Chickpea Skillet Lasagna - Gluten-Free Cavatappi

Last updated on December 16th, 2023 at 07:10 pm

The perfect comfort food recipe for busy moms who hate dishes! Make this family-favorite recipe healthier with gluten-free chickpea pasta noodles, Italian sausage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, and spices. Banza cavatappi noodles are not only fun to eat because of the fun spiral shape but they are also high in protein and fiber and lower in carbs than traditional pasta.

Skillet lasagna is the perfect hearty pasta dish and comes together for a quick meal any night of the week.

Banza Skillet Lasagna was inspired by my other chickpea pasta recipes Banza Chickpea Pasta Bake, Banza Cajun Chicken Pasta, Banza Spaghetti & Italian Meatballs with Banza Rotini. Banza is our favorite brand of gluten-free pasta because it tastes great and holds up extremely well when cooked compared to brown rice pasta. Even if you don't have dietary restrictions the whole family will love this gluten-free pasta salad recipe. I would even bet they don't know the delicious pasta salad is high in protein and fiber and low on the glycemic index.

Gluten-Free Skillet Lasagna Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Banza Cavatappi or any other short-cut pasta
• Diced Onion
• Minced Garlic
• Mild Italian Sausage
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Cottage Cheese
• Tomato Sauce
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Italian Seasoning
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Best Ever Skillet Lasagna Instructions:

For perfect al dente pasta bring a large pot of salted water (about 8 cups) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil to the boiling water then add the entire box of dry pasta to the pot.

Cook pasta for 6 minutes, one minute less than the recommended package instructions. Rinse with cold water quickly to remove any foamy pasta water and stop the cooking process and set it aside.

In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.

Add diced onion and minced garlic to the hot skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add ground Italian sausage and brown it until there is no longer any pink.

Reduce the heat to a medium-low setting and add in the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, and cooked pasta.

Stir to combine the ingredients. Optional, season with Italian seasoning, a pinch of sea salt, and black pepper.

Top with grated parmesan cheese and allow that to melt a bit before stirring the ingredients.

Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Tips For Making Gluten Free Pasta

1. Don't skip the salted water when cooking gluten-free pasta.
2. Don't forget to stir pasta during cooking to avoid pasta sticking together
3. Add olive oil to the water
4. Cook pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions. If it's your first time making Banza test the pasta at 6 minutes, it should be fully cooked but still firm.
5. Don't overcook gluten-free pasta, especially when adding it to a finished dish where it will continue to cook and may fall apart easily.

Substitutions

All of the ingredients are gluten-free, so if substituting for a different brand check your labels if you have dietary restrictions.

• Cavatappi- instead of rotini pasta substitute any other short-cut pasta like penne, elbows, shells, wheels, or rotini.
• Gluten-Free - If you don't follow a gluten-free diet use traditional pasta in a mini lasagna or bowtie pasta shape.
• Vegetarian - Omit Italian sausage and substitute for impossible sausage made from plants.
• Canned Tomatoes- Substitute for diced fresh tomatoes instead.

Variations

Skillet Lagana is easily customizable to suit your family's preferences.

• Spicy - add red pepper flakes to spice it up.
• Cheese - use grated mozzarella cheese, an Italian blend of cheese or ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese.
• Kid-friendly - Make with alphabet-shaped Banza pasta.
• Fresh herbs- In addition to fresh parsley, you may also like fresh basil, oregano, or thyme.

Equipment

To avoid the foamy pasta water from boiling over and making a huge mess on the stovetop be sure to use a large pot like this and don't overfill it. I also recommend using a spaghetti spoon and a collapsible strainer.

How To Store Leftovers

Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container for up to three days. Re-heat in a covered microwave-safe dish.