Description
This Crockpot Lasagna is a comforting and easy-to-make recipe perfect for busy weeknights or potluck parties. It combines lean ground beef, fresh spinach, and a blend of cheeses layered with lasagna noodles and marinara sauce, all cooked to perfection in a slow cooker for a hands-off meal with tender noodles and rich flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat & Vegetables
- 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)
- 3 ounces fresh spinach (2 large handfuls), roughly chopped
Seasonings & Sauces
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups water
Cheeses
- 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup cottage cheese, lightly drained
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (not the ‘No boil’ type), broken into small pieces
Optional Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves
- Additional parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Meat and Vegetables: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat 1 teaspoon avocado or olive oil. Add 1 lb lean ground beef, ½ diced yellow onion, 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon fine salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes until the beef is cooked through and onions start to soften. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Prepare the Slow Cooker: Spray the slow cooker insert generously with cooking spray. Add the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, 1 ½ cups water, 3 ounces roughly chopped fresh spinach, 8 ounces broken uncooked lasagna noodles, and 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese. Stir gently to combine all ingredients together evenly.
- Add Cottage Cheese: Dollop 1 cup lightly drained cottage cheese over the top of the meat and noodle mixture. Gently fold it into the mixture without overmixing to maintain layers.
- Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese (about ½-¾ cup) and ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese evenly on top of the mixture.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours in the slow cooker until the noodles are tender and the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Turn off the slow cooker and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- This lasagna recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks due to its easy slow cooker method.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce fat content yet keep plenty of flavor.
- Make sure to use uncooked lasagna noodles that require boiling; broken into small pieces to cook evenly in the slow cooker.
- Lightly drain cottage cheese if it contains excess liquid to avoid soggy lasagna.
- Gently folding cottage cheese in helps create creamy layers without mixing everything uniformly.
- Cooking time on low for 3-4 hours ensures perfectly tender noodles and melted cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of 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
