Ingredients You’ll Need
- For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 7 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef (or any ground meat you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon Kinder’s The Blend seasoning (or any salt, pepper, garlic blend)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 48 oz marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the Ricotta Mixture
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Dried parsley for color
- For Assembly
- 10 to 12 dry lasagna sheets
- 4 to 5 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- Dried parsley for garnish
How to Make It
1. Start the Sauce: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Cook the Beef: Add the ground beef to the pan and season with half of the seasonings. Cook until the beef is fully browned, then drain any excess grease if necessary.
3. Finish the Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook down for about 3 minutes. Add the marinara sauce. Fill the empty jar with water, shake it up, and pour it into the pan. Season with the rest of the oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
4. Make the Ricotta Mixture: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in some dried parsley for a pop of color. Stir until smooth and well blended.
5. Start Layering: Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce into the bottom of the crockpot. Next, lay down a layer of dry lasagna noodles – you’ll need to break them up to fit. On top of the noodles, spread a generous layer of the ricotta mixture, followed by a layer of mozzarella cheese.
6. Repeat Layers: Repeat the layers – sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella – until you’ve used up all the ingredients. Make sure to end with a layer of mozzarella on top. Garnish with some dried parsley.
7. Cook: Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The lasagna is done when the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden.
8. Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This helps it hold its shape when you scoop it out. Enjoy this easy, delicious crockpot lasagna!
Extra Information
- You don’t need to cook the lasagna noodles first – they cook right in the crockpot!
- Breaking the noodles to fit in the crockpot is totally fine – lasagna doesn’t have to be perfect layers.
- Using the water to rinse out the marinara jar ensures you get every bit of sauce.
- Freshly grated mozzarella melts better than pre-shredded, but either works.
- Letting it rest before serving is important – it helps the layers set and makes serving so much easier.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Essential Tools
- 6-quart or larger crockpot (slow cooker)
- Large pan for making sauce
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon