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Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe
You’ll make this slow cooker lasagna again and again! So saucy and cheesy! An easy make-ahead crockpot lasagna – the noodles cook right in the crockpot! Can be fully assembled and refrigerated overnight and slow cooked the next day per step #5.
PREP TIME
15 mins
COOK TIME
4 hrs 15 mins
TOTAL TIME
4 hrs 30 mins
COURSE
Main Course
CUISINE
Italian
SERVINGS
10 slices of lasagna
CALORIES
437 kcal
INGREDIENTS
For the Meat Sauce
1 lb ground beef (80/20 fat content)
1 small onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves pressed
1/4 cup red wine or beef broth
32 oz marinara sauce
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
4 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped and divided
For the Cheese Sauce:
15 oz reduced fat ricotta cheese
16 oz low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg
1 lb mozzarella cheese (4 cups shredded), divided
For Assembling Lasagna:
9 lasagna noodles uncooked, NOT “oven-ready”
1/2 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large deep pan over medium heat, combine ground beef and onion. Cook, breaking up meat with a spatula until no longer pink (5 min). Add garlic and sauté 1 to 2 mins. Add 1/4 cup red wine and simmer until nearly evaporated (5 min).
Add 3 cups marinara, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 Tbsp chopped parsley. Mix well, cover and simmer 5 min.:
Make the cheese sauce: In a medium bowl, combine: 15 oz ricotta, 16 oz cottage cheese, 1 large egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Mix well.
Lightly oil slow cooker. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom then top with 3 noodles, breaking them to fit. Top with 1/3 of the Meat Sauce, sprinkle with 3/4 cup of your mozzarella cheese, then spread the top with 1/2 of your ricotta cheese mixture and repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles. Top the third layer of noodles with remaining meat sauce, 3/4 cup mozzarella and pour 1/2 cup water around the edges, allowing some of it to go down the side of the dish into lasagna.
Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 to 4 hours** then top with reserved mozzarella, cover and cook 10 mins or until cheese melts. Let the lasagna rest 15 mins for easier serving.
NOTES
Important: Do not cook on high!*Cook 3 1/2 hours on low if slow cooking right away and 4 hours on low if slow cooking after having the lasagna assembled and refrigerated overnight.
