Crockpot Lasagna

I’m excited to tell you that “Yes! You can make lasagna in a slow cooker!” Ever since I tinkered enough to perfect it, this easy crockpot lasagna recipe is my go-to when I’m craving lasagna but don’t have time to make the classic layered dish. The basic steps are to brown the meat, mix it together, and set the crockpot to cook. 

I even managed to sneak in some extra veggies and protein to make this one more filling than your traditional lasagna recipe. My picky eaters don’t even notice, and one batch makes plenty to feed my whole family, including my hungry teens, and even leaves some leftovers for my lunches.

Ingredients To Make This Dish

These are the ingredients this recipe requires: 

• Avocado oil – may sub olive oil
• Lean ground beef – I use 90-93% lean beef. Or, you may substitute lean ground turkey, ground chicken, or uncooked Italian sausage
• Yellow onion
• Minced garlic
• Seasonings – Italian seasoning or dried oregano, salt, and black pepper
• Marinara sauce – feel free to use homemade or store-bought marinara sauce; may sub tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, or your favorite red pasta sauce
• Water
• Fresh spinach
• Uncooked lasagna noodles – make sure to use regular lasagna noodles, not the no-boil varieties, and break them into pieces. May sub gluten-free lasagna noodles, or use regular or gluten-free bow-tie pasta
• Cottage cheese – may sub part-skim ricotta cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese – you’ll need 1 standard bag (2 cups mozzarella cheese)
• Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil – this is optional, but makes a flavorful garnish 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredient Highlight: Ground Beef

I love to incorporate high-quality red meat into my family’s meals every week, and grass-fed beef is one of my favorite options. Not only is it a delicious ingredient, but it’s also extremely versatile, an excellent source of high-quality protein, and is full of health benefits. for example, ground beef is:

• A complete source of protein containing all essential amino acids
• Rich in heme iron
• Provides four essential vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12)
• An excellent source of zinc which helps support hair, skin, and nail health as well as cognitive function, fertility, and reproduction

Equipment You’ll Need

While this crockpot lasagna is definitely one of my favorite crockpot recipes, it does require a few additional kitchen tools. I also use a large skillet, a spoon or spatula, and cooking spray to prepare the ingredients before combining them in the slow cooker.

How To Make Crockpot Lasagna 

1. Brown the beef: Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat, and generously mist it with cooking spray. Then, add the ground beef, onions, garlic, and seasonings. Saute until the onions start to soften and the beef is cooked through. Drain any excess fat.
2. Add to slow cooker: Mist the slow cooker crock with cooking spray, and add the ground beef mixture to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the marinara sauce, water, spinach, uncooked noodles, and part of the mozzarella; stir.
3. Stir the ingredients and cheese mixture: Dollop the cottage cheese over the meat sauce and noodles, and very gently fold it into the mixture. There’s no need to mix it a lot – just enough to get every incorporated. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
4. Slow cook it: Cover the crockpot and set it to cook on LOW for 2-4 hours or until the noodles are tender.
5. Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Make It Gluten-Free

If you’re serving this to someone who eats gluten free, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve tested this crockpot lasagna with gluten-free lasagna noodles and it works great. All you have to do is substitute the regular lasagna noodles with your favorite gluten-free variety. It helps to break them into large pieces (not tiny bits). Or, you can use gluten-free bow-tie pasta, too. And we find that we can reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes when using gluten-free noodles.

How To Serve

This slow cooker lasagna isn’t quite as sturdy as traditional lasagna. So, I typically serve it in a shallow bowl instead of a plate. It’s filling enough to serve on its own, but if you’re feeding hungry kids like me, then side dishes are usually expected. Luckily, lasagna pairs well with so many of my favorite sides: green goddess salad, sautéed asparagus, parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts, garlic bread, and this gluten-free olive bread. If making this for a dinner party, I’d serve it with a bottle of dry farm wine and our Olive Garden salad. 

How To Store

Once they’re cool, leftovers can be transferred to an airtight meal prep container. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat from frozen, I recommend thawing frozen leftovers in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Then, warm a serving in the microwave on high heat for 1-2 minutes.

video: let’s make crockpot lasagna

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Casey Colodny of The Mindful Hapa.

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