Pancake Lasagna for One (or More)

4.9
(14)
14 Reviews
3 Photos

Until now if you wanted lasagna, you had to make a lot, but thanks to this easy technique, that's all changed. This recipe makes 4 single-serve lasagnas, but you easily scale back and just make one, freezing the extra 3 pancakes for later use! The pancakes in this recipe are actually more like thick crepes that come out tasting like egg noodles. It's almost impossible to tell you didn't use pasta--since these pancakes taste like homemade lasagna noodles. Make it as-is or adapt it to your personal taste.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
Allrecipes' editorial guidelines
Updated on January 17, 2025
3
3
3
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Additional Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 single-serve lasagnas
Jump to Nutrition Facts

Even for the fastest, most efficient layer-ers, making a full size pan of lasagna takes a while. And that's after you've boiled, cooled, and drained your noodles, mixed up your filling, and grated all that cheese. Lasagna isn't really something you just whip up because you're craving a piece. Until now.

This "pancake" lasagna is fast and easy to throw together. While you could just boil a couple of lasagna noodles, in just about the same amount of time, you can also make a crepe-like pancake using the exact same ingredients. In my opinion, this results in a superior final product. Once covered in sauce and cheese and beautifully browned in the oven, these pancakes look, feel, and taste like homemade sheets of pasta.

You can even freeze the crepes for future use. Assuming you have a jar of sauce around and some cheese in the fridge, you'll be all set for future lasagna cravings. Of course, you can customize your layers with whatever you have around, with seasonal vegetables being an obvious choice. Go find yourself some appropriately sized heatproof baking dishes and give this fast, "fun-sized," free-style lasagna a try soon. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

For the "Egg Noodle" Pancakes:

  • 2 large eggs

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • ½ cup cold water

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups full-fat ricotta cheese, well drained

  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

  • 1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh basil

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

For the Lasagna:

  • 1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce

  • 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

  • 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon finely sliced fresh basil

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Set out 4 small, shallow, oven-proof baking dishes or ramekins.

  2. Combine eggs, salt, olive oil, water, and flour for pancakes in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly until very smooth, then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  3. Brush oil into a nonstick skillet and set heat to medium. When the skillet is hot, add about 1/4 cup batter and tilt the pan so it evenly coats the bottom. Cook until the batter sets and the top surface goes from looking wet to dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and repeat to make remaining 3 pancakes. Cut each pancake into 3 triangles.

  4. Combine ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, cayenne, basil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for filling in a bowl; mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.

  5. Prepare lasagnas: Spread 2 tablespoons marinara sauce into the bottom of each baking dish. Lay 1 pancake triangle on the sauce, then top with about 2 tablespoons ricotta filling, 1 tablespoon Monterey Jack cheese, and 2 teaspoons marinara. Repeat to create another layer, slightly pressing down on the second pancake triangle before topping with filling and cheese. Top with the remaining pancake triangle, pressing down slightly. Add remaining marinara and Monterey Jack, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with olive oil.

  6. Place the baking dishes on a large sheet pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven until lightly browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then garnish with basil and serve.

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Chef's Notes:

This recipe makes 4 single-serve lasagnas. If you'd like to just make one, cook all 4 pancakes, but freeze 3 for later use. Then use 1/4 of the amounts of the filling and lasagna ingredients to make your single-serve lasagna.

You can use mozzarella instead of Monterey Jack and any pasta sauce you like, like a meaty Bolognese. And you can add spinach, mushrooms, or anything else you'd like to the layers.

Use Chef John's Homemade Ricotta Cheese recipe for a fresh take on this filling.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

559 Calories
37g Fat
29g Carbs
28g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 559
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 18g 88%
Cholesterol 177mg 59%
Sodium 1062mg 46%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 28g 56%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 565mg 43%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 484mg 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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