Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot
This lazy man lasagna crockpot recipe skips the layering fuss by using broken lasagna noodles, a meaty sauce, and ricotta mixed into a creamy topping. The slow cooker does the baking, and you get cheesy, saucy lasagna with a fraction of the work.
8
servings25
minutes4
hoursGround beef and sausage cook with marinara, then broken noodles and a ricotta mixture go in. The cooker turns it into a cheesy, scoopable lasagna.
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz dry lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
15 oz whole-milk ricotta
1 large egg
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
Directions
- Brown the beef and sausage with the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat until no pink remains.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir the marinara, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, and salt into the meat.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Spread a layer of meat sauce across the bottom of a lightly greased 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add half the broken noodles, pressing them into the sauce. Dollop half the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Add half the remaining sauce, the rest of the noodles, and the rest of the ricotta. Finish with the remaining sauce, making sure the noodles are covered.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3.5 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours. The noodles should be tender and the edges bubbling.
- Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella, cover, and cook 10 minutes until melted.
- Rest for 15 minutes with the lid off to let the lasagna firm up, then scoop out to serve.
Notes
- Use regular noodles, not no-boil, which can turn gummy. Make sure every noodle is covered in sauce or it stays hard. Ground turkey works for the beef. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze in single portions for 2 months.
Why lazy lasagna makes sense in a slow cooker
Classic lasagna means boiling noodles, layering carefully, and baking for an hour. The lazy version drops almost all of that. Broken, uncooked noodles go straight into the sauce, where they soften as they cook, and the slow cooker's moist heat is ideal for the job.
The ricotta layer is stirred into a quick mix with egg and Parmesan, so it holds together as a creamy middle without needing perfect layers. The result is not neat like a baked slice, but it tastes just like the real thing, scooped from the pot.
There is a comfort element to this recipe too. The smell of garlic and tomato filling the house is the same as a Sunday lasagna, only with none of the standing and layering. It is the sort of dinner you can start after lunch and ignore until the family is hungry.
Ingredient notes
Ground beef and sausage: Beef gives body and sausage gives seasoning. Use lean beef so the pot does not turn greasy.
Lasagna noodles: Regular dry noodles, broken into pieces, work best. Wide noodles snapped into 2-inch pieces cook evenly and are easy to scoop.
Ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta is creamy and smooth. Part-skim can be grainy after a long cook.
Marinara and tomato sauce: Together they give enough liquid for the noodles to absorb. Do not skip the added water.
Mozzarella: Shred it from a block for the best melt.
Tips for tender noodles and a creamy middle
Cover every noodle: The most common mistake is leaving noodle edges exposed. Dry spots stay hard and chewy. Press the pieces down into the sauce, and finish with a full layer of sauce on top.
Do not overcook: Noodles go from tender to mushy quickly in a slow cooker. Check at 3.5 hours on LOW, and stop as soon as they are soft.
Use enough liquid: Dry pasta absorbs a lot of sauce. The recipe adds a cup of water for this reason, and you should not reduce it.
Let it rest: Fifteen minutes with the lid off lets the sauce thicken and the lasagna hold together when scooped.
Spread the ricotta in dollops: Rather than a smooth layer, drop spoonfuls across the noodles. They melt into creamy pockets as they cook, which gives you the contrast of cheese and sauce in each scoop.
Swaps and variations
Replace the meat with sauteed mushrooms and spinach for a vegetarian version, or use ground turkey for a lighter dish. Cottage cheese can stand in for ricotta, and a little cream stirred into the sauce makes it richer. You can also fold a cup of thawed chopped spinach into the ricotta mix for color and a little extra vegetable.
No-boil lasagna sheets do not work well here because they absorb too much liquid and turn gluey in a long cook.
What to serve with it
A crisp Caesar or garden salad and garlic bread make this a complete dinner. A spoonful of fresh basil on top adds a bright finish. Keep Parmesan and red pepper flakes on the table. If you are feeding a crowd, double the recipe in a 7-quart cooker and add 30 minutes, and bring a serving spoon, because the layers scoop better than they slice.
Storing and reheating
Cool and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days, in a covered container. The noodles will keep absorbing sauce and the texture becomes firmer.
Reheat single portions in the microwave with a splash of water, covered, for 2 minutes. Freeze portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before warming.
For a faster lunch, cut cooled lasagna into squares before freezing, wrap each in foil, and put them in a freezer bag.
Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot at a glance
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by lean ground beef, mild Italian sausage, yellow onion, garlic cloves
Tips for Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot
Use regular noodles, not no-boil, which can turn gummy. Make sure every noodle is covered in sauce or it stays hard. Ground turkey works for the beef. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze in single portions for 2 months.
Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot FAQ
How long does Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot take?
Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot takes 4 hours of cooking after 25 minutes of prep.
How many people does Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Lazy Man Lasagna in the Crockpot?
15 ingredients, led by lean ground beef, mild Italian sausage, yellow onion, garlic cloves. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
