Slow Cooker Lasagna

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster

With delicious Italian sausage, fresh basil, melty cheese and tangy pasta sauce, the whole family will cheer when they find out this easy slow cooker lasagna is on the menu tonight.

As you may know if you’re a regular around here, I love sharing our family recipes and my mom’s lasagna recipe is without a doubt the ultimate comfort food in our house. While the traditional lasagna is a great recipe, today I am sharing an even easier way to make the popular Italian dish with you. And you won’t believe this, but we’re actually going to make this slow cooker lasagna recipe in the crockpot!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Have you ever made lasagna in your slow cooker? I hadn’t until recently, but it is so easy and just as delicious as making a classic lasagna! In fact, it’s so quick to put together I almost feel guilty about how easy it is each time I make it for dinner.

This is the perfect recipe to make when you want lasagna but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen while dealing with busy schedules.

Using a crockpot also means that you won’t have to use your oven, which can be a lifesaver in the summertime. All you need to do is layer the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do its thing!

Lasagna Variations

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you could easily leave out the ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage. I also like to add a bit of fresh spinach to my lasagna, but that’s totally up to you. Nothing like sneaking a few veggies in when you know the kids will eat them.

To make the dish low carb, make a slow cooker zucchini lasagna by using thin slices of the vegetable instead of the lasagna noodles.

Or, if you want to add a bit more nutrition to the dish, use whole wheat lasagna noodles.

How to Make Lasagna In a Slow Cooker

This easy slow cooker lasagna only takes 25 minutes to prep. That’s it! Browning the meat takes the longest amount of time, and the rest is just layering all of the ingredients into your crockpot and letting it cook.

To make this crockpot lasagna, you will need parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, ground meat (we used lean ground beef), and regular lasagna noodles.

For this recipe, you will need:

• Ground beef, Italian sausage, or your favorite meat option
• Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese if you prefer
• Italian cheese
• Egg
• Spaghetti sauce
• Spices
• Uncooked lasagna noodles

Now that you have all of your ingredients, it’s time to start cooking!

Start by heating some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground meat of your choice and cook until it’s browned and cooked through.

Once cooked, set aside.

Next, grab your slow cooker and lightly spray it with cooking spray.

Then, layer the bottom of the slow cooker with lasagna noodles and then add layer of cooked ground meat to the bottom of the crockpot and on top of the noodles.

Now, it’s time to start layering the rest of your ingredients. Start by adding some spaghetti sauce, followed by a layer of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese.

Then, add in some Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Finally, add a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the cheese and then pour one cup of water around the sides of the lasagna.

Repeat this layering process until your slow cooker is full, making sure to end with a layer of noodles on top. Cover and cook on low setting for 4-5 hours, or high for 2-3 hours.

Once finished cooking, let the lasagna rest a few minutes before serving.

This tasty lasagna is sure to become a family favorite! With the ease of slow cooking and all the delicious flavors, you’ll definitely make this recipe again.

Bonus points for being able to enjoy lasagna without having to pre-boil lasagna noodles!

Can I make homemade sauce?

Absolutely! If you’re a fan of chopping fresh garlic cloves and simmered tomatoes, you can certainly make your own homemade sauce for this lasagna.

Just follow the same layering directions as above and replace the store-bought sauces with your own homemade version.

It’s also a great idea to add in additional flavors such as fresh basil or oregano. And if you’re not a fan of red sauces, you can also experiment with different types of white sauces for a creamy lasagna.

The best part about making lasagna in the slow cooker?

You can easily adjust it to fit your family’s tastes and dietary needs! With so many variations, you’re sure to find a favorite way to make this classic dish.

Whether you’re looking for an easy crockpot lasagna or just a way to make weeknight dinners easier, the slow cooker is definitely the easiest way to make lasagna. Enjoy!

Print

Slow Cooker Lasagna

With delicious Italian sausage, fresh basil, melty cheese and tangy pasta sauce, the whole family will cheer when they find out this easy slow cooker lasagna is on the menu tonight.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lasagna

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Servings 10 Slices

Ingredients

• 1 Package Lasagna Noodles Uncooked
• 1 8 oz. can of spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb. Ground Beef or venison
• 1 8 oz. Container Cottage Cheese Small Curd
• 1 8 oz. Package Shredded Italian Cheese
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tsp. Pepper
• 1 tbsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Garlic Salt

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef. Note: I use venison-you can use any ‘ground’ meat you like
2. Drain beef, add back to low heat
3. Stir in spaghetti sauce, salt, pepper and garlic salt to ground beef
   
4. Allow sauce mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes, slowly stirring
   
5. Add 1/2 of sauce mixture to greased slow cooker
   
6. Add layer of lasagna noodles on top of sauce mixture, making sure to cover edges Note: you may have to break some noodles in half to make them fit
   
7. Whisk 1 egg into cottage cheese
   
8. Add 1/2 of cottage cheese/egg mixture as next layer
9. https://www.lovinglivinglancaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_1793.jpg
10. Add layer of lasgna noodles on top of cottage cheese mixture, making sure to cover edges
11. Add remaining sauce mixture as next layer
12. Add layer of lasagna noodles on top of sauce mixture, making sure to cover edges
13. Add remaining cottage cheese/egg mixture-this will be your top layer
    
14. Cover and cook on ‘low’ for 3 hours
    
15. After 3 hours, noodles should be soft (make sure to check the edges)
16. Uncover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes-or until you see that the lasagna has firmed up a bit (no water sitting on top)
17. Add shredded cheese to top of lasagna
    
18. Cover and change setting to ‘keep warm’-allow cheese to melt
19. Cool and serve