Slow Cooker Lasagna

Serves 8 in about 4 hours. The slow cooker brings ground beef and basil leaves together.

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked lasagna pasta (approx. 9 noodles)
• 1 pound lean ground beef (or ½ beef & ½ bulk sausage)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 29 oz tomato sauce
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 cup water, or broth
• 14 oz ricotta cheese (whole milk)
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Handful chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Method

1. In a Dutch oven or very large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion. Drain excess fat.
2. Season the meat mixture with the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
3. To the meat mixture, add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Simmer on a gentle medium heat for 1 instant while stirring, to cook out some of the raw tomato taste.
4. Tip in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water (or broth). Mix well to combine. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, while stirring now and then.
5. Meanwhile, add the ricotta, 3 cups of the mozzarella (saving 1 cup for the topping of the lasagna), and Parmesan cheeses to a medium bowl and mix together well using a fork. Tip in the chopped fresh basil (optional), and mix it in. keep it nearby.
6. Taste the meat sauce and adjust seasoning as desired. Then ladle ¼ of it into the bottom of the sprayed crock.
7. Layer about 3 lasagna noodles over the meat sauce, breaking any you need to fit the crock. Then layer ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Then layer another ¼ of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture layer.
8. Stir in another layer of lasagna noodles, ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the noodles, and another ¼ of the meat sauce over the cheese layer.
9. Stir in a final layer of lasagna noodles, final ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the noodles, and the remaining ¼ of the meat sauce over the cheese layer.
10. Lastly, add the reserved cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
11. Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for about 3-4 hours or on High for 2-3 hours (check at 2 hours to avoid mushy noodles).
12. When the lasagna is done, turn off the slow cooker and let the lasagna sit, uncovered for at least 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and more fresh basil, if you want it.

More slow cooker ideas are in the slow cooker collection.