Yes, you read that right. Lasagna. In the slow cooker.
We’ve already talked about my love for my Crock Pot. No need to bore you with that discussion again. So let’s just cut right to the chase, shall we?
You can make lasagna in your Crock Pot. And by using a few little shortcuts, such as utilizing your favorite jar of marinara sauce (if anyone utters the words “semi-homemade” or “Sandra Lee”, so help me…I will cut you), this really is a one-pot meal.
Plus, making the whole meal in the Crock Pot means that you don’t have to heat up your stove or turn on the oven. Perfect summer solution.
I made this in my 3-ish quart slow cooker (don’t judge me, I just can’t remember exactly how big it is) and it produced 4 hearty servings. Two went straight into our bellies, two went into the freezer for a night in the probably not-too-distant future when I need something comforting without having to actually cook. If you were looking to feed a larger crowd, however, you could easily double the recipe and use a 6-quart slow cooker. This would be a great option for family get-togethers, especially if you have vegetarians in your family (as I do) – the recipe is vegetarian friendly, yet hearty enough to satisfy even the meat-eaters of the group.
On a totally unrelated note…I tweeted earlier that job searching is a soul-sucking experience. If anyone was wondering, my stance on this has not changed in the last several hours. If I continue on this soul-depleting path, I may be needing BOTH of those extra pieces of lasagna earlier than anticipated. (Huh, I guess that wasn’t so unrelated at all…)
{Forgive my crummy photos today…I was really hungry. Don’t judge me…}
- 1 28-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 7 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 small or medium zucchini, sliced
- Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, parsley and several grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
- Spread ¼ of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the crock. Place 1½ to 2 lasagna noodles on top, breaking into pieces as needed to make them fit. Spread with ½ of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with half of the vegetables, another ¼ of the sauce and 2 more lasagna noodles. Repeat this layer, ending with the last of the noodles and topping with the remaining ¼ of the sauce.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until noodles and vegetables are cooked through. Turn off heat. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese on top; recover and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
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Ugh I strongly dislike Sandra Lee and all semi-hommade talk too!!! I definitely LOL’d after I read that!
Mike’s favorite food is lasagna so I think I have to try this one out too. It has been added to my “To Cook” list along with the monkey bread for two!!!!
She is so freaky with her perfectly matching ev.er.y.thing. Even her kitchen changes every episode. I can’t handle it.
Seriously? The crock pot love and the detest of Sandra Lee? I think we might be long lost sisters!
Soul sisters! Love it.
This looks so good! I am going to try this recipe out!
yummmm! Its time like these I seriously miss cheese…. that lasagna looks SO. GOOD. Soy cheese just isn’t the same… :) Love that you made it in a slow cooker too! My kinda meal!
Cheese is pretty much THE reason I don’t think I could handle going vegan! Maybe you will find a good way to adapt this, though! Let me know if you do :-)
Hahaha…yeah, not a fan of the “semi-homemade” talk either. I love making stuff from scratch, but I am fully in support of jarred marinara sauce (particularly since there are sooo many yummy brands now that are literally just tomatoes, oil, and seasonings, and no scary preservatives and fillers.) This lasagna looks awesome!
Absolutely love your recipes, so much so that I nominated you and your blog for an award. Please check my page for details. happy cooking to you !!
Thank you so much, Tisa! I’m very honored that you thought of me!