Description
This Crockpot Lasagna is a comforting, cheesy, and hearty meal that’s easy to prep and perfect for a no-fuss dinner. Layered with seasoned beef, marinara, spinach, and gooey cheese, it’s all the flavor of traditional lasagna made right in your slow cooker!
Ingredients
Scale
Essential Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90-93% lean preferred)
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced (about 1.5 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1.5 cups water*
- 3 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped (about 2 handfuls)
- 8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (not “no boil”), broken into small pieces
- 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup cottage cheese, lightly drained if watery
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Optional Add-Ons:
- Sautéed mushrooms or zucchini for extra depth
- Diced bell peppers for a sweet crunch
- Italian sausage or ground turkey instead of beef
Instructions
- Prep the meat: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the meat apart, until browned and the onion is softened.
- Add garlic and seasoning: Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Start layering in the crockpot: Spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom. Add half of the broken lasagna noodles, half of the meat mixture, a handful of spinach, half the cottage cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers.
- Finish layering: Pour the remaining marinara sauce and 1.5 cups of water over the top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 3½ to 4½ hours, or until noodles are tender. Do not overcook or the noodles may become mushy.
- Rest & Serve: Let lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- *The water helps soften the noodles as they cook—do not skip unless your marinara is extremely thin.
- You can sauté mushrooms or zucchini with the beef mixture for extra veggies.
- Lasagna holds its shape better after resting for 10–15 minutes post-cooking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: undefined
- Trans Fat: undefined
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Crockpot Lasagna, Slow Cooker Lasagna, Easy Lasagna Recipe, One Pot Lasagna, Family Dinner Lasagna