Crock Pot Lasagna
Enjoy a delicious and easy meal with this Crock Pot Lasagna recipe! Tender pasta, flavorful meat sauce, and creamy cheese come together for a satisfying and hearty dish!
A DELICIOUS SLOW COOKER LASAGNA RECIPE
Lasagna is definitely some good ole comfort food. However, making lasagna totally from scratch can be time-consuming, right? Also, sometimes you just don’t feel like turning on the oven (especially in summer!) That’s where Crock Pot Lasagna comes in! This simple recipe lets you to enjoy all the deliciousness of lasagna with only a little bit of the effort and simple ingredients. Today I’m sharing my tried-and-true recipe for Crock Pot Lasagna. It’s received over 100 five star reviews so you know it’s a good one!
I made this today and it was delicious! Will definitely make again. Easy and very tasty!
– Shirlee
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes, of course. However, there is a reason I use cottage cheese in this recipe. It’s to keep it all from drying out. Ricotta is a drier, crumbly cheese. It can dry out pretty quickly in this recipe if it’s cooked too long. So, I use cottage cheese to keep it all nice and luscious!
When I first came out with this recipe in 2012, slow cookers were all pretty standard and they cooked on low temperatures pretty evenly. Since then, slow cookers have evolved into many different types. I have found that newer slow cookers can run extremely hot, even on the low setting. If you have a slow cooker with a metal insert or a newer model of slow cooker, please note that they can get very hot and can burn certain foods like this. So be aware of the type of slow cooker you have and how it cooks. If you have a metal insert or a new model of slow cooker, I would recommend that you check the lasagna after about 2-3 hours to see how it is doing. This is why you see the larger variation of cooking time between 3-5 hours.
Also to note: If you have a slow cooker that has a locking lid, do not lock it while cooking. It is only meant to be locked while traveling. Locking the latches during cooking might build up pressure and might cause the lid to shatter or even cause the ceramic to break.
Yes you can but it is not necessary in this recipe. No Boil noodles are a bit more expensive than regular lasagna noodles as well. I add water to this recipe to compensate for using regular lasagna noodles.
We prefer to have it with a fresh salad and garlic bread, garlic breadsticks or cheesy garlic bread.
Absolutely! Check out my recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Lasagna for a creamy white version!
This particular recipe doesn’t work quite the same way in the oven. I created this recipe specifically for the slow cooker. However, if you want to make lasagna in the oven, try my Baked Lasagna recipe.
That extra bit of water is to help with the noodles. Since the noodles aren’t cooked. we want to add a bit more moisture to the pot to help those cook without drying out the lasagna.
Yes, Crock Pot Lasagna can be frozen for up to three months. Be sure to allow the lasagna to cool completely before placing it in a freezer safe container then wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. If not freezing, store any leftovers, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (let lasagna cool first before storing.)
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- ground beef – you can use Italian sausage if you prefer.
- onion – I like to chop up my onion pretty small. If you don’t like onion just leave it out or add about a teaspoon of onion powder.
- garlic – I prefer fresh garlic, I think it packs more of a punch than the jarred stuff. But if that is all you have then go for it.
- spaghetti sauce – make sure it’s a spaghetti sauce you like. I really like Rao’s roasted garlic but it can be pretty pricey. I also like Prego chunky garden as it is more affordable.
- small curd cottage cheese – see my FAQ above about substitutions.
- mozzarella cheese – I really like the mozzarella that has the cream cheese in it since I think it melts nicer but use your favorite.
- parmesan cheese – you can use store-bought pre-shredded or shred it yourself.
- egg – the egg acts a binder and helps keep that layer a bit more firm.
- lasagna noodles – just the regular lasagna noodles. They do not need to be cooked first as they will cook in the slow cooker.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT LASAGNA:
Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet. You need a larger skillet for this because you’ll be adding the spaghetti sauce and water to it later. Then add in onion and garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes. I like to season my beef mixture with a little salt & pepper at this point too.
Drain excess grease from beef. And put back into skillet. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water. Give it all a good stir (you can turn the heat off at this point.) Give it a taste test, add additional salt if necessary. In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, egg, pepper and chopped parsley. Put your remaining cheeses back in the fridge, you’ll be using those as a topping later.
Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Top with one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot.
Next top with a layer of cottage cheese mixture. Keep adding layers, ending with meat sauce. I was able to get 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker. Put the lid on and cook on low for 3-5 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft. Please see my notes in the recipe card below about cooking times.
When it is finished cooking, add remaining cheeses and sprinkle with a bit of parsley. Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.
