Jamielyn Nye
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This crockpot lasagna recipe is the easiest way to make lasagna! Simple to assemble with tender pasta noodles, meat sauce and cheese then it cooks hands off making it perfect for busy days!
Need more crockpot recipes? Try Hawaiian meatballs, slow cooker carnitas or crockpot chili.
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Table of Contents
- Easiest Crockpot Lasagna
- Recipe Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Crockpot Lasagna
- 5 star review
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Storing, Freezing and Reheating
- More Easy Italian Recipes
- Crockpot Lasagna Recipe Printable Recipe
Easiest Crockpot Lasagna
This crockpot lasagna is SO easy and is a meal that my whole family loves. It tastes just as good as a classic Italian lasagna, plus it’s perfect for busy nights just like my crockpot lasagna soup!
This easy crockpot lasagna only takes 10 minutes of prep and the slow cooker does the rest! No need to even boil the noodles first! Sometimes I sneak in some vegetables, like with this chicken Alfredo lasagna recipe or we’ll serve it with a side salad and garlic bread.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients needed for this crockpot lasagna recipe are much like those of the traditional version.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Meat: I use a mix of ground beef and ground Italian sausage for the best flavor.
- Noodles: Classic uncooked lasagna noodles are perfect for making crockpot lasagna. The noodles will cook through and get tender as they slow cook all day.
- Cheese: Three types of cheese are included in this recipe for crockpot lasagna. You’ll need ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan for the cheese filling.
- Spaghetti sauce: Use a jar of your favorite pasta sauce, tomato sauce or make homemade marinara sauce.
- Egg: Used as a binder in the cheese filling so that it holds it’s shape and stays firm.
- Italian seasoning: An easy way to add more Italian flavor to this dish. Use a store-bought jar or make your own homemade Italian seasoning.
- Onion: Freshly chopped onions cook with the beef and sausage as they brown to add even more flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
This easy crockpot lasagna is pretty customizable, so feel free to make it your own!
- Meat: Use ground turkey in place of beef and pork for a lighter alternative.
- Cheese: Swap ricotta for cottage cheese if preferred.
- Veggies: For some added flavor and nutrition, add spinach or kale or try mushrooms, broccoli cauliflower or zucchini.
- Seasonings: You can also add in extra seasonings like parsley, oregano or red pepper flakes for some heat!
How to Make Crockpot Lasagna
Once you make this recipe for crockpot lasagna, you won’t want to make this easy meal any other way!
- Brown meat. Cook the hamburger and sausage in pan on the stove until the meat browns then drain grease. Add in Italian seasoning and onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the spaghetti sauce with 1/2 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix ricotta. While the meat sauce simmers, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan and egg.
- Add sauce and noodles. In the bottom of the crockpot, spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce. Then top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.
- Add ricotta. Spread about 1/3 of the creamy ricotta mixture evenly over top of the noodles. Repeat with 2 more layers of sauce, noodles and ricotta.
- Sprinkle mozzarella. Once you’re done layering, pour 1/2 cup water around the edges in the crockpot. Then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
- Cook. Cover with the lid and cook on the low setting for about 4 to 5 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the noodles are tender.
5 star review
“Just made this today for tonight’s supper. It was delicious! My husband went back for thirds. I will definitely make this again.”
-Theresa
Expert Tips
- Half beef and half sausage. Use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage for best flavor. Cook 2 pounds of meat and then freeze half of it for later. The next time you make crock pot lasagna (or a baked ziti), the meat is ready to go!
- Fitting noodles in crockpot. Gently break off the corners of the lasagna noodles so that they’ll fit nicely in the slow cooker. No one will ever notice once the cheese is on top!
- For a softer noodle. Soak your noodles in water for a few minutes if you prefer a softer noodle. If you prefer al dente, follow instructions below.
- Let it rest. To let it set, after it is done let the crockpot sit with the lid ajar for about 30 minutes. This gives it time to cool down a bit as well.
- Add toppings. Top with fresh basil or parsley for an extra punch in flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Do I have to cook the lasagna noodles first?
No! That’s one of the main things that makes this crockpot lasagna recipe so easy. You use uncooked lasagna noodles and layer them into the crockpot. The noodles will soften up perfectly as the crockpot lasagna cooks. You can use no-boil lasagna noodles but they may cook faster and get really soft.
How many layers should I have in this lasagna?
With this recipe you should have around 3 layers but this may depend on the size of your slow cooker! Aim for each layer to be around 1 inch thick and don’t overfill the crockpot so it cooks evenly.
How long does it take to make crock pot lasagna?
This easy lasagna recipe takes about 4 to 5 hours to cook in the crockpot (on the low setting). You want the cheese on top to be nice and bubbly, and the noodles to be fork tender. I would keep an eye on it at about the 4 hour mark, so that it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
What size crockpot do you use for this recipe?
I used an 8 quart crockpot. You want it to be big enough to hold multiple layers of sauce, cheese and noodles, much like a traditional lasagna. The 8 quart size was perfect, leaving a few inches of room at the top.
Can assemble this ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble the slow cooker lasagna as directed, cover and store crockpot in the fridge up to a day in advance. The next day proceed with cooking instructions.
What to serve with lasagna?
This lasagna tastes amazing with a warm piece of French bread and a vegetable side such as green beans, corn on the cob or roasted broccoli.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 5 days. The flavors are even better the next day!
Crock pot lasagna leftovers can also be frozen. Cool completely then store in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. Storing it in portion sized containers works great to just pull it out as needed!
