Easy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Skillet Lasagna (30-Minute Dinner!)

Here’s an easy weeknight dinner that your whole family will devour—Gluten-free Dairy-free Skillet Lasagna! All the cozy, hearty flavors of classic lasagna, but ultimately simplified into a 30-minute, one-pan meal that keeps things gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg-free. Plus, there’s a Paleo option to keep it totally grain-free!

Why You’ll Love This Dairy-Free Skillet Lasagna

I love lasagna in general. In fact, it’s my hands-down favorite pasta dish! You can find my traditional Gluten-free + Dairy-free Lasagna recipe here.

However, there are many nights I need to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. So, this gluten-free skillet lasagna simplifies the process, using gluten-free or chickpea pasta and a rich, savory tomato sauce for a quick, satisfying dinner.

• Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free – Perfect for those with food sensitivities.
• One-Pan Wonder – Fewer dishes, faster cleanup!
• High-Protein – Thanks to Italian sausage and chickpea pasta.
• 30-Minute Dinner – Because life is busy!
• Paleo Option – Just be sure to use a Paleo grain-free pasta and dairy-free cheese to keep this Paleo compatible.

Secret Ingredient for a Creamy Dairy-Free Sauce

Want a thicker, creamier sauce without dairy? Well, steam-in-bag frozen cauliflower is the secret! It blends seamlessly into the sauce, adding a rich texture and sneaky nutrients without changing the flavor. Even better, picky eaters won’t notice! Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in extra veggies.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This easy gluten-free skillet lasagna comes together with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients:

• Olive oil – For sautéing and adding richness.
• Ground Italian sausage – A high-protein base that packs tons of flavor.
• Yellow onion & minced garlic – Essential aromatics for a bold, savory sauce. In fact, I like to get my garlic pre-minced like this one at Walmart.
• Canned diced Italian tomatoes – The base of the sauce, adding fresh tomato flavor. Grab the Italian-style canned tomatoes for the most flavor. If you can’t find Italian-style tomatoes, just use regular canned diced tomatoes.
• Steam-in-bag frozen cauliflower – Blends into the sauce for creaminess. Trust me, you will NOT taste the cauliflower. My cauliflower-hating boys have no idea it’s in there. Actually, I use this method for almost every soup I make. It gives a thicker sauce without having to use flour while also adding hidden veggies! Additionally, it provides a nice texture.
• Vegan heavy cream or coconut cream – A dairy-free alternative for a luscious texture. I prefer the results of using vegan heavy cream like this one from Target or Walmart. Alternatively, Trader Joe’s sells one as well! You can also use canned unsweetened coconut cream instead (but no coconut taste!). Just keep in mind, coconut cream and coconut milk are NOT the same. You will want the extra creaminess of coconut CREAM versus coconut milk. 
• Canned tomato paste – Thickens the sauce and enhances depth.
• Garlic salt, dried basil & Italian seasoning – Classic Italian flavors.
• Beef broth – Adds richness; furthermore, using bone broth will result in the highest protein content!
• Gluten-free pasta – You have lots of options for this one:
  • My favorite gluten-free pasta is Banza, which is made from chickpeas and adds 22 grams of protein to the dish.
  • Need a Paleo option? Use a Paleo-friendly pasta such as this Jovial pasta brand made with cassava flour. I find it either at Walmart or Amazon but many natural food stores carry it as well.
  • On a Whole30 or Keto diet? In that case, use two 12oz packages of Palmini, which is “pasta” made from hearts of palm to keep it low carb and Whole30-compatible. This is allowed on a Whole30, as there is no flour in the pasta (which is not allowed on Whole30 per the Pancake Rule), just cut and preserved hearts of palm.
• Vegan mozzarella cheese (optional) – For extra cheesiness without the dairy. You can find more on which are my favorite Dairy-free Cheeses here.

How to Make Gluten-Free Skillet Lasagna

This easy dairy-free lasagna comes together in one skillet:

1. Cook the sausage, onion, and garlic in olive oil until browned.
2. Meanwhile, blend together the diced tomatoes, cream, tomato paste, steamed cauliflower, and beef broth.
3. Next, add blended sauce, spices, and pasta to the pan, letting everything simmer. As a result, the pasta absorbs all the delicious flavors.
4. Cook the gluten-free pasta directly in the sauce—no extra pot needed!
5. Finally, top with vegan mozzarella (if using), cover, and let it melt.

Paleo & Whole30 Modifications

Want to make this Paleo-friendly or Whole30? For Paleo, use a grain-free pasta such as Jovial. Or, for a Paleo, Keto, + Whole30 option, you can use 2 (12oz) packages of Palmini, which is “pasta” made from hearts of palm to keep it low-carb and Whole30-compatible. Drain the Palmini and add to the pot, simmering for 10-15 minutes. The “pasta” will stay al dente while still absorbing the sauce flavor.