Allow to cool with the lid off for several minutes. This will help it slice up much easier. Serve it up with a salad and some garlic bread.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Mexican Lasagna
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Skillet Lasagna
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Homemade Traditional Baked Lasagna
- Lasagna Soup
- Crock Pot White Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Lasagna For Two
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Taco Spaghetti
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Cowboy Spaghetti
- School Cafeteria Spaghetti
- Sour Cream Noodle Bake
- Crock Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Originally published: February 2012
Updated photos & republished: March 2024
The Best Crock Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce (a 32 ounce jar can be used if necessary)
- 1 cup water
- 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese (see notes below)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles
For topping:
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Brown and crumble 1 pound ground beef along with 1 small onion, finely diced in a large skillet (or if your crock pot has a saute setting, use that.)
- Then add in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).
- Drain excess grease from beef and put back into skillet. Pour in 26 ounce jar spaghetti sauce and 1 cup water. Give it all a good stir.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 15 ounce container small curd cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese, 1 large egg and 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped.
- Spray a 5-quart or larger oval crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of the slow cooker.
- Top with one layer of the 8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles. Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot.
- Next top with a layer of cottage cheese mixture.
- Keep adding layers (meat sauce, noodles, cottage cheese mixture). Keep enough of the meat sauce reserved so you can top off all the layers with some meat sauce. I was able to get about 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker.
- Put the lid on and cook on low for 3-5 hours. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft. NOTE: see the notes below for more cooking time information.
- When it is finished cooking, add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese evenly on top and sprinkle with a bit more parsley (optional)
- Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.
Video
Notes
- PLEASE READ: When I first came out with this recipe in 2012, slow cookers were all pretty standard and they cooked on low temperatures pretty evenly. Since then, slow cookers have evolved into many different types. I have found that newer slow cookers can run extremely hot. If you have a slow cooker with a metal insert or a newer model of slow cooker, please note that they can get very hot and can burn certain foods like this. So be aware of the type of slow cooker you have and how it cooks. If you have a metal insert or a new model of slow cooker, I would recommend that you check the lasagna after about 2-3 hours to see how it is doing. This is why you see the larger variation of cooking time between 3-5 hours.
- If you have a slow cooker that has a locking lid, do not lock it while cooking. It is only meant to be locked while traveling. Locking the latches during cooking might build up pressure and might cause the lid to shatter or even cause the ceramic to break.
- Only a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker will work properly with this recipe. A round slow cooker will not create the desired result.
- Ricotta can be substituted for the small curd cottage cheese but that layer might be a bit drier and more crumbly.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I haven’t made this yet but wanted to know if it can be put together earlier than actually making it for someone that works then can be put on to cook on a lunch hour? Will it mess up the noodles if put together early?
I am making this now….can you add spinach to the layers?
Delicious! So easy. I took this to a potluck at work the first time I made it and it was almost totally gone even though it was a small crowd. I’m making it again to take to our family Christmas celebration tomorrow. I think they’ll love it. The only changes I made were to use Gardein grounds to make it vegetarian and ready to bake noodles because the store was totally out of regular lasagna noodles. Thanks for a great recipe!
Made this a few weeks ago and was shocked at how well it turned out! So yummy, perfectly cooked.
Trying to make this Sunday before church with the fam for lunch… Could I assemble this in a crockpot on Saturday night, leave in the fridge overnight, and turn crockpot on Sunday morning? would this mess with the moisture distribution?
That’s a great question and I will be totally transparent. I just don’t know. I haven’t personally tried it and would never want anyone to waste ingredients because I said it might work. I’m sorry! I would love to just tell you yes but I am not totally sure how that would affect it and starting from a cold state could potentially crack the crock pot (if you’re using ceramic) so you’d have to be careful with that as well. Having said all of that, if you decide to try it, I would love to know how ti goes for you!
Is a crock pot liner ok to use for this recipe?
I made this recipe using a crockpot liner and it turned out perfectly, delicious and no mess.
I used it with a liner, and it turned out fine.
Loved this recipe, we make it all of the time!! Thanks
I hate making lasagna usually because I never have enough time in the evening. This was so easy to prep and layer in the crockpot and then leave it alone. This was a hit tonight with our family! Will definitely make this again.
Oh wow thank you Deanna! I am the same exact way! No boiling pasta or more dirty dishes is music to my ears. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and comment, I really appreciate it!
The whole family really enjoyed it. We used Rao’s sauce which is my favorite and has so much flavor. It’s all about the sauce, right? Thats where all the flavor comes from. This was so easy for the busy Mom and that is much appreciated – thank you!
One place you mention using store bought shredded Parmesan cheese or shredding your own. But the recipe calls for grated Parmesan, not shredded.
So…is it shredded or grated, such as Kraft?
Hi Betty, sorry for any confusion! If it helps, I have an ingredient photo above so you can see what I used. You can honestly use either, the taste is all the same. Just depends on the texture you prefer. I like a finely shredded parmesan but if the green bottle is all you have then go for it! 🙂
What happens if I forget the water?
Um…I’ve never forgotten the water. You’ll have to tell me! It helps thin the sauce to help the noodles cook since we’re putting them in uncooked with this recipe.
