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If you love cheesy, comforting lasagna but not the fuss of boiling noodles or babysitting the oven, this Slow Cooker 12 Layer Lasagna is your new go-to. It’s rich, hearty, packed with melty mozzarella and made right in your crock pot! Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends in.
Love lasagna? Try my Lasagna Rolls, Polenta Lasagna and Mexican Lasagna recipes!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Hands-off cooking: The slow cooker does the work while your kitchen smells like an Italian restaurant. Want more slow cooker recipes? Try Slow Cooker Chicken Chili or Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tacos.
- Feeds a crowd: This recipe makes a lot of lasagna. Perfect for feeding a crowd (or having amazing leftovers)!
- Family favorite: Anytime I tell my family I’m making this lasagna, I get a resounding “YES!” from everyone. It’s one of my easy weeknight go-to’s.
- Meal prep win: Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day!
The Ingredients
- Ground turkey: I like dark meat for flavor and tenderness, but you can swap in ground beef or Italian sausage.
- Tomatoes and tomato paste: Drained diced tomatoes and tomato paste create a rich, thick sauce that clings to every noodle layer.
- Italian herbs and garlic: Classic flavors that make your kitchen smell amazing.
- Cottage cheese and eggs: Lighten things up and create a creamy layer that’s similar to ricotta (but more budget-friendly!).
- Mozzarella and parmesan: For that perfect cheesy pull and salty finish.
- Lasagna noodles: Regular dried noodles. No need for “oven-ready.” Break them to fit your slow cooker.
Variations and Substitutions
- Protein swaps: Use ground beef, Italian sausage, or a mix of both instead of turkey if you prefer.
- Vegetarian version: Skip the meat and layer in sauteed spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, or lentils for a veggie-packed lasagna. Or just make my Crock Pot Veggie Lasagna!
- Cheese options: Swap cottage cheese for ricotta or even a mix of ricotta and cream cheese for extra richness.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles. No need to pre-cook, just layer them in as usual.
Step by Step Instructions
- Cook the turkey: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook for 5 minutes, until cooked though, breaking apart any chunks with the side of a wooden spoon to make bite sized pieces. Remove the turkey to a plate, and then drain the liquid.
- Make the sauce: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot, then onions and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Return the turkey to the pot, add the drained tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Mix the cheese filling: In a bowl, whisk the eggs and mix in the cottage and parmesan cheeses.
- Layer in the slow cooker: Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a single layer of the dried lasagna noodles (I break them into pieces and slightly overlap to fit the crock pot), 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering until you have 3 layers of each, ending with mozzarella cheese.
- Cook, rest & serve: Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the noodles are tender. Turn off the crock pot, remove the lid, and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. This will help the lasagna keep its shape.
Tips and Tricks
- Avoid watery sauce: Drain your tomatoes well before adding them to the pot.
- Add veggies: Layer in spinach, zucchini slices, or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Prevent sticking: Lightly oil or spray the crock before layering.
- Short on time? Make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. When ready, just assemble in the slow cooker.
FAQs
Can I assemble this slow cooker lasagna ahead of time?
Yes! Layer everything in the crock insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Just add an extra 30 minutes to the cooking time if starting cold.
How do I store and reheat leftover slow cooker lasagna?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
This Slow Cooker 12 Layer Lasagna has all the cheesy, comforting layers of classic lasagna with way less work! Perfect for family dinners, meal prep, or feeding friends, it delivers homemade flavor with minimal effort every time! If you love this one, let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Slow Cooker 12 Layer Lasagna
This Slow Cooker 12 Layer Lasagna is an easy, cheesy family favorite. Layers of rich turkey sauce, creamy cottage cheese, and melty mozzarella cook right in your crock pot. No boiling noodles needed!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dark meat ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons oil, divided
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 16 ounces (about 4-5 cups) grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 pound dried lasagna noodles, uncooked
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook for 5 minutes, until cooked though, breaking apart any chunks with the side of a wooden spoon to make bite sized pieces. Remove the turkey to a plate, and then drain the liquid.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot, then onions and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Return the turkey to the pot, add the drained tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs and mix in the cottage and parmesan cheeses.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a single layer of the dried lasagna noodles (I break them into pieces and slightly overlap to fit the crock pot), 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering until you have 3 layers of each, ending with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the noodles are tender.
- Turn off the crock pot, remove the lid, and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. This will help the lasagna keep its shape.
Notes
Note: My crockpot is 6.5 quarts. You may need to use less per layer to fit a smaller crock pot.
- Avoid watery sauce: Drain your tomatoes well before adding them to the pot.
- Add veggies: Layer in spinach, zucchini slices, or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Prevent sticking: Lightly oil or spray the crock before layering.
- Short on time? Make the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate it, then assemble and cook when you’re ready. You can also layer everything in the slow cooker insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Just add an extra 30 minutes to the cook time if starting cold.
Nutrition
Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1445mg | Potassium: 1096mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1113IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 376mg | Iron: 4mg
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My crockpot is really hot as well. I don’t know why but it’s just so much hotter than the older models
Can I replace the lasagna noodles with thinly cut zucchini?
Hi just wondering gf what I could use instead of noodles. Thank u!
Hi. What is the best way to freeze the lasagna? Do you wrap it first and then store in a container? What would you wrap it with? Thanks!