Crock Pot Lasagna
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This crock pot lasagna recipe features the delicious lasagna flavors you already know and love, but in an easier format thanks to the beloved slow cooker.
I am a HUGE lasagna fan. It was one of the first suppers I “cooked” as a kid, although I didn’t actually do anything. Mama would assemble a lasagna the night before and put it in the fridge, uncooked. Since lasagna takes so long to cook, my job was getting it in the oven when I got home from school so it would be ready in time for supper.
Whenever I make a lasagna today, I make mine in the crockpot. There is no need to cook the noodles ahead of time and I usually have pre-cooked ground beef in my freezer. So it’s just a matter of assembling it in the morning and turning the slow cooker on. Easy weeknight dinners like this are my favorite! My husband comes home to a delicious smelling house and all I have to do is serve it up. If you’ve never made crock pot lasagna, you may find yourself making it this way from here on out!
Featuring the pasta sauce of your choice, lasagne sheets, cooked ground beef, lots of mozzarella cheese, and cottage cheese, rest assured this simple crock pot lasagne recipe has those quintessential creamy cheesy and tomato-based lasagna flavors.
Recipe Ingredients
- Spaghetti sauce of your choice
- asagna noodles
- Cooked ground beef
- ozzarella cheese
- Cottage cheese
How to Make Crock Pot Lasagna
In a medium bowl, stir together both kinds of cheese.
If you haven’t browned your beef yet, now is the time to brown and drain any grease from it.
Now let’s assemble our lasagna!
Spread a layer of sauce in the bottom of your slow cooker (I use a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe). Sprinkle about 1/3 of your ground beef over that followed by the cheese mixture. Then add more sauce. Break up the uncooked lasagna noodles to cover this (see photo) and then repeat until all of your ingredients are used.
I usually end up with three layers. For cooking, I end with sauce on top.
Cook this on low for 6-7 hours.
I like to top with more cheese right before serving, but if your brood isn’t as into cheese as mine, you don’t have to add any more.
My husband likes cheese so much that his beloved grandmother used to always accuse him of being part rat!
Put this crock pot lasagna recipe on the menu as soon as you can! You won’t regret it.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
- You can also freeze lasagna leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t want cottage cheese you can substitute it for ricotta cheese. Go with what makes you happy! Those are the only substitutions I’ve ever made myself to this recipe so I can’t recommend any others.
- You can also add half the shredded mozzarella cheese and half parmesan cheese, or serve your lasagna with parmesan cheese or your favorite .
- To help your lasagna come out prettier, alternate which direction each noodle layer goes. Trust me on this! You can see a demonstration of this in the photos above.
- If you’re cooking your ground beef, feel free to saute the beef with chopped onion (or green onion), , and 2 tablespoons of minced garlic to add some flavor.
- You can substitute the ground beef for ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey if you like. You could also use in this .
- While you can use gluten-free lasagna noodles, they can become mushier than traditional noodles.
- When I say use the pasta sauce of your choice, I mean it! Maybe you like marinara sauce, , or want to make homemade pasta sauce? The choice is yours.
- Want to add some vegetables to your ? You’re going to want to finely chop whatever you add and saute it with the beef until tender. Options include carrot, celery, zucchini, squash, eggplant, or sweet bell pepper.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with crockpot lasagna?
This slow cooker lasagna is the main dish as is. But if you like, serve it with some garlic bread, homemade dinner rolls, or a simple green salad or Caesar salad.
You may also enjoy these pasta recipes:
Low Carb Lasagna Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 box regular lasagna noodles
- 16 oz cottage cheese
- 2 lbs ground beef cooked and drained
- 2 cans spaghetti sauce 26 ounces each
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1-2 cups additional mozzarella cheese to top before serving optional but wonderful
Instructions
- First, cook the ground beef if needed. Then in a medium bowl, stir together the two kinds of cheese until well combined.16 oz cottage cheese, 2 lbs ground beef, 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Spoon a layer of sauce into the bottom of the crockpot. Add about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle a small amount of ground beef over the top of the cheese. Top with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking to make them fit. Be sure to alternate which way the noodles go with each layer. Top noodles with another layer of sauce. Repeat this process until all ingredients are used, ending with sauce.1 box regular lasagna noodles, 16 oz cottage cheese, 2 lbs ground beef, 2 cans spaghetti sauce, 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You can also cook it on high for about 2.5 to 3 hours. It cuts better (prettier) if you turn off the slow cooker and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
- If desired, top with another layer of mozzarella before serving.1-2 cups additional mozzarella cheese to top before serving
Nutrition
I Just love your Blog super interesting and informative
Thank you so much Robert!
I usually put the beef in with the sauce.
PS. Do you cook the noodles first or let them cook in the crockpot?
I try the recipe loved it I put half of veal and ground pork with Italian seasonings .and salt pepper and garlic mixed. It was delicious
I’m old enough to be your mom or even grandma and was learning to ‘cook’ a long long time ago. My mom was the town librarian and when it was my turn to fix dinner she’d always have something very easy because I was the youngest child. I’m talking hot dogs… I’d call the little city hall and the clerk would walk across and get my mom and she’d put the closed sign up (teeny tiny town) and come to the phone and I’d ask her what time to put the water on to boil hahaha… This was after reading her instructions and I think I simply wanted her to know I was on the job… She got me up to speed as the years went by and I’m glad she did because I still cook every day. ♀️
I had a funny thing happen at a coworkers house one time. She was Turkish and asked me to come have her mom’s Turkish coffee and the mom would read the fortune at the bottom of the cup when we were done. I heard all this boiling and stirring (stirry stirry) from the kitchen and when I took a sip I knew something was wrong and they were looking at me and I said it didn’t taste like what I expected. Somehow the mother had gotten salt in there instead of sugar. They were embarrassed but we did get quite a few laughs out of the episode.