Slow Cooker Lasagne

By Jaya

Great lasagne doesn’t have to mean lots of time and perfectly layered squares. This recipe is easier to prepare and still has all the rich flavours of lasagne to enjoy. Put it together and forget about it while you go about your other to-dos. Slow Cooker Lasagne is also a great dinner idea for trick-or-treat night!

Ingredients

• 455 grams (1 lb.) lean ground beef, cooked and drained
• 946 mL (32 ounce) jar of your favourite red pasta sauce
• 455 grams (16 ounces) cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• 1/2 box (130 grams/4.5 ounces) no boil lasagne noodles, gently broken in half if needed.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced*
• 1 mL (1/4 tsp.) dried oregano*
• 1 mL (1/4 tsp.) dried basil*
• 125 mL (1/2 cup) onion, finely minced
• 2 cups (225 grams/8 ounces) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Parmesan cheese, to taste
• Olive oil or cooking spray, as needed

Details

Preparation time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

Cook time: 3-4 hours

DIRECTIONS
1. Grease the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. Combine beef, sauce, spices, garlic and onion in a medium-sized bowl and mix well.
3. Combine cheese, except for Parmesan, in a separate medium-sized bowl.
4. In the slow cooker, start with the beef mixture (about a fifth depending on the size of your cooker). Top with a layer of no boil noodles, then crumble on a thin layer of the cheese mixture (about a fifth). Repeat layers, ending with the beef layer on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

*If your pasta sauce has already been flavoured with herbs and garlic you may omit these ingredients if desired.

Tip: For a vegetarian version, substitute one package of soy crumbles for the lean ground beef.