Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta
This crockpot lasagna no ricotta swaps the usual cheese filling for a creamy white sauce and mozzarella. Layers of meat sauce and noodles cook gently in the slow cooker, with no oven and no mess.
8
servings25
minutes4
hoursA layered slow cooker lasagna with meat sauce, a quick cream sauce and mozzarella in place of ricotta.
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
9 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken to fit
3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Brown the beef, sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat. Add the garlic for 1 minute and drain the fat.
- Stir in the marinara, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Heat until it bubbles.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, whisking, and cook 4 minutes until thick. Stir in nutmeg and salt.
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker. Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom.
- Layer 3 broken noodles, one third of the remaining meat sauce, one third of the cream sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers twice, ending with sauce and cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- It is done when the noodles are tender when pierced and the sides are bubbling. Ground meat should read 160°F.
- Turn off the heat, remove the lid and let it stand 20 minutes so it firms up.
- Slice and serve with a spatula, scooping up the layers.
Notes
- Use cottage cheese blended smooth if you miss the ricotta texture. Spinach squeezed dry can be layered in. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze well in individual slices.
Why this version works
Ricotta can turn grainy and watery in a slow cooker, since it has little fat to hold it together over hours of heat. A quick cream sauce does the same job, with a smooth, rich texture that stays put as it cooks. The cooking is quiet, and you are free to do other things while the layers set up. Nothing has to be boiled, drained or rolled.
The uncooked noodles soak up liquid from the meat sauce and become tender, so there is no boiling a pot of pasta. The sides bubble gently the whole time, and the whole thing finishes as a soft, sliceable lasagna instead of a loose casserole. The finished slice stands up tall on the plate, with browned cheese at the edges.
Ingredient notes
Lasagna noodles: Use regular dry noodles, not no-boil. The regular kind holds up to the long cook better and breaks easily to fit the round crock. Break them into rough 3 inch pieces for a good fit.
Ground beef and sausage: The sausage adds fennel and salt. Choose lean beef so the sauce is not greasy. Drain the fat well, since it floats on top otherwise.
Marinara: A plain jarred sauce keeps things simple. Thin it with a splash of water if it is very thick. Taste it first and add a pinch of sugar if the tomato tastes sharp.
Whole milk: It makes the cream sauce silky. Lower-fat milk gives a thinner result. Warm milk blends in faster and with fewer lumps.
Mozzarella: Shred low-moisture mozzarella from a block. Fresh balls release too much water. Part-skim works fine, whole milk gives more stretch.
Tips for the best result
Make the sauce loose: The noodles drink liquid, so the meat sauce should look a bit wetter than you would serve over pasta. Dry sauce leaves hard noodles. Press the noodles down gently with the back of a spoon.
Cover every noodle: The most common mistake is leaving noodle tips poking up. They dry out, so tuck them under the sauce. A spoonful of sauce over the top layer keeps it from drying.
Rest before cutting: Twenty minutes with the lid off lets the layers set so the slices hold together. A hot lasagna sliced too early slumps apart.
Swaps and variations
Replace the beef with ground turkey, or leave the meat out and layer in mushrooms and zucchini for a vegetable version. A pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce adds heat. Swap Parmesan for Pecorino for a sharper finish. Frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, adds color and iron.
Do not add extra water or broth beyond what is in the jar. The lasagna will be soupy and the noodles will turn mushy.
What to serve with it
Serve with a sharp green salad dressed in vinegar and a basket of garlic bread. A bowl of extra warm marinara at the table is welcome. For a crowd, add roasted broccoli. A glass of red wine or sparkling water goes well with it. Cut it into squares for a casual crowd, and pass extra grated Parmesan.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat slices in the microwave, covered, for 2 minutes, or in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil for 20 minutes. Let it cool a little before wrapping.
Freeze slices individually wrapped for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Microwave single slices from frozen at 50 percent power.
Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta at a glance
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by lean ground beef, mild Italian sausage, onion, garlic
Tips for Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta
Use cottage cheese blended smooth if you miss the ricotta texture. Spinach squeezed dry can be layered in. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze well in individual slices.
Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta FAQ
How long does Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta take?
Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta takes 4 hours of cooking after 25 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Lasagna No Ricotta?
15 ingredients, led by lean ground beef, mild Italian sausage, onion, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
