Lasagna is a classic comfort food that brings warmth and satisfaction to any meal. For those who appreciate the depth of flavor that comes from slow cooking, this ultimate deep dish slow cooker lasagna recipe is a perfect choice. Using a slow cooker allows the ingredients to blend together beautifully, creating a lasagna that is tender, flavorful, and perfect for family gatherings or special occasions.
Why use a slow cooker for lasagna?
Slow cooked lasagna is a game-changer for several reasons:
- Convenience: Just layer your ingredients, set your slow cooker, and let it do the work.
- Flavor: Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, resulting in a rich and savory lasagna.
- Versatility: Whether you prefer a traditional lasagna or a unique twist like ravioli lasagna, the slow cooker can handle it all.
- To see all of my main dish recipes, go here.
Ingredient list
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Ground beef
- Mild Italian sausage
- Spaghetti sauce
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Italian seasoning
- Lasagna noodles
- Salt
- Pepper
Tips for making it
- When making lasagna in the Crockpot, ensure your noodles are evenly covered with sauce to prevent them from drying out.
- Experiment with different types of cheese and add vegetables like spinach for extra nutrition.
- For an easy slow cooker lasagna, use pre-cooked noodles (adjust added water as necessary) or substitute with ravioli for a fun twist.
- Cook on Low: Slow cooking on low heat for ensures even cooking.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes after cooking to set and make slicing easier.
How to make Crock Pot lasagna (recipe card and photo tutorial found here)
Slow Cooker Deep Dish Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Cups (48 Oz) Cottage Cheese
- 4 Large Eggs
- 3 Cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese
- ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Lb Ground Beef (browned)
- ½ Lb Mild Italian Sausage (browned)
- 2 (24 oz) Jars Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 (8 oz) Can Mushrooms Pieces and Stems (drained)
- ¼ Cup Dried Minced Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 Package Lasagna Noodles
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Start by browning the Beef and Italian Sausage in a large pan/skillet so you can work on other parts of the meal while it cooks.
In a large bowl add the Cottage Cheese, Eggs, 2 Cups of the Grated Mozzarella, and all Parmesan Cheese. Mix well and set aside.
When the meat is done browning, use the same pan and add 1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce, Mushrooms, Onion, and Italian Seasoning. Mix well and set aside.
Grease a seven to eight quart slow cooker (all the way up the sides) then add half a jar of Spaghetti Sauce, spread evenly.
Spread some Lasagna noodles (uncooked) over the sauce. Break noodles as needed to go around the curves of the slow cooker.
Next, add half of the cheese mixture and spread evenly.
Followed by half of the meat mixture spread evenly.
Spread another layer of noodles.
Do another Cheese layer.
Then another Meat layer.
Then do one last layer of noodles.
Cover the noodles with the remaining half jar of Spaghetti Sauce and spread evenly.
Put lid on slow cooker, cook on low for four to five hours.
At the last 10-15 minutes of cook time, remove the lid, spread the remaining 1 cup of Mozzarella out, cover and let cook until melted.-
When cheese is done melting, turn off heat, remove lid to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, and it's ready to serve. Tastes great garnished with parsley, ranch dressing, and served with garlic bread.
Notes
*I like to add 2 Tablespoons of Flax meal into the cheese mixture, but it is totally optional.
**If you want the sauce thicker, crack the lid for the last half hour or so of the cook time so that some of the moisture will evaporate.
***If you would prefer to use fresh onion, mushroom, and even add some garlic you definitely can. You may just need to adjust the amounts a bit.
****If your pasta is undercooked or dry, try gently pouring about a half a cup of hot water along the edges, cover, and cook an additional 15-20 minutes. Repeat as necessary.
Recommended Products
Please note that I am an affiliate with Amazon.com. When you purchase through my suggested product links, the cost for you is the same but I do receive a small commission for everything in your shopping cart. Thanks so much for the support!
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Crock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker with Auto Warm Setting, Black Stainless Steel, Includes Cookbook (Pack of 1) -
Lodge 15 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet with Tempered Glass Lid -
Pyrex Smart Essentials 8-Piece Mixing Bowl Set -
Rubbermaid Commercial Products High Heat Resistant Silicone Heavy Duty Spatula/Food Scraper 16.5-Inch, 500 Degrees F, Red handle, for Baking/Cooking/Mixing, Commercial Dishwasher Safe -
Amazon Fresh, Lasagna Pasta, 16 Oz -
Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce, 24 Oz Jar -
Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Italian Seasoning Blend, 1 ounce (Pack of 1) -
Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Onion Minced, 15 ounce (Pack of 1) -
Giorgio Pieces and Stems Mushrooms, 4 Oz, 6 x 4 oz Cans of Giorgio Mushrooms, Pieces and stems, Bundled with JFS Recipe Card
Lasagna in general can be a little on the pricey side to make, so I try to buy everything in generic brands…everything that I don’t have on hand already that is.
Like I mentioned before, you should be able to feed a lot of people with this recipe.
It provides enough left overs for my family of five for several days, which I feel totally off-sets the cost to make it.
FAQ’s
This recipe is specifically designed to fill a seven or eight quart slow cooker nearly to the top.
If you try to make it in a smaller size it’s just not going to work.
*I will add more slow cooked lasagna FAQ’s as the questions get sent to me.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and supporting my endeavors to make people’s lives a little easier/better/more affordable.
If you liked this post, or found it helpful in any way, please make sure to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers via social media.
Or you could even send them the direct link via email. Whichever way you choose to spread the love, I super appreciate it! ~Sarah
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Check out my other related posts
- To see all of my main dish recipes, go here.
Otherwise, here are direct links to several of my other related articles that you’re also going to love:
Other slow cooker related articles
Other good resources for deep dish lasagna
Maybe you don’t like my version of this recipe…if that’s the case, here are some other good reputable resources that you could try instead:
- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23710/deep-dish-lasagna/
- https://www.dashofjazz.com/deep-dish-lasagna-red-wine-sauce/
- https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/pasta/nors-meaty-deep-dish-lasagna.html
*This slow cooker related article was originally shared to this blog on August 26, 2017, and it has since been updated to improve user experience, add a free printable recipe card, as well as to make it as shareable as possible across the social medias.