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The Best Crock Pot Lasagna (+Video)

Enjoy a delicious and easy meal with this Crock Pot Lasagna recipe! Tender pasta, flavorful meat sauce, and creamy cheese come together for a satisfying and hearty dish!

A DELICIOUS SLOW COOKER LASAGNA RECIPE

Lasagna is definitely some good ole comfort food. However, making lasagna totally from scratch can be time-consuming, right? Also, sometimes you just don’t feel like turning on the oven (especially in summer!) That’s where Crock Pot Lasagna comes in! This simple recipe lets you to enjoy all the deliciousness of lasagna with only a little bit of the effort and simple ingredients. Today I’m sharing my tried-and-true recipe for Crock Pot Lasagna. It’s received over 100 five star reviews so you know it’s a good one!

slice of crock pot lasagna on a white plate with slices of garlic bread in the background.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use ricotta instead of cottage cheese in lasagna?

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!

Why does some food burn in my slow cooker?

When I first came out with this recipe in 2012, slow cookers were all pretty standard and they cooked on low temperatures pretty evenly. Since then, slow cookers have evolved into many different types. I have found that newer slow cookers can run extremely hot, even on the low setting. If you have a slow cooker with a metal insert or a newer model of slow cooker, please note that they can get very hot and can burn certain foods like this. So be aware of the type of slow cooker you have and how it cooks. If you have a metal insert or a new model of slow cooker, I would recommend that you check the lasagna after about 2-3 hours to see how it is doing. This is why you see the larger variation of cooking time between 3-5 hours.

Also to note: If you have a slow cooker that has a locking lid, do not lock it while cooking. It is only meant to be locked while traveling. Locking the latches during cooking might build up pressure and might cause the lid to shatter or even cause the ceramic to break. Source: Crock Pot

Can I just use no-boil noodles in Crock Pot Lasagna?

Yes you can but it is not necessary in this recipe. No Boil noodles are a bit more expensive than regular lasagna noodles as well. I add water to this recipe to compensate for using regular lasagna noodles.

What do you serve with Crock Pot Lasagna?

We prefer to have it with a fresh salad and garlic bread, garlic breadsticks or cheesy garlic bread.

Could I make this an Alfredo Lasagna?

Absolutely! Check out my recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna for a creamy white version!

What if I don’t have a crock pot?

This particular recipe doesn’t work quite the same way in the oven. I created this recipe specifically for the slow cooker. However, if you want to make lasagna in the oven, try my Baked Lasagna recipe.

Why do you add water?

That extra bit of water is to help with the noodles. Since the noodles aren’t cooked. we want to add a bit more moisture to the pot to help those cook without drying out the lasagna.

Can leftovers be frozen?

Yes, Crock Pot Lasagna can be frozen for up to three months. Be sure to allow the lasagna to cool completely before placing it in a freezer safe container then wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. If not freezing, store any leftovers, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (let lasagna cool first before storing.)

fully baked lasagna with melted cheese on top in the slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • ground beef – you can use Italian sausage if you prefer.
  • onion – I like to chop up my onion pretty small. If you don’t like onion just leave it out or add about a teaspoon of onion powder.
  • garlic – I prefer fresh garlic, I think it packs more of a punch than the jarred stuff. But if that is all you have then go for it.
  • spaghetti sauce – make sure it’s a spaghetti sauce you like. I really like Rao’s roasted garlic but it can be pretty pricey. I also like Prego chunky garden as it is more affordable.
  • small curd cottage cheese – see my FAQ above about substitutions.
  • mozzarella cheese – I really like the mozzarella that has the cream cheese in it since I think it melts nicer but use your favorite.
  • parmesan cheese – you can use store-bought pre-shredded or shred it yourself.
  • egg – the egg acts a binder and helps keep that layer a bit more firm.
  • lasagna noodles – just the regular lasagna noodles. They do not need to be cooked first as they will cook in the slow cooker.
ground 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.

collage of two photos: brown and crumbled ground beef in a skillet; diced onions and minced garlic added to beef mixture.

