Authentic Italian Crock Pot Lasagna Recipes

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until brown. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano and stir until well incorporated. Cook until heated through.
• In a large bowl mix together the cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Spoon a layer of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles. Break to fit noodles into slow cooker. Top noodles with a portion of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, and cheese until all the ingredients are used.
• Cover, and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours.

CROCK POT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano. Cook long enough for the sauce to get warm.
• Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 of the meat sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of lasagna noodles, about 1/3 of the package. Break the noodles to fit the inside of the slow cooker and cover the meat sauce. Top noodles with 1/3 of the Cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese. Repeat with two more layers of sauce, noodles, and cheeses.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
• Serve immediately. Makes 10 servings.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the lasagna noodles in a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and pour over enough hot water to cover the noodles. Set aside until pliable, about 30 minutes. Drain the water from the noodles, separate, and set aside.
• Place the eggplant and zucchini in the bowl of a salad spinner. Sprinkle with the salt and purge for 20 minutes, tossing after the first 10 minutes. Remove the sausage from its casing and chop or pinch into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Rinse the eggplant and zucchini under running water and spin until mostly dry.
• Use 4 pliable lasagna noodles to line the sides of a 3-quart slow cooker. Overlap the noodles slightly and press against the sides so they stick. Crush 1 tomato with your hand onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with half of the sausage. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, one-fourth of the flour, and one-fourth of the goat's milk powder. Add one-fourth of the purged vegetables in a layer, slightly overlapping the pieces. Add one-fourth of the sliced mushrooms in a layer. Add one-fourth of the remaining noodles in a layer, cut to fit any gaps, slightly overlapping the pieces. Gently press down on the noodles before building next layer. Crush another tomato and place atop the noodles. Add half of the ground pork, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, one-fourth of the flour, one-fourth of the goat's milk powder, one-fourth of the vegetables, and one-fourth of the mushrooms. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining ingredients. You will have 4 layers.
• Spread 2 tablespoons of the tomato juice from the can on the top of the last layer of the noodles. Set the slow cooker to low, cover, and cook for 5 hours. Remove any excess fat that has accumulated by pressing down directly on the top of the lasagna with a dish or small lid. Turn off the slow cooker. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and leave for 30 minutes. Brown the cheese, if desired, using a propane torch or heat gun.

CROCK POT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.
• Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meat mixture. Mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk and egg. beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all the cheeses are combined.
• Grease the crock pot with some vegetable spray on the bottom and sides.
• Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that ( break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodle, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodle are tender.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CROCK POT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
• Heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic in Dutch oven.
• Add ground beef and cook until lightly browned.
• Add salt and pepper and mix well. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
• Add tomato paste and cook approximately 5 minutes, until browned.
• Add crushed tomatoes, basil, wine, sugar and hot pepper. Stir in the browned ground beef and mix well.
• Cover and let simmer 30 minutes while you prepare the cheese mixture.
• Place ricotta cheese in large mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center and add 1/2 cup Romano cheese, mozzarella cubes, salt, pepper, and parsley.
• In a small bowl, beat egg lightly. Pour into center well with cheeses.
• Mix until thoroughly combined.
• When tomato sauce has cooked for 30 minutes, spoon a layer of tomato sauce into a 6-qt. oval crock pot.
• Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, overlapping and breaking pasta to fit all around the bottom, if necessary.
• Add half of the ricotta mixture and carefully spread over lasagna noodles with a frosting knife.
• Cover with a layer of sauce. Then add another layer of lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce.
• End with a final layer of lasagna noodles and the remaining sauce.
• Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. (I have to set mine on 8 hours and shut it off or switch it to keep warm after 4 hours since my slow cooker cooks anything under 8 on high.).
• In the last 60 minutes, sprinkle top with remaining Romano cheese and slices of mozzarella.