Crockpot Lasagna with Ground Beef and Ricotta

Square Overhead photo of lasagna in a slow cooker garnished with parsley.

Crockpot Lasagna with Ground Beef and Ricotta

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. Get ready to enjoy some classic comfort food with a twist - crock pot lasagna with ricotta is sure to be a hit!

Course Main

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword slow cooker

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 20

Servings 1

Calories 525kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Equipment

Slow Cooker

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 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.

Notes

Make Ahead

You can assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook. When you are ready to cook, just turn your slow cooker on low and let it cook as directed in the recipe.

Freezing

Let your lasagna cool completely before freezing. Place it in an airtight container or wrap tightly with aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition