Slow Cooker Lasagna

Name: Slow Cooker Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) ground beef (85% lean); 1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 24 oz (about 3 cups) (680 g) marinara sauce, jarred, good quality; ½ cup (120 ml) water, used to rinse the sauce jar; 2 tsp (2 g) dried Italian seasoning; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 15 oz (about 1¾ cups) (425 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained of any liquid; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for serving; 9 noodles (about 9 oz) (255 g) dry lasagna noodles (regular, not no-boil), uncooked, broken to fit as directed; 3 cups (12 oz) (340 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Layers of savory beef marinara, creamy herbed ricotta, and melty mozzarella cook gently in the slow cooker until the noodles are tender and the whole thing slices into neat, bubbly squares. No boiling of noodles and no oven needed.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 4 hr
Wait: 20 min
Total: 4 hr 50 min
Makes: 1 lasagna (8 generous servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the meat sauce
1 lb (454 g) ground beef (85% lean)
1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
24 oz (about 3 cups) (680 g) marinara sauce, jarred, good quality
½ cup (120 ml) water, used to rinse the sauce jar
2 tsp (2 g) dried Italian seasoning
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the cheese layer
15 oz (about 1¾ cups) (425 g) whole-milk ricotta, drained of any liquid
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for serving
For assembly
9 noodles (about 9 oz) (255 g) dry lasagna noodles (regular, not no-boil), uncooked, broken to fit as directed
3 cups (12 oz) (340 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, shredded

Equipment (7)

6-quart (5.7 L) oval slow cooker
Large skillet (12-inch / 30 cm)
Medium mixing bowl
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment sling
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer
Box grater

Steps

Before you start

Use a 6-quart oval slow cooker; a round or smaller one will need the noodles broken to fit and may cook unevenly.
Use regular dry lasagna noodles (not no-boil) and whole-milk ricotta; low-fat ricotta turns watery.
Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block if you can, since it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded.
Plan on about 4 hours on LOW from start to finish; the lasagna then needs 20 minutes to rest before slicing.

1
Prep the cooker
- Coat the inside of a 6-quart oval slow cooker generously with nonstick spray, including the sides up to the rim.
- Shred the mozzarella if using a block and set aside.
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Ready when: All interior surfaces look glossy with spray.
Tip: Skipping the spray makes the cheese stick and the cleanup miserable.
2
Brown the beef
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and onion with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
- Cook, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Drain off excess fat.
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Ready when: Beef is browned with no pink remaining, onion is soft and translucent, and garlic smells fragrant.
Tip: Drain the fat well; excess grease will pool on top of the finished lasagna.
3
Make the meat sauce
- Stir the marinara and Italian seasoning into the skillet.
- Pour the ½ cup (120 ml) water into the empty sauce jar, shake it, and add it to the skillet.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce is loose but thick enough to coat a spoon and is gently bubbling.
Tip: The extra water is needed so the dry noodles can absorb liquid and soften.
4
Mix the ricotta filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, beaten egg, Parmesan, and chopped parsley until smooth and evenly combined.
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Ready when: Mixture is creamy and uniform with no streaks of egg.
5
Build first layer
- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce over the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Arrange 3 noodles on top, breaking them as needed to cover the sauce in a single layer, with small gaps allowed.
- Dollop and spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella.
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Ready when: Noodles are fully covered by sauce, ricotta, and cheese, with no dry edges exposed.
Tip: Exposed noodle edges stay hard, so make sure every piece is covered.
6
Build second layer
- Spread 1½ cups of meat sauce over the cheese.
- Add 3 more broken noodles in a single layer, then the remaining ricotta mixture and another 1 cup of mozzarella.
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Ready when: Layers are even and noodles are fully covered.
7
Finish the layers
- Top with the final 3 noodles, then spread all the remaining meat sauce over them, pushing sauce to the edges so every noodle is covered.
- Reserve the last 1 cup of mozzarella for later; do not add it yet.
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Ready when: The top noodles are completely hidden under sauce.
8
Slow cook
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3½ to 4 hours.
- Do not lift the lid during the first 3 hours.
- The lasagna is done when the noodles are tender when pierced with a knife, the edges are bubbling, and the center registers at least 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Noodles are tender at the center, edges bubble, and the center reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Cooking on HIGH tends to scorch the edges before the middle is tender, so stick with LOW.
9
Add the cheese topping
- Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
10
Rest and serve
- Turn off the cooker, remove the lid, and let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes so it sets.
- Cut into squares with a sturdy spatula or spoon, lift out, and garnish with extra chopped parsley.
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Ready when: Liquid around the edges has thickened and the layers hold together when cut.
Tip: Cutting too soon causes the layers to slide apart.

Good to know

Tips

Always use regular dry noodles; no-boil noodles can turn mushy in a slow cooker.
Keep the lid closed while cooking, since each peek loses heat and adds cooking time.
Slow cookers vary, so begin checking for tenderness at 3½ hours.
For easy removal, line the cooker with a parchment sling before adding the first layer.

Make ahead

"Cook the beef sauce and mix the ricotta filling up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate separately in covered containers. Assemble just before cooking, adding about 15 minutes to the cooking time if the sauce is cold."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual portions tightly and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat portions covered in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20 minutes, until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C) in the center."

Substitutions

ground beef (85% lean) → Italian sausage, ground turkey, or half beef and half sausage. Casing removed for sausage; turkey is leaner so add 1 tbsp olive oil when browning.
whole-milk ricotta → Small-curd cottage cheese. Drain well and blend briefly for a smoother texture.
marinara sauce → Crushed tomatoes seasoned with 1 tsp sugar and extra Italian seasoning. Use 3 cups; add the water as directed.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier, so reduce added salt slightly.