CROCKPOT LASAGNA

1. Brown the Beef:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.

2. Prepare the Meat Sauce:

Pour the drained beef back into the skillet. Stir in the entire jar of spaghetti sauce until the meat is evenly coated. Set aside.

3. Assemble the Lasagna in the Slow Cooker:

Layer 1 (The Base): Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.
Layer 2 (Noodles): Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, breaking them to fit as needed to cover the sauce.
Layer 3 (Meat & Cheese): Spread ⅓ of the remaining meat mixture over the noodles. Dollop ½ of the cottage cheese (about ¾ cup) over the meat and spread gently. Sprinkle with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
Layer 4 (Repeat): Repeat the layers: 3 more noodles, ½ of the remaining meat, the remaining cottage cheese, and another ½ cup of mozzarella.
Final Layer: For the top layer, add the last 3 noodles, followed by the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle the top with the final 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

4. Cook:

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. The lasagna is ready when the edges are bubbly and the noodles are tender.

5. Serve:

For the cleanest slices, turn off the slow cooker and let the lasagna rest, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows it to set perfectly.

No-Boil Noodles: It’s essential to use “no-boil” or “oven-ready” lasagna noodles for this recipe. Traditional noodles require boiling and may not cook correctly in the slow cooker.
Make-Ahead Magic: You can assemble the entire lasagna in the slow cooker insert the night before. Cover it tightly and refrigerate. When ready to cook, you may need to add 15-30 extra minutes to the cooking time since it will be starting from cold.
Cheese Variations: Feel free to substitute the cottage cheese with an equal amount of ricotta cheese. For a richer flavor, mix the ricotta with one egg before layering.
Don’t Overcook: 4 hours on Low is typically the perfect amount of time. Overcooking can make the noodles mushy. If you need to cook it longer (e.g., while you’re at work), using a slow cooker with a “warm” setting that kicks in automatically is ideal to prevent it from drying out.