Video:How to Make Crockpot Lasagna

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Transcript:How to Make Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients for Crockpot Lasagna

To make this lasagna, you will need:

• 1 lb of lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 15-oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 lb cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb uncooked lasagna noodles
• 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• And a large slow-cooker

Instructions for Making Crockpot Lasagna

Start by making the meat sauce. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onions and saute them until they are fragrant, translucent, and just beginning to take on color, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add the ground beef and start breaking it apart with your spatula. Stir it frequently as it browns and break it into small pieces. Once the beef is browned, check to see if you have a lot of excess fat—you can see here it's pooling around the meat. If necessary, drain the fat from the skillet and discard it. Return the skillet to the heat and add the garlic, both cans of tomato sauce, the tomato paste, the salt, the oregano, and the basil. Stir everything together and heat it thoroughly, stirring occasionally.

Cook it until it has thickened slightly and is at a slow boil. Once the meat sauce is prepared, it's time to assemble our lasagna in the slow-cooker. Spoon a generous layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the pot and spread it out into an even layer. Add a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles—depending on your pan, you'll probably need to break them apart so that they fit. Don't worry about getting a precise fit, just try to make sure that most of the surface is covered by noodles, filling in any empty spaces with broken noodles. Once the first layer is down, cover with a second, overlapping layer of noodles.Next, add half of the cottage cheese and spread it out across the noodles in an even layer. Add half of the parmesan cheese on top of the cottage cheese, and add a third of the mozzarella on top of the parmesan. Now it's time for another layer of sauce. Add about a third of the remaining sauce, enough to cover the cheeses in a thick layer. Add another double layer of noodles, again breaking them apart as needed and filling in any empty spaces with broken noodles.Top this second noodle layer with the remaining cottage cheese, then sprinkle the rest of the parmesan on top. Add half of the remaining mozzarella on top of this parmesan, and top the mozzarella with half of the remaining sauce.It's time for the last layer of noodles!

Fit your remaining noodles on top of the sauce in a double layer, then add the rest of the sauce on top of the noodles. Make sure they're well-covered by the sauce so that they don't get dry and crispy. Finish your lasagna by spreading the rest of the mozzarella on top in a thick layer.Cover the crock-pot with a lid and turn it to low. Cook the lasagna on low for 6. When it's done, the cheese will be melted and the sauce will be bubbling up along the sides. Although it looks a bit unconventional, you can serve this lasagna just like any other, by cutting slices with a spatula and scooping them up out of the pan. The pieces hold their shape beautifully and make a hearty, satisfying meal with a few slices of garlic bread on the side.