Crock Pot Lasagna

Crockpot Lasagna has all of the rich zesty flavors, creamy cheese, and tender, juicy ground beef found in a traditional lasagna recipe!

The slow cooker is an easy way to prepare this favorite and let it cook all day while you’re away. Nothing is as good as a ready meal after a busy day.

An Easy Crockpot Meal

We love any and all Crockpot recipes, but this one has a special place in our kitchen!

• This recipe is easy to put together and no pre-cooking the noodles required.
• It’s great to make ahead (even the day before) and cook while you’re out or at work.
• It’s the perfect entrée to add to a potluck or dinner party since all you need to do is plug the Crockpot in to keep it warm.
• It’s versatile, too, and can easily be changed up with other favorite lasagna ingredients.

Lasagna Ingredients

3-CHEESE FILLING Traditional lasagna uses ricotta cheese, but cottage cheese works. Cottage cheese can sometimes produce a bit more liquid. Parmesan adds flavor while mozzarella makes it gooey and cheesy.

SAUCE This easy ground beef version uses a marinara sauce that’s already seasoned, but we add some of our own homemade Italian seasoning. If you have the time, you can make your own easy marinara sauce, too! If you have leftover meatsauce, that can be used too.

OPTIONAL ADD-INS

• • • Add some fresh or frozen spinach to the cheese mixture.
    • Layer in cooked veggies like peppers or mushrooms.
    • Swap half of the ground beef for Italian sausage.

How To Make Crockpot Lasagna

Let the slow cooker do all the work for this delish dish!

1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic. Add sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings.
2. Combine cheese filling.
3. Layer cheese mixture, meat sauce, and noodles until the final layer is pasta sauce topped with cheese.
4. Cover and cook per recipe below.

Important Tip

Once cooked, be sure to let the lasagna rest with the lid ajar for at least 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes). This allows it to cool slightly and the layers to set up.

What To Serve With Lasagna

Lasagna doesn’t need much more than a fresh, crispy salad and garlic toast! Here are a few of our favorites!

Salads:  tossed salad, Italian salad, Caesar salad

Breads: homemade garlic bread, dinner rolls, French Bread, no knead bread

How to Store Leftovers

Lasagna keeps very well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Make sure it is covered tightly. Sprinkle a little extra mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top and reheat in the microwave.

As with any lasagna, this recipe freezes well!

Lasagna Recipes

• Easy Homemade Lasagna
• Chicken Lasagna
• Easy Spinach Lasagna – simple & tasty
• Lasagna Soup – comforting soup
• Lasagna Roll Ups– elegant entrée
• Taco Lasagna – spicy & delish
• Instant Pot Lasagna – one-pot wonder

Did your family love this Crockpot Lasagna? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crockpot Lasagna is an easy set-it-and-forget-it meal that tastes just like the oven version. Layers of lasagna noodles, meat sauce, & loads of gooey cheese make an unforgettable Italian favorite in the slow cooker!

Course Beef, Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta, Slow Cooker

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 611

Author Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• ½ cup parmesan cheese grated

Sauce

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 15 ounces petite diced tomatoes
• 36 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Cheese Filling

• 24 oz ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1 egg

Instructions

• Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large saucepan until no pink remains. Drain fat.
• Stir in sauce, diced tomatoes with juices and seasoning. Simmer 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, mix cheese filling ingredients.
• Spread 1 ½ cups sauce in the bottom of a 6 qt slow cooker. Top with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break them to fit in the slow cooker as needed).
• Create layers of cheese mixture, sauce, and noodles. End with pasta sauce and finally top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
• Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3.5 hours or until pasta is cooked through (the edges will be brown and crispy). Turn the slow cooker off, open lid slightly to allow steam to escape and let rest 30 minutes to set.

Notes

Layering order (you may or may not be able to fit 3 whole noodles on each layer depending on the shape of your slow cooker):

1.5 cups of sauce- 2 ½ to 3 noodles- 1/3 of cheese mixture 

1.5 cups of sauce- 2 ½ to 3 noodles- 1/3 of cheese mixture

1.5 cups of sauce- 2 ½ to 3 noodles- 1/3 of cheese mixture

remaining sauce - mozzarella

Be sure to let the lasagna rest uncovered at least 20 minutes (or up to 30 minutes). This allows it to cool slightly and the layers to set up.

Nutrition

Calories: 611 | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1271mg | Potassium: 975mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1437IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 561mg | Iron: 4mg

 

 

 

 

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