Crock Pot Lasagna
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 Surprising Lasagna Recipe
Sometimes you just don’t feel like turning on the oven (especially in summer!) but you still want a good baked pasta dish. This simple recipe lets you to enjoy all the deliciousness of lasagna with only a little bit of the effort and simple ingredients. Trust me when I tell you, this turns out way better than you might assume. With over 100 five star reviews, you can trust it’s a good one!
I made this today and it was delicious! Will definitely make again. Easy and very tasty!
– Shirlee
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, of course. I know food snobs turn their nose up at cottage cheese in lasagna, but y’all, if you are making a lasagna in a crock pot, you already got the Italian Nonnas pulling their hair out. You are already so far from creating anything authentic, I doubt using cottage cheese is a stretch at this point. 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 but you do you.
Also, fun food lesson: ricotta literally means “recooked” and is made from leftover whey from other cheeses. Cottage cheese is made directly from milk.
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.
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.
We prefer to have it with a fresh salad and garlic bread, garlic breadsticks or cheesy garlic bread.
Absolutely! Check out my recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna for a creamy white version!
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.
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.
I am not saying this absolutely won’t work in a round crock pot but I don’t think it is the best option. It’s just not my personal recommendation, but it’s your kitchen so who I am to stop you?
With a round crock pot, you run the chance of the weight pressing down on the bottom layer and it burning before the top layer fully cooks. Crock pots already run super hot these days. You may not get even cooking like you would with an oval crock pot. Remember this is a casserole and casseroles are always spread out so they cook evenly and you don’t have one section getting super hot while the top half struggles to warm up and cook at the same time. It’s why we don’t cook lasagna in a tall pot, right?
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.)
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.
- pasta sauce – make sure it’s a spaghetti sauce you like. I really like Rao’s roasted garlic and Carbone’s pasta sauce 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. I prefer the small curd over the larger curd.
- 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Craving More Recipes?
- Mexican Lasagna
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Skillet Lasagna
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Homemade Traditional Baked Lasagna
- Lasagna Soup
- Crock Pot White Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Lasagna For Two
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Taco Spaghetti
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Cowboy Spaghetti
- School Cafeteria Spaghetti
- Sour Cream Noodle Bake
- Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
The Best Crock Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce (a 32 ounce jar can be used if you like it really saucy)
- 1 cup water
- 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese (see notes below)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, can use dried)
- 8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles
For topping:
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
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.)
- Then add in 1 Tablespoon minced garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).
- Drain excess grease from beef and put back into skillet. Pour in 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce and 1 cup water. Give it all a good stir.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese, 1 large egg and 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped.
- 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.
- 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.
- Next top with a layer of cottage cheese mixture.
- 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.
- 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 finely shredded parmesan cheese evenly on top and sprinkle with a bit more parsley (optional)
- Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.
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.
- 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.
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 and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: February 2012
Updated photos & republished: March 2024
Delicious and easy! Family loves it!
This was amazing! I have one of the smaller, newer models of crock pots and I cooked it on low for 3 hours. I used oven ready lasagna noodles, spicy Italian sausage and basil instead of parsley. everything else i followed and it came out perfect! my new go to recipe for lasagna
I forgot to add the egg **face palm. I’m hoping mine turns out!!!
Can you double the recipe? I made it and loved it!!!
If you’re using a larger crock pot but it gets tricky if you have a crock pot that runs hot. With that much extra, the outside could start to burn before the middle is done. I usually just use a second crock pot to be on the safe side.
I made this for a church get together last night. First time I had made it and I doubled it for the big crowd. It turned out fantastic. Thank you for the recipe.
That’s wonderful Matt! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and comment!
Super yummy! Thank you for the recipe!
I used Italian sausage and ricotta – and used more onions and garlic. Oh this was a marvelous recipe!!!!
Love hearing that – thank you so much Mike!
I used a mix of ground beef and ground that I needed to use up. This is definitely a keeper. I used Bertollini Olive Oil & Garlic sauce.
Thanks so much Lynn! I appreciate you coming back to comment!
I made this recipe and it definitely was the best lasagna!
Aww thanks so very much Kathryn! I really appreciate you saying so!
yummy and easy!! yea!!
Thanks so much Jill!
This turned out perfectly! The only thing I changed was added an extra egg. Next time I may add just a little more cottage cheese, because I was a little thin on the final layer. My whole family loves it. It’s delicious and easy! I’ll make this again.
Can you make this night before and make next day?
I don’t recommend it
I will never make lasagna any other way again!
This is the only lasagna I make. It is delicious. It is firm enough to cut. I get the same results every time. Everyone who eats it loves it. Thank you!!
Oh my, I tried this being very optimistic and it turned out fabulous! I believe I will never bake lasagna again! Tyvm for this recipe.
I made This recipe for dinner tonight!! I used Ground Beef and Italian sausage. It was absolutely delicious. I may never make Lasagna in the oven again!! lol. Thank you for the recipe!!❤️
will this recipe work with oven ready lasagna?
I have not tested it
If you wanted to use the high setting on your crock pot, how long would you cook the lasagna for?
I don’t recommend a high setting for this. The edges will burn.
If I wanted to use a few links of Italian sausage (maybe 2) in the recipe, should I reduce the amount of ground beef, or just add it in, in addition to the recipe as it is?
It’s up to you how meaty you want it. Personally I would probably reduce the amount of ground beef but if you like it super meaty then you don’t need to. AS long as it is cooked going in.
