Easy slow-cooker lasagne – (no pre-frying needed)
A one-pot slow cooker lasagne bursting with flavour, with tender beef, a rich tomato and herb sauce, and a creamy three-cheese blend layered between lasagne sheets. The best bit? It only take 5 minutes to prepare!
5 mins
4-5 hours (low)
422 kcals
serves 6
Photo credit: Chris Terry
Easy slow-cooker lasagne recipe
I absolutely love lasagne, but it often feels like a dish that requires more effort than I have time to put in! This slow cooker method is a true game-changer. While it may not have the perfectly layered, oven-baked presentation, it delivers a wonderfully messy, comforting, and flavoursome experience. It’s incredibly quick and easy to assemble, making it a total winner for busy days. If you’re skeptical about skipping the pre-cooking step for the mince, rest assured that the meat will turn out tender and delicious in this version!
The secret ingredient: cottage cheese for a lighter white sauce
I use cottage cheese in the sauce to create a delicious, lower-calorie white sauce without any pre-cooking. If you’re hesitant about cottage cheese, please don’t let it put you off trying this recipe-it doesn’t impart any overwhelming flavour; instead, it adds a creamy texture and helps to create a sauce that enhances the overall dish. Layers of cottage cheese and cheddar melt beautifully into the lasagne layers. This simple swap not only cuts down on calories but also eliminates the hassle of traditional white sauce preparation, so no extra pans or cooking time are needed!
Is this just the same as a traditional lasagne?
While this slow cooker lasagne shares many ingredients with traditional lasagne, it does differ in preparation, presentation and texture. Unlike the classic oven-baked version that features neatly layered pasta and sauces, this one-pot method results in a more casual, comforting dish with a deliciously messy appeal. Additionally, the use of cottage cheese in the white sauce offers a lighter alternative without sacrificing creaminess. While it may not look exactly the same, this slow cooker lasagne is packed with flavour and makes for a satisfying meal that’s quick and easy to prepare (you can get this ready in just 5 minutes!), making it perfect for busy weeknights.
What would you serve with this Easy slow-cooker lasagne?
- Side salad: A fresh green salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a light vinaigrette makes a perfect pairing.
- Roasted vegetables: Seasonal roasted vegetables, such as courgette, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes or asparagus, make a nutritious side.
- Steamed broccoli or green beans: Lightly steamed vegetables add a pop of colour and an extra healthy element to the meal.
- Garlic bread: For a treat, garlic bread pairs perfectly with lasagne. You can find an easy method for making homemade garlic bread on my Instagram page!
How does Easy slow-cooker lasagne work on Slimming World?
This Easy slow-cooker lasagne can make an absolutely fantastic syn free meal if you are following Slimming World.
You can count the cheddar and mozzarella cheese as one of your Healthy Extra A portions for the day, here’s how it works:
30g of cheddar cheese is 1 HEA
50g of mozzarella is 1 HEA.
This lasagne contains 3.5 HEA portions of cheddar, and 2.5 HEA portions of mozzarella- a total of 6 Healthy Extra A portions of cheese: that’s 1 HEA per portion.
Does cottage cheese contain syns on Slimming World?
Fat-free cottage cheese is syn-free, so you do not need to syn this. Standard plain cottage cheese contains 1 syn per 100g.
Easy Slow Cooker Lasagne – (no pre-frying needed)
- Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This comforting Easy slow cooker lasagne is made entirely in one pot, with no pre-frying needed. Featuring tender beef, a rich tomato sauce with balsamic vinegar, herbs, and spices, and a creamy, cheesy finish with cottage cheese, cheddar, and mozzarella. Easy to prepare and incredibly satisfying.
Syn-free (1 Healthy Extra A per portion)
Ingredients
500g (1lb 2oz) lean minced beef (less than 5 per cent fat)
400g (14oz) can of chopped tomatoes
500ml (18fl oz) tomato passata
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons garlic granules
2 teaspoons onion granules
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano, plus extra for sprinkling
1 beef stock cube
6 lasagne sheets
300g (10½oz) fat-free cottage cheese
105g (3¾oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
125g (4½oz) mozzarella cheese, torn
salt and pepper
curly parsley leaves, to serve
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix the minced beef, chopped tomatoes, passata, tomato purée, balsamic vinegar, carrots, garlic granules, onion granules, paprika and oregano together, breaking up the minced beef so there are no large chunks and it’s well combined with the sauce. Crush the beef stock cube and sprinkle in, and season with salt and pepper before stirring again.
2. Spoon one-third of the meat mixture into the slow-cooker pot, then cover with 2 lasagne sheets (break these up to fit them to your pot). Spread over one-third of the cottage cheese to cover the lasagne sheets and one-third of the Cheddar. Repeat this twice more so you have 3 layers. On the top layer, break up the mozzarella to cover and sprinkle over a little extra oregano.
3. Turn the slow-cooker to low, and cook for 4–5 hours. If you would like the cheese to be browned on top before serving, just pop the pot under a hot grill for a few minutes.
4. Serve scattered with curly parsley.
Notes
To cook this in a regular oven, preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan (340°F), Gas Mark 3½. Follow steps 1 and 2, but layer the lasagne in a medium or large casserole dish with a lid. Bake with the lid on for 2 hours. Serve as in step 4.
I recommend sticking to the low setting for this one to be perfect, as it doesn’t work so well on high.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-5 hours on low
- Category: Slow-cooker
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Italian
