Once you taste this lasagna, you’ll never go back to the oven. Get the rich traditional taste of mom’s lasagna without the work! I’m talking no pre-heating oven, no boiling noodles, no mixing ingredients together.
Just shake, layer everything in and let the slow cooker do the rest. Less time, less dishes. And a serving of green veggies!
When I think of lasagna the following words come to mind: birthdays, laughter, friends and family, warmth, dining room, holidays, etc.
My mom is known for her huge pan of lasagna which is certainly a staple for celebrations. While I love eating it, I have to be honest. These following words also come to mind: too much work!
The recipe that I’m sharing today is one that I’ve been making for years. It’s another one of those that my family knows me for because at one time, I think everything I made was in a slow cooker (back to my philosophy of not spending time cleaning dishes!) I received a cookbook as a gift and came across a meal concept that I knew I had to try–
Lasagna!
I had my doubts at first, but I have to say this: lasagna is definitely one meal that should be made in a slow cooker. Of course, I’ve made it my own by adding in extra good ( and fully cooked meat crumbles!) and continue to be surprised at how well it turns out every time.
Why is this the best Slow Cooker Lasagna?
- Minimal Equipment– one pot!
- Minimal Prep…!!!
- Safe– no boiling water or browning meat with littles under foot
- Kid friendly
- Full of flavor– the slow cooker helps marry the the flavors and melt, crisp, bubble just like that large pan in the oven
Plus, without all the work and heating the oven, it’s light enough to enjoy Lasagna all year round!
Do I need to boil the noodles?
No!! And that’s the beauty here! Grab your uncooked noodles right from the pantry. Open the box, break them into pieces and layer them in. No need to buy a specific kind of noodle either. We’re talking the good ol’ dry regular 99 cent lasagna noodles here.
…Did I mention you don’t even need to brown meat?
Ingredients
- 6-8 lasagna noodles
- Pre-cooked sausage crumbles
- Ricotta Cheese
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Jar of Marinara/Pasta sauce
- Frozen Diced Onion
- Italian Seasoning
- Spinach leaves
Substitutions
- Lasagna noodles– could use gluten free or whole wheat
- Sausage Crumbles– Sub in whatever meat you prefer! Brown 1 lb of ground beef, ground turkey, pork sausage or use chicken
- Shredded Mozerella Cheese– could use Italian blend or preferred shredded cheese
- Marinara Sauce– use your preferred pasta sauce. You could even make my Easy Marinara Sauce here for some extra nutrition
- Onion– You could dice up fresh in place of frozen
- Italian seasoning– make your own blend
- Spinach leaves— sub in any veggie. Peppers, zucchini, mushrooms…the list goes on!
How do I make No Prep Slow cooker lasagna?
Start by spraying slow cooker insert with non-stick spray ( I use a 4 qt slow cooker). Then layer in 2-3 noodles, overlapping is okay.
Next, open package of meat crumble and add in Italian seasoning and chopped onion
Shake and/or stir meat mixture around until well blended.
Pour half of meat mixture on top of lasagna noodles, covering well.
Next, open jar of sauce and pour about half on top of meat mixture. Follow with measured water.
Add in the greens! Layer in fresh spinach leaves, packing as tightly as prefer (Tip: if leaves have long stems, consider removing before layering).
Grab a spoon and spread half of ricotta cheese ontop of spinach leaves. I like to drop smaller blobs on top of spinach and spread using the back of spoon with light pressure and a ” swirl and press technique. “
Sprinkle on that shredded mozzarella cheese.
Now you can repeat layers, omiting water. You will end with shredded cheese (and a little more spinach for color!). Put on lid and set on low for 3 hour-4 hours. It will brown and bubble when done.
Tips for Making lasagna in slow cooker
- Don’t overthink the layers too much when assembling. Break up the noodles and place them to fit the majority of your crockpot. You can use more or less, depending on your preference.
- If you’re using a crockpot larger than 4 QT, you may need 8 noodles
- If you have the time, take the lid off and allow to “cool” in crockpot prior to serving. This allows the moisture to absorb and help the lasagna firm up to ease serving
- You can’t mess this up! Once I forgot water or added it in last and it still turned out okay.
How to serve or store
Serving is easy. Just cut out slice and use a big spoon to help scoop out piece by piece. Like any good lasagna, a little messy is best but this truly does keep its form well.
Leftovers taste even better because the lasagna has even more time to firm up. Store covered in airtight container. When ready to reheat, portion out pieces and re-heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until warm
What makes this a healthier meal?
- Less pasta
- Less cheese
- Adding in greens
- Less stress
And that less point is a HUGE point. If lasagna was not so easy to prep, I’d likely not make it for my family. But with this ease, my kids are forming the same lasagna memories like I did when I was growing up. Now that’s healthy.
Can I swap in other things?
Please see list above for ingredient substitution.
Variations can be made. Again, I’ve shown you the fastest way with shortcut: precooked meat crumbles.
However, you can always use ground beef, browning it before placing into crockpot. Or if you’re looking for a vegetarian slow cooker lasagna, you can certainly skip the meat and tweak as needed.
Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe
So now that you know the best kept secret to making lasagna, I’ll let you in on this– Even my mother, who finds pure joy in spending a whole day in the kitchen for a meal that’s gobbled up within minutes, has come over to the slow cooker side. It’s THAT good.
Please see full recipe card below and Enjoy!
Looking for another meal with minimal prep?
Be sure to check out out a similar balanced recipe
Full Heart?
I’m so excited to share this recipe! Please let me know how easy this made preparing lasagna. Leave a comment and be sure to share recipe (or lasagna!) with a friend.
No Prep Slow Cooker Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 1 package sausage crumbles like Jimmy Dean
- 1/2 cup onion frozen
- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
- 24 oz pasta sauce marinara or spaghetti
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- 15 oz ricotta cheese lite
- 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Break noodles and place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.
- Open package of meat crumbles and add in Italian seasoning and chopped onion
- Shake or stir meat mixture in bag until well blended
- Pour half of meat mixture on top of lasagna noodles, covering well.
- Add half of sauce, water, half of spinach, half of ricotta cheese and half of mozzarella cheese over meat. Repeat layers.
- Sprinkle a little more spinach on top. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours
- Turn heat off and let sit for another 30 minutes, then slice and serve
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