Equipment
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- brown onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 500 g ground beef
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 50 g tomato paste
- 3 g dried oregano
- 3 g dried basil
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
Cheese Mixture
- 500 g ricotta cheese, drained if watery
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Pasta and Topping
- 250 g dried lasagne sheets
- 300 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 517 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 623 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 88 mg
- Potassium
- 531 mg
- Calcium
- 426 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 49 mg
- Phosphorus
- 458 mg
- Zinc
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 170 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.48 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 88 mcg
- Water
- 97 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, stirring frequently until softened and fragrant.
Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until completely browned. Ensure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Stir the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper into the browned beef. Bring to a gentle bubble, then remove the skillet from the heat.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, and the lightly beaten egg. Mix thoroughly until perfectly smooth and uniform in color.
Spread a quarter of the meat sauce evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Snap the dried lasagne sheets to fit the shape of your slow cooker and arrange them in a single layer over the sauce.
Dollop a third of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spreading gently. Sprinkle a generous handful of mozzarella on top. Repeat the layering process twice more: sauce, pasta, ricotta, mozzarella. Finish with a final layer of meat sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid. Cook on the LOW setting until the pasta is completely tender and the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.
Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Let the lasagne rest undisturbed before slicing. This allows the hot liquids to absorb back into the layers, preventing it from falling apart when served.
Chef's Notes
- Breaking the lasagne sheets is a jigsaw puzzle. Do not worry about overlapping them slightly; the slow cooker environment is forgiving and will cook them evenly.
- For extra depth of flavor, add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the meat sauce right before layering.
- Browning the beef in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker is crucial. It develops complex flavors through the Maillard reaction that cannot be achieved in the slow cooker alone.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, check the pasta doneness at the 3.5-hour mark to prevent it from turning into a homogenous paste.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual portions tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Microwave covered until heated through, or cover with foil and bake at 175°C/350°F for 25 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Lasagne turns out mushy
Cause: Cooked on high heat or used fresh/oven-ready pasta instead of standard dried pasta
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always use standard dried lasagne sheets and cook on the low setting
Lasagne is too watery when sliced
Cause: Did not rest long enough after cooking, or the ricotta was too wet
Fix: Leave uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to let steam escape and layers set
Prevention: Drain excess liquid from ricotta before mixing and allow ample resting time
Dry or undercooked pasta edges
Cause: Pasta sheets were not sufficiently covered by the sauce
Fix: Spoon some liquid from the center over the edges and cook for an additional 20 minutes
Prevention: Ensure sauce reaches all the way to the edges of the slow cooker insert during assembly
Cultural Context
Lasagne al Forno is a classic dish from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, traditionally composed of rich meat ragu, bechamel, and fresh egg pasta. Adapting this iconic weekend project for the slow cooker democratizes the dish, allowing the deep, slow-simmered flavors of a traditional ragu to develop completely hands-off while relying on American-Italian shortcuts like ricotta cheese to maintain moisture and richness.
