No need to heat up your oven when you make this easy recipe for crock-pot lasagna. This slow cooker lasagna recipe is my go-to meal for potlucks or a busy weeknight meal.
No longer worry about clean up after baking lasagna in the oven because this crock-pot lasagna cooks self-contained and there is no spillover.
Can I cook a frozen lasagna in a crockpot?
While I have never tried to cook a frozen lasagna in a crock-pot, I would not advise doing it. Frozen lasagnas are meant to be cooked in the containers they are purchased in. If you have success cooking a frozen lasagna in a slow cooker, please let me know in the comments how it went.
How do you transport a slow cooker lasagna?
When you are ready to take your slow cooker lasagna to your party or gathering, place your crockpot in its carrier, if it came with one, or wrap a beach or bath towel around the crockpot to catch any sauce that may bubble out. Be sure to pick up the crockpot from using the handles, not the lid, even if the lid is a locking lid.
Can this lasagna be made ahead?
The beauty of a slow cooker lasagna is that is can be made a day or two ahead of then it will be needed. Make the lasagna and assemble it in the crockpot, store covered in the refrigerator and bake offed a few hours before it is needed.
Crockpot Lasagna Ingredients:
- ground beef, browned. I use 80/20
- lasagna noodles
- spaghetti sauce Use your favorite brand.
- cottage cheese, large curd
- mozzarella cheese, I like to shred my own. I think it is more stringy.
- parmesan cheese.
How to make Crockpot Lasagna:
- Brown the ground beef.
- Precook the lasagna noodles
- Combine sauce with the browned off meat.
- Ladle sauce/meat mixture on the bottom of the crockpot.
- Layer par-cooked noodles to cover the bottom of the crockpot.
- Top with enough sauce and meat to cover the lasagna noodles.
- Cover the sauce with a generous portion of cheeses.
- Repeat the process.
- Turn the crockpot on low for 2-3 hours if you have warmed your sauce or cook on low for 3-4 hours if everything went into the pot cold. I would not recommend using the high setting as feel it dries out the noodles on the edges.
Crockpot Lasagna tips:
- Spray a large crockpot with cooking spray, for easier cleanup.
- Fill each jar 1/4 of the way full with water and swish to get out every last bit of sauce and dump into the sauce/meat mixture.
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Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef browned (or 1 lb. beef and 1 lb bulk Italian sausage)
- 1 box lasagna noodles boiled for 4 minutes...not 8-9 as stated on the box
- 3 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
- 2 cups cottage cheese large curd
- 6 cups of mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1-2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef a skillet over medium heat, until no more pink remains.
- Precook the lasagna noodles for 8-9 minutes. The lasagna noodles will be undercooked.
- Combine the 3 jars of sauce with the browned off meat.
- Fill each jar 1/4 of the way full with water and swish to get out every last bit of sauce and dump into the sauce/meat mixture.
- Warm the meat sauce mixture on the stove to heat through.
- Spray a large crockpot with cooking spray, for easier clean up.
- Ladle a thin layer of sauce/meat mixture on the bottom of the crockpot. This will help prevent the bottom layer of noodles from burning.
- Layer par-cooked noodles to cover the bottom of the crockpot. Over lapping each noodle by about 1/4 of the width of the noodle underneath
- Top with enough sauce and meat to cover the lasagna noodles.
- Cover the sauce with a generous portion of mozzarella, cottage cheese and grated parmesan cheeses.
- Repeat the process with a second layer of noodles but lay the noodles in the opposite direction of the first. I don't know if it makes a huge difference but I think it makes the lasagna more stable when it is sliced and served.
- Continue the process until you have run out of noodles, sauce and cheese. Be sure to top with remaining cheese so you have melted, gooey cheese on top.
- Turn the crock pot on low for 2-3 hours if you have warmed your sauce or cook on low for 3-4 hours if everything went into the pot cold. I would not recommend using the high setting as feel it dries out the noodles on the edges.
Video
Notes
- Spray a large crockpot with cooking spray, for easier clean up.
- Fill each jar 1/4 of the way full with water and swish to get out every last bit of sauce and dump into the sauce/meat mixture.
Nutrition
Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Marci Schwartz Lutsky says
I’ve never done lasagna in the crockpot. Now I want to try it with veggies!
1825 Crock Pot recipe says
Awesome recipe
Sarah Mock says
It IS that easy Cindy. Enjoy!
Sarah Mock says
I definitely would root or grill them first. The caramelization on the veggies will give it great depth of flavor!
A Fancy Girl Must says
It’s incredible how easy this is! Have you ever done a veggie lasagna? I wonder if you would need to roast or grill them first? This looks really good though…
Cindy says
It seems so easy! I’m going to try it!
Sarah Mock says
Lasagna is yummy no matter how it is served!
Dede says
I’ve had my friend’s crockpot lasagna and it was delicious. Never tried it myself. A coworker made lasagna soup in the crockpot and I liked it even better!
Leona Wescher Heasley says
An even better idea is that San Georgio makes little bite size lasagna noodles. I make with that a lot…we call it lasagna casserole
Danielle @ itsaharleyyylife says
I want to make lasagna in a crockpot. I try to suggest it every week before we go grocery shopping but my mom just isn’t sure about it yet. It looks so easy!