Description
This Crockpot Lasagna recipe offers a comforting and easy meal that layers ground beef, marinara sauce, spinach, and cheeses cooked slowly to perfection. Perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks, it uses simple ingredients and the convenience of a slow cooker to create a hearty and delicious lasagna without the hassle of traditional baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetable Mixture
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90-93% lean)
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced finely (¾ cup)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced (~1 ½ tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Lasagna and Sauce
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 ounces fresh spinach (2 large handfuls), roughly chopped
- 8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (not the ‘No boil’ type), broken into small pieces
Cheeses
- 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup cottage cheese, lightly drained if there is a lot of liquid
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Meat Mixture: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, spray generously with cooking spray, then add the ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Break up the meat with a spoon or spatula and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the onions soften and the beef is fully cooked. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Prepare the Slow Cooker: Mist the slow cooker insert with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture evenly to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add Sauces and Noodles: Pour in the marinara sauce and water, then add the chopped spinach and broken lasagna noodles. Add 1 ½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Stir gently to combine the ingredients evenly without overmixing.
- Add Cottage Cheese: Dollop the lightly drained cottage cheese over the top of the mixture. Very gently fold the cottage cheese into the mixture, careful not to fully mix it in, to create pockets of creamy cheese throughout.
- Top with Remaining Cheese and Cook: Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese (about ½ to ¾ cup) and ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Turn off the slow cooker. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- This lasagna is made entirely in the slow cooker, which simplifies preparation and cleanup while providing a deliciously tender and flavorful dish.
- Use uncooked lasagna noodles that are not the no-boil kind, as this allows them to cook evenly during the slow cooking process.
- Lightly draining the cottage cheese helps prevent excess moisture in the lasagna.
- This recipe is ideal for busy weeknights or potlucks since it requires minimal hands-on time.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground beef with plant-based meat alternatives and use vegetarian-friendly marinara sauce and cheeses.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe (about 1 1/3 cups)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 699 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