Reheat individual slices of lasagna in the microwave covered with a damp towel to prevent splatter and add moistures back to the lasagna. To reheat a larger portion of the lasagna, sprinkle some water on top and reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Love Italian recipes? Try this white lasagna soup recipe, baked eggplant Parmesan or white chicken lasagna with pesto next!
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Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
4.95 from 80 votes
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Author: Jamielyn Nye
This crockpot lasagna recipe is the easiest way to make lasagna! Simple to assemble with tender pasta noodles, meat sauce and cheese then it cooks hands off for busy days.
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 4 hours hrs
Rest Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Servings: 8
Video
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage , could also use ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 24 ounces spaghetti sauce , or marinara sauce
- 1 cup water , divided
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese , divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 9-12 lasagna noodles , uncooked
Optional for serving: Fresh basil
Instructions
Spray the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the hamburger and Italian sausage. Drain fat and stir in Italian seasoning and onions. Cook until onions are soft and stir in the sauce with 1/2 cup water. Simmer 5 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and egg until combined.
Spread about 1 cup sauce onto the bottom of the crock pot. Top with 3 noodles (you may need to break some noodles to fit). Spread about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles. Repeat with 2 more layers, or until all of the remaining ingredients are used.
Pour the remaining 1/2 cup water around the sides of the layers. If your noodles are thick, add an extra 2 Tablespoons water.Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.
Cook on low 4 to 5 hours, or until the noodles are tender. Turn off crockpot and let sit 15 minutes before slicing into 8 portions to serve. Top with fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Do not cook on high:This recipe needs to be cooked low and slow to give everything enough time to cook properly.
No-boil lasagna noodles: You can oven-ready noodles, but they cook faster than regular lasagna noodles, which means they don’t hold their structure as well in this crockpot recipe.
Sauce: When I have time, I love to make homemade spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce.
Variations:
- Vegetarian: Just omit the meat and use some veggies like sliced eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, etc.
- Veggies: Amp up the veggies by adding spinach to the ricotta mixture or mushrooms to the sauce.
- Ground turkey: Swap the beef for turkey if you’d prefer a leaner meat.
Freeze: Place cooked and cooled lasagna in a freezer container and store in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating portions in the microwave or oven.
Storage: Leftovers will keep in an airtight storage in the the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 971mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 886IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Beef, Crockpot, Crockpot, Dinner, Italian, One Pot, Pasta, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
More about Jamielyn Nye
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Add a comment
135 comments
- Susan
This has become my husbands favorite lasagna.
It’s great for company, it can be cooking while you enjoy your guest- Reply
- Nona
I have already cooked my noodles. How would you adapt it in the crock pot?
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
I haven’t tried it with cooked noodles, but I would probably just cook until the dish is hot (guessing around 1 hour). Let me know if you test it out : )
- Reply
- Samantha
This has become one of my most popular go-to dinner recipes for busy nights when the kids have simultaneous activities and we all eat at different times. Everyone in my family loves lasagna and this is such an effortless way to make it and serve it!
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime Community
My family loves it too! It is always a big hit! I’m so glad your family loves it :)
- Reply
- April
So easy and absolutely delicious! Was a huge hit with the whole family!
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime Community
I’m so glad! It really is so yummy!
- Reply
- Kimberly Regina Beaty
My family and in-laws LOVED this recipe. It’s become a family favorite for sure! Really easy to make…5 stars for sure!
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Thank you for the 5 stars! That is really nice of you!
- Reply
- NINA Hickox
Also, can you make this the night before and cook it the next morning? Ty
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
Yes you could :)
- Reply
- NINA Hickox
can you use cottage cheese instead of ricotta? ty
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
Yes you can swap them easily :)
- Reply
- Megan Grizzle
Can this be made with penne noodles?
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
I haven’t tried, but let us know if you try it out!
- Reply
- Kris
Do you use the oven ready or the boil first noodles?
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Just regular uncooked lasagna noodles (not oven ready)
- Reply
- Jay moon
Finally got video to work and made this recipe!
It is a great recipe!
Thanks! 😋- Reply
- Kristina
This is the only recipe my family loves! So so good! Can you freeze the leftovers? If so, how long would they last?
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
So glad they enjoyed! I haven’t tried, but once cooled I would place in a freezer safe container and it should be good to freeze up to 3 months. The noodles will be a little softer and dry but you could try adding in some more sauce when you warm it back up.
- Reply
- Karen T
Not sure if I commented before or not, but I am in the process of making this a second time. The best part of this is how it reheats better than baked lasagna. There’s only 3 of us, but my husband ate it for leftovers the whole week! we all said “why didn’t we ever think of crockpot lasagna before now?!” Delicious! I pre-soak my noodles during prep because we don’t like Al-dente. Worked out great. Goes great with a fresh loaf of quick Artisian break!
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Thanks so much for your nice comment and review, Karen! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband loved the recipe so much :) If you ever need an easy homemade Artisan bread, we love this recipe: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/artisan-bread/
- Reply
- Hillary W.
This came out perfectly and I am amazed!
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Hillary :)
- Reply
- JOAN M HUEGEL
Can you use a white sauce rather than tomatoe
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried, but I think that would be delicious! You can also try this white chicken lasagna with white sauce: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/white-chicken-lasagna-pesto/
- Reply
- Faye
Can this be baked in an oven? If so, what temp and how long?
- Reply
- I Heart Naptime
Hi Faye! Here is the link to my oven baked lasagna: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/lasagna/. Enjoy :)
- Reply
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