Get ready to be amazed by our slow cooker lasagna recipe, it’s so simple to make! Regular lasagna takes multiple pots, pans, and quite a long time to prepare, but with this crock pot recipe, you’ll have the pasta layered and ready to cook in just 15 minutes.
This no-fuss lasagna has become our go-to dish to add to any menu when we’re entertaining. We’ve served it at the holidays, during a tailgate party, and also brought it to a potluck. Both kids and adults love the classic Italian flavors and will never know how quick it was to assemble. The only thing you need to cook in advance is the beef!
We love a great slow cooker meal to help save time in the kitchen, our slow cooker beef stroganoff and slow cooker Mississippi chicken are two other of our favorite recipes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Prepare the lasagna in less than half of the time. The prep time is just 15 minutes for a hands-off meal you can set and forget.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd. One batch feeds up to 6 people, making it great for family-friendly weeknight dinners.
- It’s a great main course on it’s own or to serve with a delicious side dish like our oven roasted vegetables.
- Ideal make ahead recipe for busy weeks. We like to meal prep this recipe and portion it into individual servings to refrigerate or freeze. It comes in handy to reheat when we don’t have time to make dinner.
Tips for Busy Cooks
We use ground beef in this classic crock pot lasagna recipe, but you could also use ground turkey, chicken, or even Italian sausage.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef – I recommend at least 80 percent lean ground beef. Drain any excess fat as needed. You can also swap the ground beef for ground sausage or a mixture of the two if preferred.
- White onion – Adds a nice aromatic base of vegetable flavor.
- Garlic – Required in any great lasagna recipe, it infuses every bite with the flavor we love.
- Italian seasoning – Adds nice warm, herbal flavors.
- Marinara sauce – Use a high-quality, store-bought marinara sauce. Or, make your own!
- Lasagna noodles – Use wide lasagna noodles to form the classic layers of lasagna.
- Ricotta Cheese – The creamy cheese that helps with layering.
- Parmesan cheese – Adds saltiness in every bite.
- Shredded Mozzarella – The best melting cheese for that gooey texture.
How to make slow cooker lasagna
1. Brown the meat
- Cook the beef, onion, and garlic in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. Drain the excess fat.
2. Assemble the lasagna in slow cooker
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara along the bottom of a greased slow cooker.
- Layer 3-4 of the lasagna noodles on top, breaking them into pieces as needed.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta over the noodles followed by ¼ of the Mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan.
- Sprinkle ⅓ of the meat mixture over the cheese, and top it with 1 cup of marinara.
- Repeat the layers 3 more times, starting with the lasagna noodles.
- Top your lasagna with a final layer of noodles and marinara.
3. Slow cook
- Spread the remaining Mozzarella and place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours or until the noodles are tender.
- Slice, serve with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs, and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Use a slow cooker liner. Save time and prevent a mess by placing a slow cooker liner in the bottom of your slow cooker before you being layering the ingredients. Then, all you have to do is lift it out, and wipe your slow cooker down! It will look good as new with no tough scrubbing required.
- Brown the beef before layering the lasagna. Pre-cooking the beef ensures it cooks all the way through and helps lock in extra flavor.
- Don’t boil the noodles. You want to layer them uncooked and they will soften in the slow cooker (genius right?). If your lasagna noodles are too long to fit in the slow cooker, break them into pieces until they can be arranged in an even layer. Don’t worry if they overlap a little bit! They’ll fuse together as they cook.
- Swap the ricotta for cottage cheese if desired. We like to use full-fat cottage cheese here, this is a common recipe adaptation in the Midwest and also delicious.
- Make sure the noodles are fully covered in sauce to ensure even cooking. This is the foolproof tip to guarantee your noodles will cook evenly until they are tender in the slow cooker.
- You will know the lasagna is ready to eat when the noodles are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. We recommend to set the crock pot on High for 3 hours or Low for 5 to 6 hours.
Storage
If you have leftovers, let them cool in the crock pot until room temperature then place them into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven for a couple of minutes until warmed through.
You can also freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. We love to do this as a great way to meal prep for a busy week ahead. Just thaw the portions overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or oven.
You can easily assemble the lasagna in advance if you want to prep dinner in advance. If your slow cooker has removable components, you can assemble your lasagna as the recipe card states. Then, instead of leaving it to cook, cover the dish, and transfer it to the refrigerator. You can store uncooked lasagna for up to 24 hours. Cook the lasagna when ready, adding a couple of extra minutes onto the cook time.
FAQs
Enjoy this dish with all your favorite sides and appetizers. Breadsticks, creamy cucumber salad, and Instant Pot artichokes all make great options!
Yes, feel free to leave out the meat completely, replace it with meatless crumbles, or add a layer of thinly sliced veggies like zucchini, onions, mushrooms, and squash.
Absolutely. Simply replace the regular lasagna noodles with a gluten-free variety, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Yes, feel free to substitute equal parts cottage cheese for ricotta, if preferred.
Most lasagna recipes, this slow cooker lasagna included, call for at least 3 layers of noodles, sauce, and cheese. Anything less is not considered to be true lasagna.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 non-stick skillet
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20 Note 1
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 (48oz) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (16oz) box lasagna noodles uncooked
- 1 (15oz) tub ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook, breaking up the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the excess fat and set aside.
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and evenly spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce along the bottom.
- Layer 3-4 lasagna noodles along the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking them into pieces to fit if necessary.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta cheese over the lasagna noodles using a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Sprinkle a ¼ of the mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon of the grated parmesan cheese over the ricotta.
- Layer on ⅓ of the ground beef mixture and spread evenly.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over top of the ground beef mixture. Repeat the process starting at step 3 two more times. Finish with one more layer of the lasagna noodles, marinara sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours or until the lasagna noodles are tender
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle the lasagna with remaining parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat portions in the microwave.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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This recipe was originally published on June 6, 2023.
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