Crock Pot Lasagna

Make a cheesy, meaty lasagna easily in the crockpot! This recipe layers noodles, ricotta, meat sauce and three cheeses for incredible flavor with little effort. It’s the perfect hearty family meal.

Can I prep this lasagna the night before and then cook it the next day?

Yes, you can assemble the entire lasagna in your crockpot insert the night before and store covered in the fridge. In the morning, take it out and allow to come to room temperature before placing the insert into the crockpot base and beginning to cook on high for 3 hours.

What temperature should the crockpot be set to?

This recipe directs to cook the lasagna on the HIGH setting for 3 hours. You could try cooking it on LOW for 5-6 hours, though cooking times can vary among different crockpots. Check that the noodles are tender before serving.

Can I substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta?

While cottage cheese doesn’t provide the creamy richness of ricotta, you can replace the ricotta in equal amounts with cottage cheese if needed or preferred.

Can I make this lasagna in the oven instead?

Yes, you can bake the lasagna in a 9×13 inch casserole dish at 375°F covered with foil for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Then remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly on top.

Crockpot Lasagna

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 cups meat sauce (45 oz), divided
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp half and half
• 10 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)
• 3 oz shredded parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
• Lasagna noodles, uncooked as needed

Instructions:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until browned, 5-7 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed. Season beef with salt.
2. In a bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, egg, and half and half until well combined. Set aside.
3. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a 6-qt crockpot. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce, breaking noodles as needed to fit. The noodles will soften as they cook.
4. Spread half the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
5. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce over the mozzarella, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup parmesan. Recipe by Ineskohl.info
6. Repeat layers two more times, starting with the noodles and ending with the parmesan.
7. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or until the noodles are tender.
8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Dish out portions using a spatula to gently lift the lasagna from the edges, as the mixture will be very tender.
9. Don’t overcook the noodles. They continue cooking in the crockpot, so boil them just until barely tender before assembling. Overcooked noodles can turn mushy.
10. Let the lasagna rest before serving. Allowing it to sit for 10 minutes after cooking gives the ingredients time to firm up. This makes clean slicing much easier.
11. Grease the crockpot first. Coat the inside with nonstick spray or a thin layer of sauce to help prevent sticking, which can happen with long cook times.
12. Fill and drain the meat well. Browning excess moisture out of the ground meat ensures the dish won’t be watery. Drain off any fat after cooking.
13. Layer evenly and neatly. Taking time to spread each component in an even layer means better cohesion and nicely portioned servings full of all the ingredients.

Tips:

• Don’t overcook the noodles. They continue cooking in the crockpot, so boil them just until barely tender before assembling. Overcooked noodles can turn mushy.
• Let the lasagna rest before serving. Allowing it to sit for 10 minutes after cooking gives the ingredients time to firm up. This makes clean slicing much easier.
• Grease the crockpot first. Coat the inside with nonstick spray or a thin layer of sauce to help prevent sticking, which can happen with long cook times.
• Fill and drain the meat well. Browning excess moisture out of the ground meat ensures the dish won’t be watery. Drain off any fat after cooking.
• Layer evenly and neatly. Taking time to spread each component in an even layer means better cohesion and nicely portioned servings full of all the ingredients.

Notes:

For a meatier sauce, you can add crumbled cooked Italian sausage or ground beef. Customize it to your liking!

The long braising time gives the noodles a melt-in-your mouth texture while allowing the flavors to develop fully. Enjoy this easy cheesy lasagna!