Crockpot Lasagna

I’m not sure if there is anything that says comfort food to me in the same way lasagna does. Noodles, delicious sauce, and cheese come together in a magical way to make a dinner that just the smell of makes you feel warm inside.

This Crockpot Lasagna is everything you love about a traditional lasagna without boiling noodles or the need to be home while it cooks. Our slow cooker lasagna comes together while you are busy dealing with other things, and is perfect to come home to. Your family will love this amazing and delicious recipe.

Why Make Lasagna In a Crockpot

The major benefit to this recipe versus lasagna in the oven is that you don’t have to be home while it cooks. In a world where we are often running kids here and there and leading busy lives, the ability to leave the house to get stuff done while dinner cooks is priceless.

How to Make Crockpot Lasagna

This is just a brief overview of the recipe so you can see how it comes together. Make sure you get the full instructions and ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

1. Make the sauce. On the stove-top brown ground beef, garlic, and onion. Next add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings.
2. Make the filling. In a bowl mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
3. Put it all together. Add a small amount of sauce to a greased crockpot. Layer uncooked lasagna noodles (you may have to break them up to fit). Add a layer of the cheese and egg mixture. Repeat the layers until you’ve used all the ingredients.
4. Add cheese to the top. Cover the last layer with more mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
5. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours.

Skip Boiling the Noodles

One of the things we love about this recipe is that there is no need to cook the noodles before layering the lasagna. There is enough liquid in the tomato sauce mixture to cook the noodles thoroughly. A huge bonus is that they take on the flavor of the delicious sauce. Everything bakes up brown and bubbly right there in the crockpot.

The Best Lasagna Sauce

The sauce in this lasagna is an incredibly delicious meat sauce! It comes together with simple ingredients and can be used on lots of other pasta dishes. It’s thick and rich without being too spicy or overbearing. Trust me, when I tell you it is the star of the whole recipe!

While you might be tempted to use a canned spaghetti sauce or a store-bought marinara sauce, I urge you to take the time to make the sauce as written in the recipe. You won’t be disappointed.

Shredding Your Own Cheese

Another vote here for shredding your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre shredded cheese. You will see me advocate for this in all of my recipes.

The reason I always make a point of saying this is because it really can make a huge difference in a recipe. Pre shredded cheese does not melt as well as block cheese you shred at home. It is covered in preservatives that help it keep its shredded form, but also keeps it from melting well. I firmly believe you won’t be as satisfied with the results if you use pre-shredded cheese.

Please take the extra five minutes to do this, it is well worth it. This is my favorite cheese grater. It comes with a container to catch the cheese that makes life a little easier.

A Note on Salt and Pepper

You will notice that I suggest you taste the sauce at the end of making it. This is an important step; please do not skip it. The sauce is delicious and makes the whole recipe, but only if you love it. You should taste it and add more salt and pepper to accommodate your tastes.

Salt can make or break a recipe. Start by adding just a little bit more, tasting, and adding a tiny bit more (for example less than 1/8 teaspoon) until you get the taste you like.

Storing and Freezing Leftovers

Since first publishing this, I’ve been told two important things. First, so many readers have told me that this is even better when it is made the day before. Second, readers have told me that this freezes very well.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days in an airtight container. If you’d like to freeze the lasagna, cut it into individual portions and flash freeze it four eight hours before transferring it to an airtight container. Frozen lasagna can be stored for up to three months. Please use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.