Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna is an easy, layered lasagna with Italian sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella. There isn’t a need to boil the lasagna noodles as this cooks perfectly using no-boil lasagna noodles, meat sauce, shredded mozzarella, and creamy ricotta. 

I love serving this delicious pasta dish with a garden salad or Italian salad and cheese garlic bread. Layering the lasagna in the crockpot takes less than ten minutes, and the ground Italian sausage with onions and garlic can be browned ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Italian sausage: My favorite is sweet, but you can substitute hot, mild, or even ground beef. Ground beef or ground turkey can be substituted for the sausage.
• Ricotta cheese: Whole milk ricotta is best. Cottage cheese can be substituted for ricotta cheese.
• Herbs: Fresh or dried parsley, dried oregano, and dried basil.
• Sauce: Homemade marinara, like in this baked meatball recipe, is always tasty, but if you are short on time, there are plenty of tasty jarred marinara sauces.  I love Costco’s Organic Marinara Sauce.
• Lasagna noodles: no-boil lasagna noodles.
• Mozzarella: Use whole milk mozzarella cheese as it creates a super creamy melt.

How to Make Crock Pot Lasagna

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Brown the ground beef and add the onions halfway through the browning process. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute.
2. Mix the ricotta cheese, parsley, oregano, basil, onion powder, and egg. 
3. Spray the crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon about 3/4 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the crock pot.
4. Layer the lasagna and drizzle the water down the sides of the crockpot.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2-4 hours, but start checking after 2 1/2 hours.

Preparation Tips

• Consider adding other veggies like carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes. 
• Remember to drizzle the water down the sides of the pot. It adds moisture to the pot, so the noodles soften.
• For best results, let the lasagna rest for about 20 minutes before slicing.
• Do not get too hung up with the layers. You could do it any number of ways!
• Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

Serving Suggestions

• Bread or rolls: French baguettes with sweet cream butter, no-knead bread, and homemade dinner rolls.
• Salad: arugula salad, tomato salad, and antipasto salad.
• Vegetables: roasted asparagus, creamed spinach, and green bean bundles.

More Lasagna Recipes

Skillet Lasagna

Ravioli Lasagna

Veggie Lasagna

Creamy Chicken Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

Lasagna Soup

Crockpot Lasagna Recipe

This easy lasagna is made with minimal prep work using oven-ready lasagna noodles, browned Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, and a six-ingredient ricotta cheese mixture.

5 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: pasta main meal

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 large egg
• 32 ounces marinara sauce
• 9 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles no boil
• 2½ cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions

• In a large skillet, brown the sausage. When it is halfway browned, add onions and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. 
• In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, parsley, oregano, basil, onion powder, and egg.
• Spoon ½ cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the crock pot. Add three oven-ready lasagna noodles to the crock pot, breaking them up if necessary. Add half of the browned meat mixture and ¾ cup marinara sauce.  Add another layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles.  Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella and ¾ cup marinara sauce. Add another layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles.
• Spread the ricotta cheese mixture and another layer of lasagna noodles.  Spoon another ¾ cup marinara sauce over the noodles, spreading it with the back of a spoon. Add another layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles
• Add the remaining meat mixture. Add another layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles. and spread with ¾ cup marinara sauce
• Drizzle ½ cup of water down the sides of the crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 3-3½ hours, or until the noodles are soft, but start checking after 2 1/2 hours.
• Layer with remaining shredded mozzarella, cover, and let melt for 20 minutes.  Let it rest for 20 minutes before cutting. Garnish with chopped fresh basil, thyme, or Italian parsley. 

Notes

• Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
• Crockpot temps vary widely. Please cook this on low and start checking after 2½ hours. 

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 2mg

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