The Country Cook

CROCK POT LASAGNA (+Video)

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5 from 30 votes
Crock Pot Lasagna means no need for an oven! Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese made all in one pot. Easy and delicious! #crockpot #lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna means no need for an oven! Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese made all in one pot. Easy and delicious!

CROCK POT LASAGNA

I’m always looking for new ways to use my Crock Pot (a.k.a. slow cooker.) It really is one of the most used items in my kitchen. I think one of the things I love most about it is it can be used year round. Don’t want to heat up your kitchen in the summertime by turning on your oven? Use your Crock Pot. Want to save on your electric bill when you’ve had your electric heat cranking all winter? Use your Crock Pot.Crock Pot Lasagna slice on a plate with garlic bread with salad

VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:

CAN I SUBSTITUTE COTTAGE CHEESE FOR RICOTTA?

Yes, of course. However, there is a reason I use cottage cheese in this recipe. It’s to keep it all from drying out. Ricotta is a drier, crumbly cheese. It can dry out pretty quickly in this recipe if it’s cooked too long. So, I use cottage cheese to keep it all nice and luscious! Be sure to check out my CROCK POT CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA – I use ricotta in that one! 🙂Crock Pot Lasagna recipe from The Country Cook

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
ground beef
onion
garlic
spaghetti sauce
water
small curd cottage cheese
mozzarella cheese, divided use
parmesan cheese
egg
parsley (optional)
lasagna noodlesground beef, onion, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water, small curd cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg parsley, lasagna noodles

HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT LASAGNA:

Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet. You need a larger skillet for this because you’ll be adding the spaghetti sauce and water to it later. Then add in onion and garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes. I like to season my beef mixture with a little salt & pepper at this point too.browning the ground beef in a large skillet
Drain excess grease from beef. And put back into skillet.draining ground beef in a strainer
Pour in spaghetti sauce and water.
spaghetti sauce and water added to cooked ground beef in a large pan
Give it all a good stir (you can turn the heat off at this point.) Give it a taste test, add additional salt if necessary. In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, egg, pepper and chopped parsley. Put your remaining cheeses back in the fridge, you’ll be using those as a topping later.cottage cheese, Parmesan Cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese and parsley stirred together in a bowl
Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of slow cooker.spaghetti sauce layered in bottom of 6-quart oval slow cooker
Top with one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot.lasagna noodles layered in a slow cooker
Next top with a layer of cheese mixture.mozzarella cheese mixture layered on top of lasagna noodles
Keep adding layers, ending with meat sauce. I was able to get 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker.
final meat sauce layer in crock pot
Put the lid on and cook on low for 4-6 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft.fully cooked lasagna in 5-quart oval slow cooker
When it is finished cooking, add remaining cheeses and sprinkle with a bit of parsley.final topping of shredded mozzarella cheese and parsley added on top of lasagna
Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.finished, slow cooker meaty lasagna with melted mozzarella cheese
Slice and serve it up with a salad and some garlic bread.
Crock Pot Lasagna slice on a plate with garlic bread with salad

Enjoy!

Originally published: February 2012
Updated & republished: June 2019

Edited to add: The original post had a giveaway. That giveaway has ended.

CROCK POT LASAGNA

Crock Pot Lasagna means no need for an oven! Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese made all in one pot. Easy and delicious!
5 from 30 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crock Pot Lasagna
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 498kcal
Author: Brandie @ The Country Cook

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (15 oz) container small curd cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided use
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
  • 4-6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Instructions

  • Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet.
  • Then add in onion and garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes.
  • Drain excess grease from beef and put back into skillet.
  • Pour in spaghetti sauce and water.
  • Give it all a good stir.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, egg, pepper and chopped parsley. (Put your remaining cheeses back in the fridge, you'll be using those as a topping later)
  • Spray crock pot with no-stick cooking spray.
  • Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of slow cooker.
  • Top with one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles.
  • Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot.
  • Next top with a layer of cheese mixture.
  • Keep adding layers, ending with meat sauce. I was able to get 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker.
  • Put the lid on and cook on low for 4-6 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft.
  • When it is finished cooking, add remaining cheeses and sprinkle with parsley.
  • Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Video

Notes

Slice and serve it up with a salad and some garlic bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 2.4mg
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WANT MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS? GIVE THESE A TRY!
EASY BAKED SPAGHETTI (A.K.A. SPASAGNA)
EASY MEATLESS LASAGNA ROLLS
SAUSAGE SPAGHETTI “CUPCAKES”
EASY BAKED ZITI
BUBBLE UP LASAGNA

 

About Brandie @ The Country Cook

I’m a regular home cook, like most of you, doing my best to get a good meal on the table for my family. I like to say the recipes on here are recipes for the busy cook (you know who you are). You can still get a good meal on the table, with a few shortcuts to help you along the way. I hope you’ll find lots of recipes here that you’ll love and hopefully will become family favorites. Read more...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deanna

    5 stars
    I’ve tried several crockpot lasagna recipes, and this one is by far the BEST!! My husband and 9 yr old immediately said “yum” after their 1st bite. I loved the flavor and the noodles were cooked perfectly, but for personal preference I might try adding a bit more sauce next time. But it was still very delicious!! I’m adding it to my personal collection of handwritten recipes!

    Reply

    • Brandie @ The Country Cook

      Oh gracious-I love hearing this Deanna!! Thank you so very much for trying my recipe out. It really means the world. Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!!

      Reply

  2. JoAnne

    5 stars
    A regular in our house – easy and delicious. My 100% Italian coworker won’t use any other lasagne recipe! Love this with the Bertolli olive oil and garlic pasta sauce. Great recipe and you can have lasagne in the summer without heating up the house with the oven.

    Reply

    • Brandie @ The Country Cook

      Hi Robert – yes you could. Just follow the recipe as written and replace with oven ready noodles if that’s what you have. 🙂

      Reply

  6. Kevin

    5 stars
    First time ever making lasagna in a crock pot. I am hooked! This recipe is amazing, easy, and absolutely delicious!
    Thank You

    Reply

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