Slow Cooker Lasagna
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
10 Servings
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Calories
581 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Description
Slow Cooker Lasagna uses ground beef cooked with onions, seasoned with basil, oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and red pepper flakes, then simmered in marinara sauce. The mixture is layered in a slow cooker with broken lasagna noodles and dollops of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. The dish cooks on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until bubbling and tender.
The slow cooker method softens the noodles and melds the flavors without the need to pre-boil pasta, though the noodles should be covered by sauce and water mixture added if necessary. The result is a rich, cheesy lasagna with a hearty meat sauce and well-incorporated herbs and spices.
Allowing the lasagna to rest after cooking helps it firm up and makes slicing easier. Leftover noodles may remain, as fitting full boxes into the slow cooker can be difficult. Adding extra water ensures noodles cook evenly.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef , (85/15)
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 2 teaspoons basil dried
- 2 teaspoons oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
- 6 cups marinara sauce , (or two bottles of pasta sauce with two added cups of water)
- 1 box lasagna noodles , don't use the no-boil variety
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 6 ounces Parmesan Cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or skillet, add the beef and onion on medium high heat, breaking it apart into small crumbles as it cooks, about 6-8 minutes.
- Drain any excess fat from the pan.
- Add in the basil, oregano, fennel seeds, Kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add in the marinara sauce and stir to combine.
- Add enough sauce to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Into your slow cooker evenly layer in the following order (take care to make sure the layers are as flat as possible): • Lasagna noodles broken to fit the shape of your slow cooker (a little overlap is totally fine here). • Spoon a third of the meat sauce. • Add a third of the ricotta in small spoonfuls along with a third of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
- If you want the slices to come out clean, as with any lasagna you would have to wait 15-20 minutes for it to cool a bit. Remove the insert from your slow cooker and place on a heat-safe surface.
Notes
- Some noodles may remain unused because they won't fit well in the slow cooker layers.
- If the noodle layer isn't fully covered by liquids, add water to cover them for even cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 581 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 581kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 46g | 15% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 106mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 1453mg | 61% |
| Potassium | 899mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 1076IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 369mg | 37% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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