EASY Crock Pot Lasagna Recipe

Today’s dinner inspiration is this easy slow cooker lasagna recipe (or crockpot lasagna).

I love lasagna, but am not a fan of the prep time and work.

This recipe is easy and it can be made in the crockpot without having to even boil the lasagna noodles!

My kiddos will have two bowls of this and I love how convenient it is.

It’s like homemade lasagna but with much less time as a slow-cooker lasagna recipe.

It’s tender noodles with meat sauce, marinara sauce, and all the flavors of traditional lasagna.

You don’t even have to boil noodles.

For this easy slow cooker lasagna recipe, the noodles cook long enough that you can use which ever types of noodles you choose–oven-ready or regular noodles.

On the grocery shelf you’ll notice your regular lasagna noodles and “oven-ready” noodles (also known as “no-boil” noodles).

The latter are pre-cooked.

They are dehydrated after being run through hot water at the manufacturer.

Regular lasagna noodles require boiling before being used in traditional lasagna or casseroles.

Oven Read noodles to not.

 

 

EASY Crock Pot Lasagna Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (29. oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (16 oz. tub) of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
5 oz. Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (16 oz.) regular Lasagna Noodles, uncooked
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup hot water

How to Make Slow Cooker Lasagna:

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion until meat is brown and onion is translucent–about 10 minutes.

Add garlic and stir just until garlic is fragrant.

Add tomato sauce, paste, salt, and oregano.

Cook until the meat sauce is warm.

In a medium bowl combine the cheeses and stir until well combined.

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray (or use a crockpot liner).

Spoon a layer of beef mixture (about a cup of meat sauce) onto the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with a layer of the cheeses.

Repeat with a layer of meat sauce, noodles, and cheese mixture until all are used up.

Your final layer should be meat sauce.

Add 1/2 cup water around the outside edge of the lasagna.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Serves 6

Store leftover lasagna in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

This recipe gets even better after it sits for a day.

Serve the leftovers by warming the lasagna in a preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes.

To reheat in the microwave. Drizzle a little water over the top and reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on high. To minimize the splattering of the sauce, place a damp paper towel over the top (this will also keep the lasagna moist).

What to Avoid in the Microwave

Here are some basic microwave don’ts: Never put metal in the microwave, including metal pans or dishes with metallic trim, handles, or screws; paper-covered metal twist-ties; or foil-lined packages. Do not put melamine dinnerware in the microwave. As for plastics, if they are dishwasher safe, they should be okay in the microwave for shorter cooking times. Never use plastic for tomato-based foods or those with a high fat or sugar content. Tomatoes will stain plastic containers because of a molecule in the tomato called lycopene. It dissolves into the plastic and stains it. High-fat and high-sugar content foods heat more quickly and to higher temperatures than other foods and can quickly melt the plastic.

More time saving tips:

Use premade pasta sauce in place of meat sauce.

You can also use premade white sauce if you prefer a white lasagna.

Additions and Substitutes:

Try mixing half ground beef and half Italian sausage

Feel free to use homemade spaghetti sauce.

You can assemble this entire slow cooker lasagna ahead of time and cook it the next day.

Try mixing in any of these ingredients:

Add some of these ingredients for a flavor and nutrition boost:

• Spinach
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder