Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Who would have thought you could make lasagna in a crockpot? Try this easy & delicious one-pot lasagna recipe.

I’ve made beef stew, chili, chicken, meatballs and sauce, and even Easter dinner in the crockpot, but never the mother-load of all baked meals, a lasagna.

Crockpot, come out, come out wherever you are. I swear it took off when it overheard me saying I would make a lasagna in it.

Even the crockpot had reservations about this turning out anything like the traditional oven-baked Italian lasagna recipe that most people sink their mouths into.

That’s what I used to think until I gave this a try.

I used my typical oven-baked lasagna recipe to create this, except I didn’t have ricotta on hand, so I substituted cottage cheese to make this dish.

So, sit back and enjoy the layers in this one-pot lasagna recipe!!

How To Boil Lasagna Noodles

There is no need to worry about boiling lasagna noodles with this recipe, although it’s not rocket science if you opt to boil them.

I would get a huge pot and fill it with water until boiling, drop in a few lasagna noodles at a time, and cook until al dente (5-7 minutes).

Remove and use them immediately in your layers.

It’s tedious; you don’t want the noodles to hang out too long.

Sometimes, I used to add some extra virgin olive oil lightly if I had them on a dish waiting to be used.

What Are No-Boil Lasagna?

Essentially, they are lasagna noodles that you don’t have to run through the process as described above, you can use them as-is.

This is your no-bake, no-cook lasagna recipe because you don’t have to boil the noodles like a traditional lasagna.

Homemade Lasagna Noodles

I bet you were thinking, “How do we make pasta for this recipe”?

No, but if I had been creative in the kitchen, I could have made homemade lasagna noodles, but I didn’t have time; using the crockpot is meant to save time.

Since the no-boil lasagna noodles are readily available, many people opt for that instead of boiling the noodles on the stove-top.

Some people also don’t fancy the no-boil noodles and would prefer to boil them as they feel the taste is different.

You can certainly do that for this recipe by purchasing the noodles you need to boil or make yourself.

Shopping For No-Boil Lasagna Noodles

You can find the no-bake or no-boil lasagna noodles at any grocery store in Canada, and you may also try your luck at a market or specialty shop.

There are many brands of noodles, but I have used the Primo no-boil lasagna noodles and Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles for my lasagna recipes in the past.

How To Make Easy Cheesy Crockpot Lasagna

I probably had to worry more about convincing the wife than anyone else because she would be eating this with me.

The top of the finished product looks a bit dark around the edges only because the sauce is browned, but it makes no difference to the overall taste.

The lasagna was layered with a homemade turkey mince pasta sauce, mozzarella, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, cottage cheese, egg, cream, and parsley mix.

I used a different sauce for this recipe; it is not as overwhelming with the ingredients as my meatball and pasta sauce, but it has the right balance of tomato flavor that helps this lasagna come to life.

I made the sauce ahead of time as it does take a couple of hours to reduce to bring out all the flavors.

Many people don’t use hard-boiled eggs in their lasagna, and hey, I hear you.

I’m sure many of you are saying, what is Mr.CBB doing adding hard-boiled egg slices to his crockpot lasagna?

It wasn’t me, it was the wife who turned me into a believer.

I love eggs and eat them at least 3 times a week, if not more.

When my wife made her lasagna for me one day and added the eggs, I thought she was off her rocker, and I did.

She promised me that I would be a new man after trying her lasagna; you guessed it, I was.

The eggs add just the right amount of depth to this lasagna, and I’m sure you will wonder why you never thought of that idea.

I added lots of sauce to each layer, starting with sauce on the bottom.

How To Make Lasagna

This crock-pot lasagna is no different from making it in a lasagna pan, so follow the instructions if you use a pan instead of a crock-pot or slow cooker. 

I organized the photos below layer by layer for you.

If you don’t add enough sauce, you risk the lasagna drying up on you.

The noodles will soak up the sauce to soften each layer, so don’t be shy with the pasta sauce; layer it on thick.

• Italian meat sauce layer on the bottom
• Layer of noodles
• Italian meat sauce
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Lasagna noodles
• Ricotta cheese mixture
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Italian meat sauce
• Lasagna noodles
• Hard-boiled egg slices
• Sliced mushrooms
• Grated Mozzarella cheese
• Italian meat sauce
• Lasagna noodles
• Italian meat sauce
• Top with grated mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Depending on your crockpot size, you will find a variation in some ingredients.

Layer the lasagna however you like, but I like to keep the ricotta cheese filling near the middle.

If you let the lasagna set a bit after you shut it off, it may help to cut it a bit, but since it’s not in a traditional pan, you may not get the perfect piece of lasagna.

It’s more of a rustic lasagna, so tuck in and enjoy.

Italian Crockpot Lasagna Recipe

Take lasagna night to the next level with a scrumptious crockpot recipe – easy, one-pot, and the perfect lazy meal!

• Yield: 6-8 servings
• Time: Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the noodles are tender.

Lasagna Ingredients

• 1 box of no-bake noodles (at least 12-16 noodles needed, depending on the size of your crockpot)
• 6 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
• 1- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 6 hard-boiled eggs sliced
• 2 cups of fresh sliced white mushrooms
• 1 lb ricotta or cottage cheese
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh or dry parsley
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon salt (depending on your taste)
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

Meat Sauce Ingredients

• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 large tins of crushed tomatoes
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• Pinch of crushed pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon dry parsley
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup of cold water
• 2 medium onions minced
• 1lb of ground beef
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• In a large pot, add olive oil and heat up, add onions and garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in your ground beef and cook until browned.
• Add in your tomato paste, rinse the can with water, and add it to the pot.
• Add the two cans of crushed tomatoes and one cup of water.
• Add in all of your spices and sugar.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium for two hours until the sauce reduces a bit, then it’s ready to go.

Crockpot Lasagna Filling

• Add ricotta or cottage cheese, egg, cream, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, salt, and pepper into a bowl and stir to combine.

Putting the Crockpot Lasagna Together

• Ladle one giant scoop of pasta sauce on the bottom of the crockpot.
• Cover the sauce with noodles, then more sauce and mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  (Note: If you must break the noodles in half, go for it. I did, and it makes no difference. Just make sure the layer is covered with noodles)
• Add more noodles, then layer all the ricotta or cottage cheese mix, sauce, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Add more noodles, sauce, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Add more noodles and cover with sauce generously, as well as the rest of the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and parsley.
• Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are fork-tender

Enjoy my Italian crockpot lasagna recipe with homemade buttered buns, garden salad, and a beverage.

Finish it off with a fudgy brownie, and this meal is perfect for any night of the week.

Discussion: What are your favorite lasagna layers?

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