasagna. This easy twist on lasagna requires no fancy sauce, and no time spent tediously layering noodles. It uses broken lasagna pieces mixed with four kinds of cheese, basil pesto, spinach, and spicy pepperoni (if you’d like). It’s also baked on a sheet pan making it so easy. The sheet pan creates perfectly crisp bites all throughout and even more layers than regular lasagna. It’s very saucy, cheesy, and so delicious. A complete fam favorite!
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Ingredients
- dry lasagna noodles
- basil pesto
- fresh basil leaves
- garlic
- fresh thyme leaves
- dried oregano
- olive oil
- chili flakes
- whole milk
- chopped spinach
- kosher salt and pepper
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- shredded provolone cheese
- whole milk riccotta cheese
- heavy cream
- sliced pepperoni
- grated parmesan cheese
- fresh oregano
What you need in the kitchen for this recipe:
- large pot
- 12-17-inch baking sheet
- mixing spoon
- aluminum foil
- paper towel
Yeah, yeah, I know, this looks like a pizza, everyone in my family has said so. But I promise it’s way better than pizza, it’s a very cheesy lasagna!
And a really darn delicious one that requires half the effort of a traditional lasagna. In my opinion, this is better than the traditional version, but that’s me and everyone is different!
I’ve been so excited to share this recipe. Do I love the photos, not really. Does this look like pizza, not lasagna, yup. But the method is simple and the taste is wonderful, so it’s a win, win kind of recipe.
I’m sure many of you have seen sheet pan lasagna recipes floating around this year. They’re nothing too new, they’ve been on the internet for ages. But Giada made a sheet pan lasagna a few months ago and made the idea very mainstream and popular again.
I love the idea of a crispy-edge lasagna, so I knew baking everything up on a sheet pan was a great idea. The ease of the recipe is just an added bonus.
Details
First, I highly recommend getting all of your ingredients together before starting. Once you have the ingredients together, the dish comes together quickly.
Boil off the noodles, which are broken pieces of lasagna noodles. Then, take those hot noodles and toss them with lots of basil pesto. As soon as the heat from the noodles touches the basil in the pesto you smell that wonderful basil smell.
Now add the milk and the cheese. The idea is that the heat from the noodles helps melt the cheese and create a creamy sauce. I use a mix of milk, mozzarella, and provolone cheese.
Arrange the creamy, cheesy noodles on a greased sheet pan. Then add pesto-swirled ricotta cheese and a layer a sprinkle of provolone cheese.
Before baking, I love to add pepperoni slices. I know this sounds odd, but it’s such a delicious addition. I love all of the flavors in this recipe! My dad would put pepperoni slices on all of his baked pasta dishes. So I took his idea and added pepperoni on top of this lasagna. Such a delicious addition.
Easy, EASY, a touch indulgent, but so delicious!
If you’re planning to serve this while entertaining, you can assemble the lasagna ahead of time. Then just keep it in the fridge for a day and bake it up before guests arrive.
This is a simple recipe for busy weekday nights, but it’s equally perfect on weekends! The perfect comfort food. I’m looking forward to making this again tonight on Instagram stories. It’s going to be great!
Looking for other easy pasta night dinners?? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Burrata Pasta
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan White Pesto Lasagna, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sheet Pan White Pesto Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 box dry lasagna noodles, (broken into 2 inch pieces)
- 3/4 cup basil pesto
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- chili flakes
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- fresh oregano thyme or basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a straight-sided 12 x 17-inch baking sheet. Set aside. Before starting, get all ingredients prepped and ready to use. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles until al dente, 4-6 minutes, then drain. 3. Add the noodles back to the hot pot. Toss the noodles with 1/2 cup basil pesto, garlic, thyme, oregano, and chili flakes. Pour in the milk, then add the mozzarella cheese and toss until mostly melted. Add the spinach, and season with salt and pepper. 4. Mix the ricotta with 1/4 cup basil pesto.5. Spoon/pour the noodles and sauce into the prepared baking dish. Dollop the ricotta over the noodles, snuggling some of the cheese underneath the noodles. Pour the cream evenly over the pan. Top with provolone, pepperoni, then parmesan. 5. Bake 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Top with fresh herbs, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
When do you add the heavy cream? i had it out but then missed when to add it
Hi Kelly,
The heavy cream is added in step 5:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Wonderful and felt much easier than a traditional lasagna. My only regret was not going heavier on the pepperoni.
