Crock Pot Lasagna means no need for an oven! Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese made all in one pot. Easy and delicious!
A DELICIOUS LASAGNA RECIPE
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. Even with the invention of electric pressure cookers and air fryers. I use those too but slow cookers are so inexpensive and most people own one. I find myself going back to my slow cooker time and time again.
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! Or if you want something a bit more traditional, try my HOMEMADE BAKED LASAGNA RECIPE. Also for a chicken this, my CROCK POT CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA is definitely worth making!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- spaghetti sauce
- water
- small curd cottage cheese
- mozzarella cheese, divided use
- parmesan cheese
- egg
- 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.
Drain excess grease from beef. And put back into skillet.
Pour in spaghetti sauce and water.
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 ½ 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 crockpot with non-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 a bit of parsley.
Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.
Slice and serve it up with a salad and some garlic bread.
WANT MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Crock Pot Lasagna (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce a 32 ounce jar can be used if necessary
- 1 cup water
- 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided use
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 4-6 uncooked lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet (or if your crock pot has a saute setting, use that.)
- 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 ½ 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.
- Ricotta can be substituted for the small curd cottage cheese.
- Only a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker will work properly with this recipe. A round slow cooker will not create the desired result.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: February 2012
Updated & republished: August 2020
Edited to add: The original post had a giveaway. That giveaway has ended.
Mizz P
I've made this recipe at home and am now making at our vacation house as we have a crockpot in the cupboard. The basic ingredients are readily available (lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, mozz, pasta sauce, and an egg) at about any grocery store. You don't even have to include meat it you don't want to. Put it all together after lunch and when dinner time rolls around the house smells fabulous and you're DONE! Maybe steam up some fresh or frozen broccoli and/or make a quick green salad. PLUS, there's leftovers.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much for this great comment! I am so thrilled to hear you enjoy this one. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment!
Debra Clements
Very good recipe. I skipped the water and used the rest of the jar of spaghetti sauce. Why toss it out? It was perfect.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
So you must’ve had a jar larger than 26 ounces since this recipe does use the whole jar. Glad you enjoyed this one!!
Butterflybon
This is the only way I make lasagna, in the crockpot! I like to prepare it by Noon and turn it on for several hours. This recipe is so good! You can use Italian sausage/ ground beef combo for a change, but the recipe as it is, delicious!
Making it this weekend! ❤
Lori
I have never made lasagna in the crockpot so my expectations weren't high,BUT this recipe was sooo great! Everyone in the house loved it and it is perfect on a hot summer day when you cant use the oven. So definitely will be using it often!!
Linda P
Our oven is not working and won't be fixed for another three days. Stumbled on this while looking for non-oven meals. Awesome is the only way to describe how delicious this is. It gave me and hubby the lasagna fix we were craving without having to do take out. I did substitute low sodium beef broth for the water and layered shorter sized noodles vertically in the crockpot, as the size was almost a perfect match. Mine only had to cook for four hours, not including the 15 minutes after adding some grated pecorino romano and shredded mozzarella on top. Hubby is a huge fan of my oven version of lasagna, so the kudos from him should tell you this recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing!
Chaylin
Can you make it with cooked noodles and just cut cooking time in half ?