This was amazing!! I don’t like ricotta or cottage cheese so I had little faith that I would like this. Holy smokes was I wrong! My family and I absolutely LOVED this! I included ground sausage and added some extra sauce because of the extra meat. This was amazing delicious and I will most definitely make it again! 10/10!!
Thanks so much for taking a chance on it Nancy! I appreciate you coming back to comment!!
Love this recipe
I was wondering about sausage. I always make mine with it but wasn’t sure about slow cooker. I am going to make it tomorrow. thank you
I mention above in the post that you can use Italian sausage. Just like the ground beef, make sure it’s cooked and crumbled first 🙂
I prepared this the night before put in frig and then in morning put in crockpot and it cooked all day and came out great everyone loved it thank you
Awesome easy lasagna. So easy with plenty left overs for later. Only two of us. Delicious .
My family loves this meal! Instead of cooking ground beef, I thaw and chop about 10 Kirkland cooked frozen meatballs and add to the recipe.
What a great idea especially when in a hurry, I will keep that tip in mind for sure!
I have got to say Wow. This Crockpot Lasagna is the most delicious,scrumptious recipe and super easy to make. It is by far better in my book than done in the oven. Thank you so much for sharing your tasty recipe! ❤️☺️
This is amazing!
Can this be made in a 9 x 13 crock. pot casserole dish???
Do you use regular lasagna noodles or oven ready lasagna noodles?
Regular – you can look at my ingredient photo above if that helps 🙂
I want to tru this soon! Do you know if you can use gluten free lasagna noodles? Thank you!
Amazing! gave some to my dad as leftovers the next day and he said it was the best lasagna he ever had. Thanks for the amazing recipe 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! My family doesn’t like the texture of ricotta so this worked out perfect for us! I will never make it any other way now – thank you!
Everyone loved it!
Tried this recipe in the crock pot and it was delicious. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Turned out great! Was delicious right out the crock pot. I will definitely make it again. Because it came out better than my oven version.
looks easy and delicious. I will be making this soon. thank you for this recipe.
Who would have thought lasagna in a crockpot??I doubled the batch as I like more between my noodles. I also cooked in low for about 5 hrs. The laying was great and didn’t fall apart when getting it out to serve.
Delicious.
Hello, can you double this recipe?
I recommend using two separate crock pots if you do that. If you start putting too much in a crock pot, it will not cook evenly. It’s just the nature of crock pots unfortunately – unless it’s like a soup. 🙂
just now prepared for cooking in crock pot…instead of a crockpot could you actually cook in a 9 x 13 in over at 350?
Thank you for this recipe.
I go into a bit more detail on that above in the Frequently Asked Question section. This recipe was designed specifically for the crock pot 🙂
i would like to know answer to this.oven????
I have an oven lasagna recipe on the site and there are millions of others on the internet already for the oven but this specific recipe was created just for the crock pot. 🙂
What happens if cooked in a round crockpot?
This was absolutely AMAZING! Who knew lasagna could turn out so good in a crock pot? Did not change a thing. Well, I will admit we did try it once with ricotta and now I know why you mention using cottage cheese. The ricotta did end up dry and crumbly. Not terrible but we all much preferred the cottage cheese even though we all initially thought it would be gross (spoiler alert – it’s not, it’s delicious lol!)
It’s just too deep and may not cook evenly while possibly causing the edges to burn
I have made this several times now! It is very tasty and easy! The one comment I have is to separate the cheese mixture in three ahead of time. If I don’t the top cheese layer is pretty scarce!
Love hearing that!! Thank you SO much for coming back to comment!
Do you use oven ready lasagna noodles for this recipe?
You can but there is no need to spend the extra money. I add additional water to the recipe to account for using regular lasagna noodles 🙂
I’ve used both, depending what I have on hand, both delicious!
Can this be made ahead and refrigerated overnight
Do you mean before cooking? Just prepping it? Possibly, I haven’t actually tested that out. If you try it, please let me know how it goes!
I’m trying this tomorrow just got all the stuff
I am in love with this recipe. I never knew all the things you can cook in a crockpot let alone a lasagna. This recipe came out so delicious and will now become one of my absolutes on the meal planning menu. Thank you
That is so wonderful to hear Sharon – thank you so much! I think slow cookers get a bad rep but you really can get so creative with that you make in there and it can turn out really amazing!
I made this today and it was delicious! Will definitely make again. Easy and very tasty. I followed the recipe except I did add some red pepper flakes to the ground beef.
can a 9×13 crockpot be used instead of 6 quart crockpot???
I just bought one of those just for lasagna. I hope so!!! Have you tried it yet?
So good!! I can’t believe how yummy this was!
This worked so well it maybe my new go to method. I added a large cup of chopped spinach to the cottage cheese mix. Used the high setting on my crockpot and it was ready in about 2 1/2 hours.