Lasagna just got so much easier with this Slow Cooker Lasagna! Layer everything in the crockpot–even UN-COOKED noodles!
Want to hear something sad? My Dad and oldest brother don’t eat cheese! They wont touch it. No cheddar, no mozzarella, no parmesan…nothing! How can you live a life without cheese??!
That means that Lasagna, one of the most delicious meals of all time, was a rare specialty at our house. Whenever my mom would make it, (usually when Dad was out of town) the rest of us would be SO excited! It was gobbled up in minutes!
She’d typically make this Classic Italian Lasagna recipe. It’s a totally authentic lasagna that uses a simple béchamel white sauce instead of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese. It’s amazing, but takes a little bit of prep and work.
Now that I have a family of my own I’m always looking for ways easy meals or meals I can prep in advance or throw in my crock pot.
This slow cooker lasagna is a WINNER! All of the time consuming parts of lasagna–the many dishes and all the prep, are taken away.
I love that this recipe doesn’t even require you to cook the lasagna noodles before hand. You can use regular lasagna noodles, and then just layer the sauce, noodles and cheese. Lasagna takes about about 4-5 hours to cook on low. If you are really in a rush, you could could slow cooker lasagna on high and it would be done in about half the time!
Who knew you could make delicious homemade lasagna in the crock pot.
How to make Slow Cooker Lasagna:
Prepare the red sauce, first. I make my mom’s awesome homemade spaghetti sauce for the sauce, but you could use any bottled marinara sauce you like.
Add a little sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Top with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. Break them if necessary, to make a single layer.
Spread some of the white cheese sauce mixture over the top.
Repeat for two more layers, ending with red sauce. Sprinkle more cheese all over the top.
Cover and cook on LOW in the slow cooker for 4-5 hours or until the noodles are tender.
TIP: Use slow cooker liners to make clean-up a breeze!
Consider serving this with:
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Lasagna just got so much easier with this Slow Cooker Lasagna! Layer everything in the crockpot--even UN-COOKED noodles!
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage (I use hot)
- 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 sauces
- 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
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.
Serve with Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks or a salad.
Recipe Video
*You could substitute 1-2 Tbsp dried minced onion
UPDATE: 3/8/16: After comments that the lasagna was a little too runny I reduced the water to 1 1/4 cups in the recipe!
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I first shared this recipe February 2015. Updated March 2018.
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Gayle says
March 19, 2019 at 8:51 amI want make this for company If I use bottled pasta sauce do you still add the water or is that just for if you use tomato sauce and paste
Lauren Allen says
March 23, 2019 at 5:21 pmNo, the water is just for the homemade sauce.
Stefani says
April 10, 2019 at 3:47 pmIf I don’t want to use cottage cheese, can it be made with a white sauce in the slow cooker or would it not come out right?
Lauren Allen says
April 11, 2019 at 10:41 amSure, I’d use a bechamel white sauce, like this https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/classic-italian-lasagna/
TQ says
May 18, 2019 at 6:25 pmMade it for a dinner in our Travel Trailer after running around locally on a cold, cloudy day in MN. WOW, deliciously filling and a great recipe for the crockpot!
Brittni says
May 19, 2019 at 9:45 amI make this recipe every few months, and it’s always a big hit! I always make a double batch since you only need 1/2lb of each meat, and I just freeze the second for later use either as a lasagna, or just as a great meat sauce over spaghetti/other pasta. I’ve also omitted the meat to make a vegetarian version of the sauce before, and that’s delicious, too. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren Allen says
May 19, 2019 at 12:31 pmI love the idea of making a double batch and freezing one! Thanks for sharing.