Crockpot Lasagna

Lasagna is a family favorite around here, but on a random Tuesday night it’s not necessarily something I have time to make. Between boiling the pasta, browning the meat and mixing fillings and layering it all and getting it in the oven…it’s not a dish that lends itself to a random Tuesday night dinner.

…Unless you make it in a Crockpot.

Why I Make Lasagna in the Crockpot Now

This crockpot lasagna is SO GOOD. My husband is VERY picky when it comes to his lasagna and he likes this version BETTER than the oven-baked version.

He likes the way the noodle turns out cooked this way better than if they’re cooked in the oven. And the children don’t seem to notice a difference at all.

It’s layered with all of the same yummy goodness the original recipe calls for like pasta, meat sauce, cream cheese blend, melty mozz, etc. You just plop it in your Crockpot and leave it be for 4 hours, or start it off at noon and it’ll be ready to go by 6, while you’re running errands, working, playing, doing whatever.

Then, come dinnertime you’ll be rewarded with the smell of a delicious lasagna ready to devour.

Note that I’m using REGULAR lasagna noodles for this recipe, broken in half, NOT the no-boil kind. At first I thought it would be strange to use dry pasta in a lasagna but it works beautifully.

They get super soft and soak up all of that yummy sauce and broth.

Also, I’ve been making lasagna with cottage cheese my whole life because that’s how they’re made in our family. Ricotta also works wonderfully in lasagna and you can sub that in place of the cottage cheese if you’d like.

What to Serve Alongside It

I love to serve garlic bread with lasagna, and you simply slice a baguette lengthwise, spread it with butter, minced garlic and some Italian seasoning and pop it under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Trust me, there WILL be extra sauce on your plate and you’re gonna wanna mop it all up.

A nice green salad also goes great with this, since the acidity and crispness in a nice caesar or green salad cuts the heaviness in the lasagna and gives your meal some much needed freshness.

I make this recipe about once every other week. We love lasagna in our family.

Top with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and a little cracked pepper, or a little red pepper flakes for a little kick.

How Far Ahead You Can Make This

Tips for Success:

• Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It actually tastes even better the next day. This recipe freezes well. To reheat, place a serving in a bowl and cover with a paper towel, and microwave for 90 seconds, or until heated through. Alternatively, cover tightly with foil and bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
• To meal-prep: Cook ahead on Sunday for easy lunches during the workweek. It fits perfectly into lunch containers.
• Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat.
• Meal prep tip: To save yourself about 15 minutes in the morning, brown the meat and make the cottage cheese mixture the night before. Store in the refrigerator and add to crockpot in the morning when you’re ready to assemble.

Crockpot Lasagna FAQ

Can I use no-boil lasagna noodles?

No, do not use no-boil lasagna noodles. No-boil lasagna noodles are designed to cook in a hot oven for about 45 minutes and soak up sauce.

This recipe calls for regular lasagna noodles, broken in half, that can cook slowly for 4 hours and soak up the right amount of moisture. Using no-boil lasagna noodles will make them turn to mush.

Can I substitute cottage cheese with ricotta cheese?

You can swap out the cottage cheese with 20 ounces ricotta cheese. It will have a slightly different flavor and the ricotta cheese will make it creamier, not curdy like cottage cheese.

I grew up eating cottage cheese and still love it.

Can I make this on high?

Nope, this recipe must cook on LOW. If you try to speed up cooking time by cooking on high, the moisture in the sauce will boil off too quickly and result in overcooked pasta at the bottom of the crockpot and undercooked pasta at the top.

To cook all layers evenly, lasagna needs to cook on low.

What size crockpot do I need?

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. A 4 quart crockpot will be too small to fit all of the layers and an 8 quart slow cooker will fit but will be thinner and cook faster.

Start checking at 3.5 hours if you don’t have a 6 quart slow cooker.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes! Skip the meat and use a really flavorful marinara sauce.

Add about 2 cups sauteed mushrooms and 1 cup spinach (make sure to squeeze the spinach really dry).

Why is my lasagna watery?

Usually watery lasagna is the result of a sauce that is on the thinner side. Also, cottage cheese will release a little water when it’s heated.

Use full-fat cottage cheese and drain off the liquid that floats to the top. This should give you nice, defined layers.

If you add spinach, be sure to drain this well, too.

Five Ways to Change It Up

All Beef Version: omit the Italian Sausage and use 1 pound of ground beef plus a teaspoon of fennel seed and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Extra Cheesy Version: stir one cup of shredded mozzarella into the cottage cheese. Use two cups of shredded mozzarella as the topping instead of one cup.

Spicy Version: Use hot Italian Sausage in place of sweet. Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes when browning meat for the sauce.

White Lasagna: Use 45 ounces of jarred Alfredo sauce instead of red sauce, cooked chicken instead of beef and Italian Sausage and add one cup of chopped, well-drained spinach.

Vegetarian Version: Leave out the meat and add two cups of sliced, cooked mushrooms. Add a cup of well-drained spinach.

Use a flavorful jarred marinara or homemade sauce.

Four Ways to Eat Leftover Crockpot Lasagna

Lasagna Panini: slice lasagna in half, add mozzarella in the middle and sandwich between Italian bread that has been lightly toasted. Cook in a buttered skillet until browned.

Lasagna Stuffed Peppers: Slice a red pepper in half and remove the seeds. Spoon in leftover lasagna.

Sprinkle with cheese and cook at 375°F for about 25 minutes.

If you’ve got leftovers, cut them in half down the middle of each square, then brown them in a skillet with a little olive oil. The pan should be pretty hot and you’re only cooking them about 2 minutes a side.

The edges get super crunchy and it’s a nice change of pace from the original texture.

**Lasagna Soup**

Dice up leftover lasagna and add it to your favorite marinara, thinned a bit with chicken broth. Add some shredded mozzarella and a dusting of Parmesan cheese on top and serve in soup bowls.

Yum!

Other Slow Cooker Dinners for the Same Kind of Night

• Crockpot Ravioli Casserole – a hands-off lasagna-inspired recipe with ravioli layered with mozzarella cheese and meat sauce.
• Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta – creamy, cheesy, ranch-flavored chicken topped with bacon and cheese. It’s mixed with pasta for a craveable dinner.
• Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot – a deliciously easy way to make your own cheesesteak sandwiches at home with thinly-sliced beef, peppers, onions, and provolone cheese piled high on a hoagie roll.
• Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches – tender beef chuck roast cooked low and slow with au jus. Use it to make your own delicious sandwiches.

Enjoy!!