Description
A hearty and comforting lasagna made effortlessly in a slow cooker, perfect for busy families and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 jars (22 fl oz each) tomato sauce (such as Classico sweet basil marinara)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lb uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 tub (16.8 oz) ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
Instructions
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the extra-lean ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the chopped yellow onion and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir to combine. Pour in one jar of tomato sauce and mix well, allowing the flavors to meld for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
- Spray the inside of your slow cooker generously with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon a small amount of the meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker to create a thin layer.
- Begin assembling the lasagna by layering uncooked lasagna noodles over the meat sauce base. Add dollops of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese over the noodles. Spoon more meat sauce on top. Repeat these layers until the slow cooker is full or you’ve used up the ingredients, typically about 3 layers in total.
- Pour the second jar of tomato sauce evenly over the top layer of the lasagna. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Gently pour the water around the sides of the lasagna in the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook the lasagna on high for 180 minutes, or on low for 360 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Let it rest for a few minutes, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil before serving.
Notes
For added flavor, adjust spices to taste or add Italian seasoning. Consider adding vegetables like spinach or zucchini for more texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 180 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 50mg