Slow Cooker Lasagna is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
All the rich layers of cheese, sauce, and noodles you love — made effortlessly in your crockpot.
When you let lasagna simmer slowly, magic happens — it turns tender, flavorful, and impossibly comforting.
Your kitchen will fill with the cozy aroma of tomatoes, garlic, and herbs while dinner practically cooks itself.
Your family will love digging into the melty, cheesy layers,
and you’ll love how easy it was to bring everyone together around the table.
For the Meat Sauce
- Ground Beef – Use ½ pound of lean ground beef for rich, meaty flavor without too much grease.
- Italian Sausage – Adds depth and spice. You can use ½ pound of mild or hot sausage (or pork sausage if preferred).
- Onion – 1 large, chopped. Brings a sweet, savory base to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste – A 6-ounce can gives the sauce that concentrated tomato richness.
- Tomato Sauce – 29 ounces to keep everything saucy and flavorful.
- Water – 1¼ cups, to loosen the sauce so it cooks evenly in the slow cooker.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a subtle umami boost.
- Italian Seasoning – 1 teaspoon for classic herb flavor.
- Parsley Flakes – 2 tablespoons for a pop of color and freshness.
- Garlic Powder – 2 teaspoons for that signature Italian aroma.
- Salt & Pepper – 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, to season the sauce perfectly.
- Granulated Sugar – 2 tablespoons to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
For the Lasagna Layers
- Lasagna Noodles – 8 ounces, uncooked. No need to boil — they’ll cook perfectly in the sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese – 4 cups shredded for that stretchy, melty texture.
- Cottage Cheese – 1½ cups for creaminess and body (you can substitute ricotta if you prefer).
- Parmesan Cheese – ½ cup, freshly grated for extra flavor.
Optional Toppings
- Extra mozzarella or fresh basil on top for serving.
- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
- ½ lb lean ground beef
- ½ lb ground Italian sausage (or pork sausage)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, chopped (or 1–2 Tbsp dried minced onion)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 29 oz tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 8 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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Make the Meat Sauce:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, sausage, and onion until fully cooked.
Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, and water. Stir well and let simmer for 15–20 minutes. (You can prepare the sauce in advance and refrigerate it for later use.) -
Layer in the Slow Cooker:
- Spread ¼ of the meat sauce over the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add ⅓ of the lasagna noodles (break to fit, if needed).
- In a separate bowl, mix the mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan. Spoon ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Repeat the layers two more times.
- Finish with the remaining meat sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella, if desired.
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Cook:
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted.
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Make Ahead:
The meat sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. -
Freezing Instructions:
Freeze the cooked meat sauce for up to 4 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw before assembling the lasagna. -
Cook Time:
4–5 hours (on LOW)
1. Do I need to boil the noodles first?
Nope! That’s the beauty of this recipe. The uncooked noodles go straight in — they soak up all that tomatoey goodness as the lasagna cooks, becoming perfectly tender and flavorful.
Just make sure each layer of noodles is well-covered in sauce so they cook evenly.
2. Can I cook it on HIGH instead of LOW?
Yes, absolutely. If you’re short on time, set your slow cooker to HIGH for about 3 hours.
If you’ve got more time (or just want that rich, slow-simmered flavor), LOW for 4–5 hours is ideal. Either way, check the noodles near the end — they should be soft and the cheese bubbly.
3. Why do I need to add a little water or extra liquid?
Because those uncooked noodles are thirsty little things! Adding a bit of water (or using a slightly saucier mixture) helps them cook through without drying out or burning.
The slow cooker traps steam, so you don’t lose moisture like you do in the oven.
4. Can I mix up the cheeses or meat?
You sure can. This recipe is super flexible.
Use ricotta instead of cottage cheese, or swap in ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even veggie crumbles.
Just keep the sauce-to-noodle ratio about the same so the lasagna cooks evenly and stays luscious.
5. How do I know when it’s done?
You’ll know it’s ready when the noodles are tender and the cheese is melty and golden around the edges.
Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing — it firms up and gives you those perfect layers. (Plus, it’s worth the wait!)
