Slow Cooker Lasagna (Printer-friendly)
Slow cooker lasagna with rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta and gooey mozzarella, a comforting, hands-off Italian dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauces & Canned Goods
04 - 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
05 - 6 ounces tomato paste
06 - 1 and 2/3 cups tomato sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - 2 teaspoons sugar
→ Cheese & Dairy
13 - 16 ounces ricotta cheese
14 - 1 large egg
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
16 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pasta
18 - 9 to 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook ground beef or sausage until evenly browned. Drain excess fat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and sugar. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, and parsley. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and fully blended.
04 - Lightly grease the inside of the slow cooker insert with nonstick spray or a small amount of oil.
05 - Spread a thin layer of prepared meat sauce on the bottom. Arrange 3 to 4 no-boil lasagna noodles over the sauce, breaking noodles as needed to fit. Add half of the ricotta mixture, one-third of the mozzarella, and one-third of the remaining meat sauce. Repeat the layering process with noodles, the rest of the ricotta, another third of mozzarella, and another third of sauce. Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, the last third of mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
06 - Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 5 hours, until noodles are tender and the cheese is completely melted.
07 - Turn off the heat and allow the lasagna to rest, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the layers set for easier serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Layers of flavor build up while you go about your day, making dinner feel effortless yet impressive.
- Cleanup is minimal and it feeds a crowd, so there&aposs more time to relax with your favorite people.
02 -
- Rushing the rest at the end leads to messy slices, trust me—it&aposs worth the wait.
- Breaking noodles to fully cover each layer stops the sauce from seeping to the edges and overcooking them.
03 -
- Don&apost skip browning the meat well; it gives the flavor a real boost.
- Layer your noodles slightly overlapping to prevent gaps that let sauce slip through.