I have a little confession: until this weekend, I had never made lasagna. I love eating it, but somehow making it always seemed like a lot of work.

Well, girls, I finally gave it a try—and now I think this will be the only way I make it!

I made crockpot lasagna for Sunday dinner, and everyone loved it. It was meaty, saucy, cheesy, and so easy to put together. You don’t even have to boil the noodles! A little prep, a few layers, and the crockpot takes care of the rest.

And in true Fancy Nancy fashion, I measured with love. 💕

A Little Extra Sauce, a Lot of Cheese

I like my lasagna with plenty of meat and sauce. I don’t want to cut into a serving and find mostly noodles! So I used both ground beef and mild Italian sausage, along with two containers of marinara sauce and diced tomatoes.

And the cheese? We weren’t being shy about that, either. I used the full tub of ricotta, a bag of Parmesan in the cheese mixture, and a bag of mozzarella for the top.

This is cozy, feed-the-family comfort food, and it was perfect for a Sunday at home.

What I Used

Here’s what went into my crockpot lasagna. These are the ingredients and package amounts I used, rather than a precisely measured recipe. Adjust the amounts to fit your crockpot, keeping enough sauce to help the uncooked noodles soften.

For the Meat Sauce

• One package of lean ground beef
• One package of mild Italian sausage
• Chopped onion
• Chopped red bell pepper
• Two containers of marinara sauce—I used Buitoni
• Two cans of diced tomatoes—I used Hunt’s diced tomatoes with roasted garlic
• Minced garlic
• Italian seasoning

You can also add other vegetables you enjoy. It’s an easy way to make the sauce your own!

For the Cheese Layer

• One full tub of ricotta cheese
• One bag of Parmesan cheese
• One egg
• Minced garlic
• Italian seasoning

For Layering and Topping

• Uncooked lasagna noodles
• Cooking spray
• One bag of shredded mozzarella cheese

A little note: Package sizes vary, so “a tub” or “a bag” isn’t an exact measurement. This is how I made mine—with plenty of sauce and cheese!

How to Make Crockpot Lasagna

1. Make the Meat Sauce

Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. Add the chopped onion and red bell pepper, and cook until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables begin to soften. Drain excess grease if needed.

Stir in the marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning to your liking.

I used two containers of marinara because I wanted a generous amount of sauce. Remember, the noodles go into the crockpot dry, so they need moisture as they cook.

2. Mix the Cheese Layer

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, and one egg. Stir in minced garlic and Italian seasoning.

Yes, I season both the meat sauce and the cheese mixture! That way, the flavor is carried through the layers.

3. Layer It Up

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.

Start with a layer of meat sauce on the bottom, then build your layers in this order:

1. Meat sauce
2. Uncooked lasagna noodles
3. Ricotta cheese mixture
4. Meat sauce

Continue with noodles, cheese mixture, and meat sauce until you’ve used your ingredients, leaving room at the top of the crockpot.

Break the noodles in half or into smaller pieces as needed to make them fit. They don’t have to look perfect!

The important part: keep meat sauce underneath each noodle layer, and finish with meat sauce on top. Spread the sauce so the noodles are well covered.

And remember—do not boil the noodles first. They cook right in the crockpot.

4. Let the Crockpot Do the Work

Cover and cook on:

• Low for 4–6 hours, or
• High for 3–4 hours

Crockpots vary, so start checking at the shorter end of the cooking range. You want tender noodles and a hot, cooked-through center.

5. Add the Mozzarella

About 30 minutes before the lasagna is done, sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.

Put the lid back on and let the cheese melt into that delicious, gooey topping. I used the whole bag because, at my house, a cheesy topping is part of the appeal!

What to Serve With It

Texas toast or garlic bread makes the perfect side. You’ll want something to scoop up that extra sauce!

If you’d like a little freshness alongside all that cheesy goodness, add a simple green salad. But honestly, a generous serving of lasagna and some garlic bread makes a pretty wonderful Sunday dinner all by itself.

Leftovers? Yes, Please!

We had plenty left over, which meant another meal without starting from scratch.

Store leftovers in covered containers in the refrigerator, or freeze individual portions for another day. Portioning them out makes it easy to pull out just what you need when you’re craving a cozy meal.

A dinner that makes everyone happy and gives me leftovers? That’s a win in my book.

My First Lasagna—Definitely Not My Last

For something I had never made before, this turned out so delicious. Everyone enjoyed it, and I loved how easy it was.

No boiling noodles. No fussing over perfectly fitted layers. Just a rich meat sauce, creamy cheese filling, and plenty of melted mozzarella on top.

If lasagna has been one of those meals you love but never get around to making, this crockpot version might be the one to try.

A little prep, plenty of cheese, and everything measured with love. That’s my kind of Sunday dinner. 💕

Do you make your lasagna in the crockpot, or have you always used the oven? Let me know in the comments!