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 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, egg, pepper and chopped parsley. Put your remaining cheeses back in the fridge, you’ll be using those as a topping later.

collage of two photos: spaghetti sauce and water added to beef mixture in skillet; cottage cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and parsley in a clear bowl.

 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.

collage of two photos: a little spaghetti sauce coating the bottom of the slow cooker; lasagna noodles broken up and put on top of sauce.

Next top with a layer of cottage 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 3-5 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft. Please see my notes in the recipe card below about cooking times.

collage of two photos: cottage cheese mixture added on top of lasagna noodles; meat sauce layered on top of cottage cheese layer.

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.

collage of two photos: shredded cheeses added on top of cooked lasagna; fully melted cheeses on top of lasagna in slow cooker.

Allow to cool with the lid off for several minutes. This will help it slice up much easier. Serve it up with a salad and some garlic bread.

a slice of slow cooker lasagna on a white plate with two slices of garlic bread toast in the background.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Originally published: February 2012
Updated photos & republished: March 2024

The Best Crock Pot Lasagna recipe from The Country Cook

Crock Pot Lasagna (+Video)

Crock Pot Lasagna means no need for an oven! Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and cheese made all in one pot. Easy and delicious!
4.98 from 188 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6

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 (see notes below)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
  • 8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles

For topping:

Instructions

  • Brown and crumble 1 pound ground beef along with 1 small onion, finely diced in a large skillet (or if your crock pot has a saute setting, use that.)
    brown and crumbled ground beef in a skillet.
  • Then add in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).
    cooked ground beef, onions and garlic being stirred by a wooden spoon in a skillet.
  • Drain excess grease from beef and put back into skillet. Pour in 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce and 1 cup water. Give it all a good stir.
    spaghetti sauce added to ground beef mixture in skillet.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 1 large egg and 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped.
    Cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, egg and parsley stirred together in a bowl.
  • Spray a 5-quart or larger oval crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of the slow cooker.
    spaghetti meat sauce spread into the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Top with one layer of the 8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles. Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot.
    broken up lasagna noodles in crock pot.
  • Next top with a layer of cottage cheese mixture.
    cottage cheese mixture added on top of lasagna noodles.
  • Keep adding layers (meat sauce, noodles, cottage cheese mixture). Keep enough of the meat sauce reserved so you can top off all the layers with some meat sauce. I was able to get about 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker.
    another layer of meat sauce added into crock pot.
  • Put the lid on and cook on low for 3-5 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft. NOTE: see the notes below for more cooking time information.
  • When it is finished cooking, add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese evenly on top and sprinkle with a bit more parsley (optional)
    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.
    Crock Pot Lasagna pictured in the slow cooker

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • PLEASE READ: When I first came out with this recipe in 2012, slow cookers were all pretty standard and they cooked on low temperatures pretty evenly. Since then, slow cookers have evolved into many different types. I have found that newer slow cookers can run extremely hot. If you have a slow cooker with a metal insert or a newer model of slow cooker, please note that they can get very hot and can burn certain foods like this. So be aware of the type of slow cooker you have and how it cooks. If you have a metal insert or a new model of slow cooker, I would recommend that you check the lasagna after about 2-3 hours to see how it is doing. This is why you see the larger variation of cooking time between 3-5 hours. 
  • FAQ’s: Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to other popular questions.
  • If you have a slow cooker that has a locking lid, do not lock it while cooking. It is only meant to be locked while traveling. Locking the latches during cooking might build up pressure and might cause the lid to shatter or even cause the ceramic to break.
  • Only a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker will work properly with this recipe. A round slow cooker will not create the desired result. 
  • Ricotta can be substituted for the small curd cottage cheese but that layer might be a bit drier and more crumbly.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 430mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

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 and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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