Slow Cooker Lasagna is an easy recipe for your favorite lasagna. This Italian dish cooks in your crockpot while you go about your day. It is hearty and flavorful, using ground sausage and beef, rich tomatoes, vegetables and a creamy cheese mixture. 

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

For some reason Italian food has been on repeat at my house lately. Thank goodness no one is complaining.  You might have seen last week’s post for a hearty bolognese style Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce. This week I am sharing a hearty Slow Cooker Lasagna. As we approach spring and start grilling and filling out plates with fresh salads, I feel the need to fit a few more meals that involve my favorite comfort foods.  

Today’s Slow Cooker Lasagna is the only way I make lasagna. Call me lazy. Call me whatever you want. But this is easy and with three kids running around, making a traditional lasagna can be time consuming. If you haven’t jumped on the crockpot lasagna bandwagon, you need to! 

Today’s recipe uses ground beef and Italian pork sausage along with carrots and celery. The meat adds so much flavor and will fill you up. Lets talk for a minute about some ways you can change up the recipe:

COOKING TIPS AND MODIFICATIONS

1. I used ground beef and Italian pork sausage in this recipe but you can use whatever you would like. Ground turkey, chicken or pork works nicely. 
2. You can eliminate the meat all together. Try bulking it up more with vegetables, like mushrooms and zucchini. 
3. To make this recipe even easier you can buy your favorite store bought tomato sauce in place of the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. 
4. When cooking this lasagna on low I suggest checking it at the 3 hour mark. My lasagna is usually done at this point. If not, cover and cook another 30 minutes and check. 

INGREDIENTS FOR CROCKPOT LASAGNA:

• Ground beef and Italian pork sausage are the stars of this recipe. You can use whatever ground meat you like or sub in mushrooms instead of meat. 
• The tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes create the flavorful sauce so use your favorite brand for maximum flavor.
• The diced vegetables add nutrition, texture and of course flavor. Don’t skip those!
• Herbs and spices are always your friend. I used oregano, thyme and fresh parsley and basil. Use whatever you fancy!
• The cheese mixture creates the creaminess you love in lasagna. You can use whole milk ricotta cheese and whatever type of cottage cheese you like. It will still come out the same! 

WHAT SHOULD I MAKE WITH MY LASAGNA?

SIMPLE KALE SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING 

KALE SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND QUINOA 

LEMON ARUGULA SALAD WITH PINE NUTS 

SIMPLE GARLIC PARMESAN GREEN BEANS 

SIMPLE ROASTED BROCCOLI 

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

ONE POT ITALIAN CHICKEN TORTELLINI // DIETHOOD 

CREAMY ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA // THE SALTY MARSHMALLOW

CHEESY ITALIAN PASTA WITH MEATBALLS // JULIE’S EATS & TREATS 

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Slow Cooker Lasagna

Yield: 8-10

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Slow Cooker Lasagna is an easy recipe for your favorite lasagna. This Italian dish cooks in your crockpot while you go about your day. It is hearty and flavorful, using ground sausage and beef, rich tomatoes, vegetables and a creamy cheese mixture. 

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Ingredients

For the lasagna

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 - 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 - 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 - 6 ounce can of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 9-10 lasagna noodles
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Garnishes

• Fresh parsley
• Fresh basil

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat 2 Tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and the sausage, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until it is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain the fat and return to the pot.
2. Add in the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, thyme and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.
3. In another mixing bowl combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese and mix well.
4. Spray your slow cooker with a non-stick spray.
5. In a slow cooker spread an even layer of the meat sauce on the bottom. Layer three noodles on top of the sauce, breaking them as you need to fit them. Follow with another even layer of meat sauce, then the cheese mixture, then noodles and repeat two more times. You should end with sauce on top of noodles.
6. Spread the 1 remaining cup of mozzarella cheese over top of the sauce.
7. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until the cheese is just bubbling and the noodles are soft. Make sure not to overcook or the noodles will become tough.
8. Remove the lid, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and basil. Serve warm.

Notes

Keep the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

You can use a combination of whatever ground meat you like.

When I make this, it cooks for about 3 hours and is done. I suggest checking it at this point and then cooking longer if needed.