Crock Pot Lasagna
User Reviews
4.3
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
5 hrs
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Total Time
5 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
498 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Crock Pot Lasagna
Description
This slow cooker lasagna begins with browning lean ground beef with chopped onion and minced garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Excess fat is drained, then mixed with tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, salt, and dried oregano to create a flavorful meaty sauce. In a slow cooker, a quarter of this sauce is layered with a third of uncooked lasagna noodles (broken as needed), then topped with a mixture of mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheeses. These layers are repeated twice for a total of three layers of noodles and sauce.
Covered and cooked on low for 4 to 5 hours, the uncooked noodles absorb liquid and soften fully while the cheeses melt and blend with the sauce and meat, creating a creamy and hearty lasagna. The use of cottage cheese offers a lighter alternative to ricotta, and no boiling of noodles is needed beforehand.
This lasagna can be served as a main course dinner and is convenient for slow cooking with minimal active time. It offers a different texture from oven-baked lasagna due to the gentle moist heat of the crock pot.
The notes clarify that eggs are unnecessary in the cheese mixture for binding, and that two layers may be preferred for even cooking and complete doneness in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 onion chopped, large
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 29 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles package
- 4 cup mozzarella cheese 16 ounces, shredded, part-skim
- 1 ½ cup cottage cheese 12 ounces, 4% fat
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain of excess grease.
- Add the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt and oregano; mix well.
- Spread a fourth of the meat sauce in an ungreased 5 qt. slow cooker. Arrange a third of the noodles over sauce (break the noodles if necessary). Combine the cheeses; spoon a third of the mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender.
Notes
- This recipe does not require precooked noodles or eggs in the cheese mixture, simplifying preparation.
- Use two to three layers of noodles and cheese for thorough cooking and even texture.
- Cottage cheese offers a lighter alternative to ricotta in this dish.
- Slow cooking fully softens the noodles and melds flavors without needing a white bechamel sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 498 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 498kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 51g | 102% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Cholesterol | 131mg | 44% |
| Sodium | 1451mg | 60% |
| Potassium | 422mg | 9% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 865IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 17.7mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 1139mg | 114% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.3
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