Ok, how is this better than the kind I make in the oven LOL! This was seriously amazingly good!! I can’t believe it. Everyone agreed they like this one best. And to all the cottage cheese haters – y’all are dumb (sorry not sorry) – this really did keep it moist without drying it out and everyone loved it. It is still cheese you guys!!! Just a different form. Do not make this with ricotta, it just won’t turn out the exact same (as others have already stated). Thanks so much Brandie! I appreciate all the time and effort you put into sharing recipes. You are a great teacher and you make it so easy to follow your recipes 🙂
Hi! I love this recipe and have made it many times! I have a diverticulitis flare up and need a blander diet than having ground beef right now. Is it possible to make this recipe with ground turkey? And would I need to tweak any other parts of the recipe?
Thank you so much! Laurie
Hi Laurie! So sorry to hear about that! You can certainly make it with ground turkey. I don’t think you’d need to make any changes.
I made this for my wife and kids and they ate all of it!I am so impressed how well a crock pot recipe for lasagna can turn out. I was very skeptical but I have tried many of your recipes for my family and we trust your recipes fully so I shouldn’t have had doubts. Thanks again for another winner. I also wanted to mention to folks skeptical about the cottage cheese – it really helps to keep this from drying out and works way better than ricotta so don’t be skeptical. Brandie knows what she is doing here. 🙂
Awww wow thanks so much Kenny! That really means so much! I really appreciate that you & your family trust the recipes I share 🙂
Do you think using a different type of noodle, like mini shells or bow ties would work? My mom has Alzheimer’s and has better luck eating with smaller noodles.
I’m so sorry to hear about your Mom 🙁 The smaller noodles have a tendency to clump together and get mushy so you have to be careful. I haven’t tested it with any other noodle and it’s possible more liquid would be needed simply because there are more noodles.
Great recipe! I did use a round crock pot (only choice) and still turned out great! My family loved it! Thanks!
So happy that worked for you! I had the worst luck using a round one but perhaps I didn’t layer it properly so it burned on the edges and the center lasagna pieces didn’t get fully softened. Thank you so much for coming back to comment!
I only have a round one and that is what I was going to use too. did you do anything different for it to not burn and cook all the way through?how long did you cook for?
I’ve been making your recipe for YEARS and it has not disappointed once. Thank you for sharing, it’s one of my favorite crockpot recipes!!
Thank you SO much Jessi!! So sweet of you to come back and comment – it really means so much to hear when someone loves a recipe!
Tried it, loved it! Posted it on FB and now everyone wants to try it. Made it before thanksgiving and making it again for Easter.
That means so much Josie! Thank you so much for sharing it!!
Loved this recipe came out great ty so much..
I made the slow cooker lasagna on Sunday. It was so delicious and cooked perfectly. My Husband and my Son both loved it. I was so proud of myself. I will make it again and again. It tasted better than storebought.
easy to make and delicious. My husband loved it. Thank you
This was so good. Honestly, it’s probably better than my oven version LOL
This is great! I took it to the nursing home for Christmas dinner. My Italian family couldn’t believe I made it in the crockpot.
This was great! Turned out better than a “regular pan” lasagna. The layers really held up (super tall!) and it was easy to add some chopped veggies into the cottage cheese layer. Makes enough for a potluck dish. YUM.
second time making this for my birthday tomorrow it is so much easier and less work than putting it in the oven and it is so good!!! Make this you won’t be disappointed
I have a 9×13 casserole crockpot. Do you think this will work in that?
I made this in my 9×13 crockpot and it was amazing! It cooked in about 3 hours
Very tasty with nice texture.
This came out amazing!
Can crock pot lasagna be made the day before?
Do you mean prepped the day before or actually made? I would not prep it the day before because the noodles will soak up all that liquid before it’s had a chance to cook.
I was a very skeptical about the cottage cheese as I have never made or had lasangna without ricotta. I thought about mixing half of each however then I read some of the reviews and they convinced me to stick with the recipe. I’m glad I did, this is one of the best crockpot dishes I have ever made, my family went after it like it was their job, my wife told me to add it to the rotation lol.
thank you for sharing this great recipe..
This was delicious. I almost never make lasagna, because let’s be honest, it can be a lot of work. Do not balk at the cottage cheese. Like she says, it adds moisture. I think if I had used ricotta, this would’ve come out very dry and crumbly. I made it for a huge get together and it was the first thing to go. Everyone asked for the recipe – so thank you!
Had great success with this recipe. Way better than all the other ones I’ve tried. This is now our go-to! I do agree about the crock pot heating. The newer ones these days do get so hot so fast. Mine is about 10 years old and I love it. It cooks perfectly. I don’t like the ones with the metal inserts, they just do not cook the same for recipes like this.
Ooooh mercy this was so good. I can’t believe I made it in a crock pot. Pretty sure my Italian grandmother would roll over in her grave but I don’t even care this was so good! LOL
LOL thanks so much Christina!
Can this recipe be doubled? Will it cook evenly?
I’ll be honest, I’ve never tried doubling. Usually if I have to double a crock pot meal (unless it is a soup), I will just use a second crock pot.
Love, love, love!! I took a chance on this because of the great reviews. I see you posted this years ago though but I’ll still comment LOL – it really is so surprisingly good! My whole family ate ALL of it! Thank you!
I have two big ole boys. This has been their favorite dish for about 40 years, and it so very like my recipe,(that I don’t even go by). Never made it in a Crock Pot before. I bet this is delish., that I have to try it. I am glad it ran across it.
Absolutely love the recipe, turned out perfect. Was definitely better than I expected. Will do it again thank you.
Thanks so much Suzanne! I really appreciate it!
So easy and absolutely delicious! make the night before, place in refrigerator, to let flavors meld even better.
Thanks so very much Bobbi!
Love the taste!
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.
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!
Very good recipe – don’t skip the cottage cheese like she says in the recipe. Ricotta does make it dry.
This is the only way I make lasagna now Brandie! 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! ❤
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!!
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!
Delicious, delicious, delicious – 5 stars all the way!