Easy Crock Pot Lasagna
This Easy Crock Pot Lasagna is prepped and in the crock pot in less than 10 minutes! This recipe is a staple in our house, and is always a favorite with the kids.
Don’t tell my Italian grandmother, but this lasagna is one of our top 5 easy weeknight recipes. This easy recipe uses just a few simple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand, and it is thrown together so quickly! Just like most crock pot recipes, this is a set it and forget it meal other than pre-browning the ground beef. If you are wanting to throw everything in and go in a hurry, you can absolutely make the meat sauce ahead of time.
Ingredients
- ground beef
- pasta sauce
- garlic powder
- onion
- ricotta cheese
- shredded mozzarella
- water
- lasagna noodles – oven ready or regular are ok
Cooking Instructions
- Add ground beef, onion, and garlic powder to a skillet and cook until beef is browned. Drain.
- Pour 1 jar of pasta sauce into the pan with beef and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cup mozzarella and entire tub of
- Cover the bottom of a large Crock Pot with 1/3 of meat sauce mixture.
- Add layer of lasagna noodles (you may need to break some to fit.
- Scoop in 1/3 of ricotta/mozzarella mixture and spread evenly
- Repeat until you have 3 layers of each.
- Top with 1/2 jar of pasta sauce. Pour 1/2 cup water around sides
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top
- Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours
- Garnish with fresh basil (optional)
- Serve with a side salad or with garlic bread!
Storing Easy Crock Pot Lasagna
Fridge – let the lasagna cool completely. Store in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer – Cool completely. Wrap in cling wrap first, then wrap in foil. Freeze in the freezer for 2-3 months. Once thawed, you can refrigerate for 3 days.
How to Reheat Easy Crock Pot Lasagna
Unwrap the lasagna and reheat in the oven at 200F for 15-20 minutes!
Easy Crock Pot Lasagna
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- garlic powder
- 2 jars pasta sauce
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 lasagna noodles
Instructions
- In a large skilled, cook the ground beef on medium heat until browned. Drain.
- Add in chopped onion and 1 jar of pasta sauce. Let simmer on low for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour 1/3 of the meat sauce mixture into the bottom of a large crock pot.
- Add a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. You may have to break them up to fit properly.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella.
- Pour in 1/3 of the cheese mixture and spread evenly
- Repeat three layers of each.
- Top with 1/2 jar of pasta sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of water around the sides to help cook the noodles
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6. Enjoy!
Substitutions/Additions
- Meat – you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork
- Mozzarella – Freshly shredded mozzarella is the best, but store bought is fine
- Ricotta – cottage cheese is a great, protein-packed substitution and tastes delicious