Description
Slow Cooker Lasagna is a hearty, comforting dish featuring layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, and creamy cheese cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. Ideal for busy days, it offers all the classic lasagna flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 9–12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef or sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes to develop flavor.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with egg and a portion of Parmesan cheese.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Layer uncooked noodles (breaking to fit), followed by ricotta mixture and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until noodles are tender.
- Uncover and let rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a thick sauce to avoid watery lasagna.
- No need to pre-cook the noodles.
- Can be assembled the night before and cooked in the morning.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for later use.
- A 6-quart oval slow cooker is ideal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
