Crockpot Lasagna
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Unrated
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
587 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Italian
Crockpot Lasagna
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This easy crockpot lasagna recipe has the meaty, cheesy layers you love, but with half the work. You don't even have to boil the noodles!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 6 cloves garlic minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 (32-ounce) jar good-quality marinara sauce (4 cups), divided
- 24 ounces low-fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta cheese (about 3 cups)
- 1 (10-ounce) bag or box frozen spinach thawed and squeezed very dry
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves chopped, or ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for serving
- 9 dry lasagna noodles do not use oven ready/no boil noodles
- 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Coat a 6- or 7-quart slow cooker very generously on the bottom and sides with nonstick spray. Heat a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, oregano, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, breaking apart the meat with a spatula or spoon, until the meat is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds.
- Reserve 1 cup of the marinara sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 3 cups marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a fork to stir together the cottage cheese, spinach, egg, Parmesan, basil, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until evenly combined. Use the fork to break apart the spinach as needed.
- Assemble the lasagna: spread the reserved 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay 3 of the noodles on top of the sauce, breaking them as needed to make a roughly even layer—it doesn’t need to be perfect and is fine if some of the noodles overlap slightly and parts of the sauce peek through. I typically lay one noodle down the center, then break the other two in half and arrange them in a wide "V" in the open spaces on either side of the center noodle.
- Top with one-third of the meat sauce, spreading it into an even layer.
- Evenly dollop half of the cottage cheese mixture over the meat sauce. With the back of a fork, spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella.
- Repeat layers with the next 3 noodles, half of the remaining meat sauce, all of the remaining cottage cheese mixture, and half of the remaining mozzarella.
- Finish layering with the 3 final noodles and remaining meat sauce (refrigerate the last portion of the mozzarella until the end—if you add it now, it will disappear into the sauce while the lasagna cooks). Gradually pour the water in a slow stream over the top and around the edges of the lasagna, allowing some of it to trickle down the edges so it flows between the lasagna and the insert.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, until the noodles are tender and the lasagna registers 140 degrees F in the center (do NOT cook on high or the noodles will not cook through evenly— mine was done in 3 hours and 15 minutes). Turn off the slow cooker, uncover, and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.
- Carefully remove the insert from the base and set it on a wire rack (use oven mitts if needed; the insert is hot). Recover and let the lasagna rest for at least 20 minutes (if you serve it right away, it will fall apart). To serve, sprinkle the top generously with more fresh basil. Cut the lasagna with a knife and scoop out servings with a big spatula or spoon. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate lasagna in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1(of 6)
Calories
587kcal
(29%)
Carbohydrates
50g
(17%)
Protein
52g
(104%)
Fat
20g
(31%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
Trans Fat
0.5g
Cholesterol
119mg
(40%)
Potassium
1154mg
(33%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
6702IU
(134%)
Vitamin C
15mg
(17%)
Calcium
586mg
(59%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 587 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1(of 6) | |
| Calories | 587kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 50g | 17% |
| Protein | 52g | 104% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 119mg | 40% |
| Potassium | 1154mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 6702IU | 134% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 586mg | 59% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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