Rich, cheesy layers of beef, ricotta, and marinara sauce. The best thing is that you don’t need to boil this pasta, and it gives you a whopping 35 grams of protein per serving.

For me, comfort food is a nice warm bowl of pasta.

But when I’m tired and I need that comfort food, the last thing I want to do is spend hours cooking in the kitchen.

So, when I’m craving comfort and don’t want to stop at a fast food place, my go-to option is this crockpot lasagna recipe.

Here, you’ll get layers of rich meat sauce, tender noodles, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella.

Each bowl gives you less than 600 calories per serving and more than 35 grams of protein, making this a satisfying meal that actually fuels you.

Pair it with a simple green salad or a Caesar salad, and you’ll have a balanced and complete meal.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Olive oil (1 tbsp) – Swap with coconut oil or avocado oil.

Lean ground beef, 5% (1 lb) – Replace with ground turkey, ground chicken, or crumbled tofu for a plant-based alternative.

Yellow onion, diced (1) – Switch with white onions, red onions, or leeks.

Garlic, minced (4 cloves) – You can also use garlic powder or garlic paste.

Salt (1/2 tsp)

Black pepper (1/2 tsp)

Marinara sauce (2 24oz jars) – Substitute with homemade tomato sauce or vodka sauce. Try to pick one that’s low in sodium.

Lasagna noodles, uncooked (1 lb) – Swap with gluten-free lasagna noodles or use zucchini noodles for a low-carb alternative.

Ricotta cheese (16 oz tub) – Use cottage cheese instead.

Shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups) – Replace with Provolone or Italian blend.

Water (1/2 cup)

GARNISH

Fresh basil  – You can also use dried basil.

How to Make Crockpot Lasagna

Step 1. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil to heat it up. Add the ground beef and break it apart using a spatula.

Step 2. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the ground beef softens. 

Step 3. Add the marinara and cook until the meat is almost cooked through, which should take about 5 minutes.

Step 4. Spray the crockpot with cooking spray and then add a layer of the meat sauce. Then, add a layer of the uncooked noodles, followed by a layer of the ricotta, and then the mozzarella.

Repeat the layers until it’s all full, which should be around 3 layers.

Step 5. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the top and sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese. Add water around the edges.

Step 6. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

Step 7. When it’s all cooked, garnish with fresh basil.

My Tips & Tricks

1. Don’t skip the cooking spray: It prevents the bottom layer from sticking and makes the cleanup so much easier.
2. Break the noodles to fit: There’s no need for them to be whole. You can have overlapping pieces and break some to fit the crockpot.
3. Don’t lift the lid: It can be tempting to lift the lid and take a peek, but this can release heat and add 15-20 more minutes.