Also for Whole30, use a Whole30 compatible vegan mozzarella, like this one from Whole Foods, or omit the cheese. (Yes, you can have dairy-free cheese on Whole30 if ingredients are compatible, see here).

Vegan Option?

Yes, you can absolutely make this dish vegan! Here are the modifications to make for a plant-based dish:

• Use plant-based ground meat. My favorite brand is Abbot’s. Leave the sausage out of the first cooking step and add the crumbles in when you add the pasta. 
• Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
• Chickpea pasta – I also recommend using the chickpea Banza pasta for this dish, to keep the protein high enough.

Serving Suggestions

This gluten-free, dairy-free skillet lasagna is a delicious main dish, but you can also serve it with:

• A side salad such as my Strawberry Spinach Salad, or even the Caesar Salad in my cookbook on page 204 (just leave out the chicken to make it a side salad instead of a main dish!).
• My Kale Salad – my oldest son’s favorite salad for a reason and SO easy!
• For a fruit option, try my Paleo Fruit Salad. It has two ingredients that make any fruit salad pop and is my youngest son’s fave!
• My Broccoli Salad – a potluck favorite by everyone who tries it.
• A side of my Crispy Smashed Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli. I never thought I could love brussel sprouts this much…and that’s saying something!

Meal Prep & Storage

Leftovers? No worries! This dairy-free skillet lasagna stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheats beautifully for easy lunches. Plus, you can also freeze portions for a quick gluten-free dinner anytime!

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a quick, high-protein, dairy-free, and gluten-free dinner, this one-pan lasagna is a total lifesaver. It’s cozy, comforting, and perfect for busy nights—without the hassle of traditional lasagna! So go ahead, try it tonight and let me know what you think!

Other 30-minute Meals You Will Love!

Life is BUSY! We live on 30-minute meals in our large family of 7. Because of that, I have several collections of 30-minute meals, depending on what you are looking for:

• 30-minute Chicken Dinners
• 30-minute Ground Beef Dinners
• 25 Whole30 30-minute Dinners

Gluten-free Dairy-free Skillet Lasagna

Autumn, @wholefoodfor7

The flavors of your favorite lasagna in an EASY 30-minute high-protein dinner!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Calories 660 kcal

1/2x1x2x3x

Ingredients

 

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1-1.5 pound ground Italian sausage Use 1.5 pounds for higher protein, can sub ground meat of choice*. See recipes note for vegan option
• 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 2 14.5-ounce cans Italian diced tomatoes divided
• 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen riced cauliflower steamed, about 2 cups steamed
• 1 cup full-fat unsweetened canned coconut cream or heavy vegan cream (my preference, but harder to find)
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 8 ounces gluten-free pasta we prefer Banza, see notes for Paleo + Whole30 options
• 1 cup beef broth see recipes notes for vegan
• 8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese optional to top, see notes

Instructions

 

• Cook the sausage, onion, and garlic in olive oil until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend together at a high speed: ONE of the cans of diced tomatoes, cream, tomato paste, steamed cauliflower, and beef broth until very smooth.
• Add blended sauce, spices, and pasta to the pan. Drain the remaining other can of diced tomatoes and add to the pan as well, letting everything simmer. Cook until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Finally, top with vegan mozzarella (if using), cover, and let it melt.

Notes

*If subbing ground meat of choice, add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the meat while it cooks to increase the flavor. 

Paleo & Whole30 Modifications

Want to make this Paleo-friendly or Whole30? For Paleo, use a grain-free pasta such as Jovial. Or, for a Paleo, Keto, + Whole30 option, you can use 2 (12oz) packages of Palmini, which is "pasta" made from hearts of palm to keep it low-carb and Whole30-compatible. Drain the Palmini and add to the pot, simmering for 10-15 minutes. The "pasta" will stay al dente while still absorbing the sauce flavor.

Also for Whole30, use a Whole30 compatible vegan mozzarella, like this one from Whole Foods, or omit the cheese. (Yes, you can have dairy-free cheese on Whole30 if ingredients are compatible, see here).

Vegan Option?

Yes, you can absolutely make this dish vegan! Here are the modifications to make for a plant-based dish:

• Use plant-based ground meat. My favorite brand is Abbot’s. Leave the sausage out of the first cooking step and add the crumbles in when you add the pasta. 
• Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
• Chickpea pasta - I also recommend using the chickpea Banza pasta for this dish, to keep the protein high enough.

Nutrition

Calories: 660kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 24gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 1899mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 6mg

Keyword dairy-free, easy, egg-free, gluten-free, keto, kid-friendly, main dish, nut-free, paleo, plant-based, whole30

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