Hey Janka,
So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it and your feedback! xT
It’s more like a pasta bake than a true lasagna, but the flavors are spot-on. Cheesy and yummy!
Hi Emily,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Hey Tieghan! Do you have any recommendations for reheating from frozen? Planning to make ahead of time for a family visit.
Hey Andrea,
You can heat from frozen, you’ll just need to increase your bake time:) I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Haven’t tried this one yet but I am sure it is great! Is this pretty freezer-friendly if I want to make a lot to use for another time?
Hi Lauren,
Totally, you can easily keep this in the freezer for up to 3 months. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hey Tieghan,
Was wondering what your thoughts are on freezing the leftovers? This is so different and yummy! First time I made it I shared the leftovers with my neighbor.
Hey Jacqui,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and your review!! Yes, you can totally freeze the leftovers! 🍓🫐🍉
I actually had to use no boil lasagna because my grocery store was sold out of regular lasagna noodles. So for those wondering if it will still work out, there were no timing or texture issues. It was a little difficult to assemble with dry pasta. I mixed all the wet ingredients in a big bowl at once, and let the noodles rest in that for a minute or so while I got the pan ready. I just had to be more careful when putting the mixture in the pan to disperse well, so I didn’t get clumps of dry noodle with no toppings. I will say that I’m not a huge spinach person, but I added it because I’m trying to add more vegetables into my diet. If you’re like me and you’re also are not a spinach lover, I’d suggest maybe half the amount in the recipe. I did the suggested 2 cups, and I felt like the taste was very spinach heavy, even with the pepperoni.
Hi there,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! So glad to hear that you were able to use the no boil lasagna noodles and thanks for sharing your advice for others! Have a great week:)
Love this dish. I added sliced mushrooms!
Hi Cindy,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! Have a great week:)
A.MAZ.ING!!! Definitely making this again. Full of flavor.
Hi Heidi,
Happy Sunday!!🍍🥥 Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Love it! Feels so decadent yet easy to throw together for a week night dinner. The whole fam loved it! Only thing I did different was using Gruyère cheese instead of provolone!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Wednesday!! 🌸🌤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Could this be done in an 11×13 dish?
Hi Hannah,
You could, you might have more ingredients than needed though:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish! xx
This was the first recipe of yours I have tried and I was very pleased! I especially loved the pepperoni addition. I would like to make it again with the addition of lemon juice to add more flavor. How would you suggest I incorporate it, so it doesn’t cuddle the cream? Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hi Kristen,
Happy Monday!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Sorry, I have never added lemon juice to this recipe, maybe add it to the pesto? xT
Hello – I would add the lemon juice to your ricotta mixture.
Tieghan, you are my favorite cookbook author. This was very good and very filling. Lots of possibilities, too, for other flavors. Faster than a traditional lasagna, and maybe more fun!
Hi Rebecca,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend:)
This was delicious! I have not made anything from you that has not been super yummy. My husband has complimented every meal I have made from you. I love your unique spins on recipes. Life is too short to eat boring food and your recipes are anything but that!! Thank you so much!
Hi Jenny,
Happy Friday!!🥑🍑 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your review! Thanks so much for your kind message:) xT
Could you use this with a no boil lasagna noodle to save a step?
Hi Elise,
Sorry, I would not recommend using the no boil noodles for this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I’ve been using the fresh lasagna sheets. They are no boil and are soft so easy to cut. They work great!! I find them in the fresh pasta/cheese section.
Good flavor but we all said it needed something like a spicy sausage, will add that next time
Hi France,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it!☀️🌈 xT