Ready to take your lasagna game to the next level? Look no further than this delicious crockpot lasagna recipe! This slow cooked version of the classic Italian dish is sure to be a hit with your family. With layers of gooey cheese teamed with a meaty tomato sauce, this tasty yet easy meal will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Lasagna is one of our favorite meals. We love veggie lasagna, Crockpot ravioli lasagna,eggplant lasagna, and even this keto lasagna skillet.
There's a reason this slow cooker lasagna recipe is the lasagna I make when I don't feel like making lasagna. No boiling noodles. No hot oven heating up the kitchen. You brown the beef, layer everything in the slow cooker, and walk away.
A few hours later the noodles are tender, the cheese has melted down into the sauce, and the edges have gone a little crisp where they meet the crock. It's the same comfort as a baked lasagna with about half the work. This is my go-to for busy weeknights and lazy Sundays both.
Serve it with bread machine dinner rolls or rosemary focaccia and round out your meal with a fresh green salad or roasted broccoli.
Why You Don't Boil the Noodles
The noodles go in dry. As the lasagna cooks, the dry noodles drink up the moisture from the sauce and soften right in the crock. Boil them first and they'll be mush by the time everything's hot.
So skip the pot of water. Just make sure every noodle is covered in sauce. Any edge poking up above the sauce cooks dry and chewy. Break the noodles to fit your crock, and tuck them in.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: You can use lean ground beef or one that is higher in fat. If you use something higher in fat, like 80/20, make sure you drain it after browning. You could substitute Italian sausage or ground turkey for all or part of the ground beef.
- Crushed Tomatoes, Tomato Paste & Balsamic Vinegar: If you want a thicker pasta sauce, use more tomato paste, and vice versa. The balsamic vinegar adds depth of flavor and a hint of sweetness. If your kids are like mine (they hate vinegar), you may be tempted to skip it. You can, but I encourage you to give it a try!
- Lasagna Noodles: Uncooked noodles are used for this recipe so that they can cook in the sauce while baking. No need to boil them!
- Mozzarella Cheese: I prefer a block of mozzarella for this recipe, but you could use fresh mozzarella for the top. I do not recommend putting fresh in the middle of your lasagna - it has too much liquid.
Step By Step
For the full recipe for slow cooker lasagna with ricotta with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
How to Keep Lasagna Noodles From Getting Mushy
This is the one thing to watch. Crockpot lasagna goes from tender to mushy fast.
Cook it on low, and start checking at the 3-hour mark. The noodles are done when a knife slides in easily.
Every slow cooker runs a little differently, so until you know how yours runs, treat the clock as a guide.
In testing, I found that if I cook lasagna in my Crockpot, it takes about 3 hours. My NinjaPossible Cooker runs cooler and takes about 4 hours.
If you are cooking on high, check it at 1 hour and start watching closely at 90 minutes.
Keeping It From Getting Watery
Because slow cookers trap moisture, there are a few steps you don't want to miss.
- Drain the beef after browning before you add it to the lasagna.
- Low-moisture mozzarella is a must here. I love fresh mozzarella, but it has too much moisture to work for lasagna.
- Adding veggies? Cook them down with the onions first. That way, they give up their water in the skillet, not in your lasagna.
Rest Before You Serve
If you don't let lasagna set, it gets soupy. Don't skip resting with both the slow cooker and lid off. A 15-minute rest lets the cheese firm up, and the layers settle.
Crockpot Lasagna with Ground Beef and Ricotta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 28- ounces crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese divided
- 2 eggs beaten
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese grated and divided
Instructions
- Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add the ground beef, and cook, stirring to break it up, until it just starts to brown. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Drain any accumulated fat. Sprinkle the mixture with Italian seasoning, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until everything is incorporated.
- While the meat sauce is cooking, stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and eggs in a bowl.
- To assemble, spoon 1 cup of the meat sauce into the bottom of an electric slow cooker. Top with 4 noodles, breaking them as necessary to fit the crockpot.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodle and 1 cup of the sauce. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers.
- Top with a final layer of the lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, and sauce. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, adding the remaining cheese in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
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