This easy Crockpot Lasagna recipe has all the flavor of a traditional homemade lasagna but without the mess and prep! It's perfect for a busy weeknight and a meal everyone enjoys!
Want more slow cooker recipes? Try Hawaiian Meatballs, Pork Carnitas, Beef Gyros, or Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Why I love this meal:
- Quick – This recipe skips all the time consuming parts of homemade lasagna and is practically mess-free, especially with these slow cooker liners.
- Uncooked Noodles – No need to boil the noodles beforehand, making this recipe even faster.
- Crowd Pleaser – I have never heard a complaint on lasagna night! Serve with easy homemade breadsticks or garlic knots and a wedge salad.
How to make Slow Cooker Lasagna:
Make Red Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and onion. Remove some of the grease. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, and water. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Combine Cheese: Mix the mozzarella, cottage cheese and parmesan cheese together.
Layer Lasagna: Spread a fourth of the meat sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. Arrange a third of the noodles over the sauce (break the noodles to fit, if necessary). Spoon a third of the cheese mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella cheese, if desired.
Serve: Cover and cook on low for about 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender. Serve the best crockpot lasagna with easy homemade breadsticks or garlic knots and a wedge salad.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The meat sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge up to a few days ahead, until ready to assemble the easy slow cooker lasagna recipe.
To Freeze: The meat sauce can be frozen in advance in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 4 months. Let thaw then assemble the lasagna.
Serve With:
- Homemade Breadsticks
- Best Homemade Rolls
- Classic Wedge Salad
- Garlic Knots
- Beet Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Brussels Sprout Salad
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or pork sausage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion , chopped*
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 29 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles , uncooked
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef, Italian sausage and onion.
- Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, and water. Stir and simmer 15-20 minutes. (You could make the sauce in advance!)
- Spread a fourth of the meat sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. Arrange a third of the noodles over the sauce (break the noodles to fit, if necessary).
- Combine the mozzarella, cottage cheese and parmesan cheese; spoon a third of the mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice.
- Top with remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella cheese, if desired.
- Cover and cook on low for about 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender.
Notes
Nutrition
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I first shared this recipe February 2015. Updated March 2018 and September 2023.
*This post contains affiliate links
This post contains affiliate links.
Can this be made in an instapot?
It would work in a 6-8qt instant pot using a pot-in-pot method. That’s where you use a springform pan that fits inside the instant pot on the instant pot trivet. Follow the instructions to assemble the lasagna inside your springform pan then cover it tightly with foil. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water inside the instant pot then place trivet and carefully lower the covered springform pan inside. Seal lid and cook on high manual pressure for 20-24 minutes then let it naturally release for about 10 minutes. After removing the lasagna from the instant pot, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting to let it set up.
I made this for my colleagues and they LOVED this lasagna, as I do! It’s even better than the pan lasagna I used to make, but this is so much easier! I didn’t use pork, however, and used 1 1/2 lbs. of lean ground beef. SO yummy!! (The noodles were tender after only 3 hours on low!)
Delicious. Maybe too much sugar- I’d cut that next time. But otherwise it’s great.
Amazing lasagna! I made one change, only using ground beef. The noodles were perfect. My family enjoyed this greatly! Will make this again.
Lauren, I bookmarked your site and I am looking for dinner for tonight.
I see some people complaining about runny sauce — I was wonder if anyone tried using 29 oz. of Tomato Puree to thicken it up? or not?
Should I stay with tomato sauce — just asking because this will be my first time making this.
This was fantastic, and I’ve made other slow cooker lasagna recipes before. I had time to make the sauce the night before, and I simmered it for an hour. I did not use the Worcestershire sauce or the onions for the sauce, but I doubled the beef and halved the sugar. You can’t go wrong if you use a sauce that you love. I also cooked it for about 3 hours, and it was perfectly done, crispy on the sides, not dried out. I did keep a little sauce on the side for anyone wanting it saucier!
Should the sauce be “soupy” before cooking so it cooks noodles? I made it before and it was so good but I don’t recall and now I am second guessing if I added water this time as it is not soupy at all and I am hoping noodles get cooked, thanks
Amazing! I was skeptical about doing a pasta dish in the slow cooker. I have been using your recipes for almost a year 3-4 times a week and my family loves them. I thought I’d give this a try and I’m so glad I did! This was so tasty and I love that I used less noodles. My boys loved the heartiness as I doubled the meat portion.
Thanks so much for the great feedback and for supporting TBFS!
This was fabulous! I love having guests for lunch after church, and this was perfect. I set it, went to church, came home to a beautifully hot meal and a nice salad. I was afraid the noodles would be mushy, but they were not at all-they were perfect. Will absolutely keep this recipe.
I’ve never been a believer of slow cooker lasagna, just felt wrong, but I have to say I was really craving lasagna and decided to give this recipe a good ole fashion try, and yes this is amazing! The only thing to keep in mind is my slow cooker even on the low heat cooks rather quickly so I had to keep this in mind and readjust my cooking time, but yes this is defetinaly a keep in my recipe box.