Easy Crockpot Lasagna Recipe (No Boil Noodles!)

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I was skeptical about crockpot lasagna, uncooked noodles just sitting in sauce for hours sounded like a recipe for disaster. But I tried it anyway, and honestly? It came out better than I expected. Tender noodles, melty cheese, and zero oven time.

My family went back for seconds, which is basically the highest praise you can get in this house.

Crockpot Lasagna Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours | Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey or Italian sausage)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz jar marinara or tomato sauce
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 6 to 8 uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit)
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/2 cup water (to prevent edges from burning)

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the diced onion and garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce and tomato paste, then let it simmer on low for a few minutes.
2. Mix the cheese layer. In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and 1.5 cups of mozzarella. Set aside the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella for the top.
3. Prep the crockpot. Spray your crockpot with cooking spray and spread a thin layer of meat sauce across the bottom. This keeps the noodles from sticking.
4. Layer it up. Add a layer of uncooked noodles (break them in half to fit), then spoon meat sauce over them, followed by dollops of the ricotta mixture. Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients, finishing with meat sauce and the reserved mozzarella on top.
5. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours. Check around the 3-hour mark. If the edges look dry or are starting to brown too much, add about 1/2 cup of water around the sides. (My crockpot runs hot, so I almost always do this.)
6. Let it rest. Once the noodles are tender, turn off the crockpot and let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes before serving. This helps everything set up instead of turning into lasagna soup.

I didn’t think this would rival oven-baked lasagna, but it totally does. It’s comfort food without the hassle of boiling noodles or heating up the kitchen. And honestly? Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Tips for Perfect Crockpot Lasagna

• Watch those edges. If your slow cooker runs hot (like mine does), check around the 3-hour mark. If the sides look dry or overly browned, pour 1/2 cup of water or extra sauce around the edges. Small fix, big difference.
• Cottage cheese works too. If you prefer cottage cheese over ricotta, go for it. Mix in an egg and a sprinkle of parsley to help it hold together.
• Freeze for later. This freezes really well. Let it cool completely, portion it into containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Future you will thank present you.
• Make it yours. Swap ground beef for Italian sausage, add some red pepper flakes if you like heat, or throw in some spinach between the layers. There’s room to play here.

This is one of those crockpot dinners that feels fancy but requires minimal effort. You layer everything in the morning, walk away, and come home to something that smells incredible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe adapted from Food.com