Crockpot Lasagna with Cottage Cheese
What makes this version stand out is how practical it is for busy days. Instead of standing over the stove, you can prep everything in one go and move on with your day.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (Crockpot)
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle or large spoon
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
For the lasagna
- 9 –12 lasagna noodles regular or oven-ready
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
For the meat sauce
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 can 14–15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Optional
- 1 cup spinach fresh or frozen, chopped
- Red pepper flakes for a little heat
Instructions
Step 1 – Cook the meat sauce
- Place a large skillet over medium heat
- Add ground beef and break it apart as it cooks
- Cook until browned and no longer pink
- Drain excess grease if needed
- Add diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant
- Pro tip: Don’t rush the browning step—this is where a lot of the deep flavor develops.
Step 2 – Build the sauce
- Pour in marinara sauce and crushed tomatoes
- Add Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper
- Stir everything together until well combined
- Let it simmer for 5–10 minutes so flavors blend
- If using spinach, stir it in now and let it wilt
- Pro tip: A short simmer makes the sauce thicker and helps it hold up better in the crockpot layers.
Step 3 – Mix the cottage cheese layer
- In a mixing bowl, add cottage cheese
- Crack in the egg
- Add grated parmesan cheese
- Stir until smooth and well combined
- Pro tip: Mix well so the egg fully blends in—this helps the layer set slightly and stay creamy, not watery.
Step 4 – Start layering in the crockpot
- Lightly grease the crockpot with oil or cooking spray
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom
- Add a layer of lasagna noodles (break them if needed)
- Spoon more meat sauce over noodles
- Spread a layer of cottage cheese mixture
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top
- Repeat layers until ingredients are used up
- Pro tip: Always end with sauce and a generous layer of mozzarella on top for the best melt and finish.
Step 5 – Slow cook to perfection
- Cover the crockpot with lid
- Cook on LOW for 4–6 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours
- Check near the end to ensure noodles are tender
- Pro tip: Try not to lift the lid too often—keeping the heat trapped is key for even cooking.
Step 6 – Rest and serve
- Turn off heat and let lasagna sit for 10–15 minutes
- This helps it set and makes slicing easier
- Scoop out carefully with a large spoon or spatula
- Pro tip: Resting time is essential—skip it and your layers may fall apart when serving.
Notes
Nutritional Value (Per Serving – Approximate)
- Calories: 380–450 kcal
- Protein: 28–32g
- Carbohydrates: 30–35g
- Fat: 15–20g
- Fiber: 3–5g
- Calcium: High
- Iron: Moderate