This easy homemade Crock Pot Vegetable Lasagna is a crowd-pleaser packed with tender vegetables and creamy cheese. Choose your favorite combination of veggies and make this healthy, vegetarian slow cooker recipe today.
For my family, there's nothing better than a Cheesy Slow Cooker Casserole!
The recipe makes perfect tender pasta coated in marinara sauce and loaded with richly slow-roasted vegetables and cheese, creating a classic meal with very little effort. Definitely, a Healthy Crock Pot recipe my whole family loves! You only need your crockpot and a mixing bowl to make the recipe!
For my version, spinach, peppers, onions, and zucchini are the perfect vegetables as a base. You can pick your own combination or follow ours to create a healthier yet delicious lasagna. This Italian favorite reminds me of my flavor-packed Lasagna Soup recipe.
Crock Pot Vegetable Soup is another veggie-packed recipe. Crockpot Pizza Casserole is also a favorite slow-cooked pasta recipe!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ease & Convenience: You can assemble this easy recipe in your slow cooker in the morning or even the night before and then set it to cook throughout the day.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Once you set the slow cooker, you can leave it unattended while it does its job. This frees up your busy schedule for other things.
- Great Flavor: Slow-cooking this pasta dish allows the flavors of the vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients to meld together, creating a rich and savory meal to enjoy on busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
- Marinara sauce: The pasta sauce brings the lasagna together. We like to select a good quality jarred sauce like Rao's for the best flavor. You can also use homemade sauce.
- Lasagna Noodles: The pasta noodles bring structure to the dish. You can use regular uncooked lasagna noodles or whole wheat noodles.
- Ricotta Cheese OR Cottage Cheese: This ricotta cheese mixture binds the recipe together and adds a creamy texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. When incorporated into lasagna, it adds a rich and moist layer, contributing to the overall creaminess of the dish.
- Chopped Vegetables: Veggies up the nutrition factor of the lasagna recipe. We commonly use fresh spinach, zucchini, red peppers, and onion. However, you can use a variety of veggies. See my suggestions below.
- Spices: To make this Italian favorite, you need garlic powder flakes, crushed red pepper (if desired), and salt and pepper to taste.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese or Provolone Cheese: Melty, shredded cheese is the heart of this crock pot veggie lasagna. You can also use a combination of your favorite cheeses.
- Toppings: Parmesan cheese is wonderful to sprinkle on top, and so is fresh parsley.
- Meat Option: If you'd like a protein-packed meaty lasagna, you can add about a pound of cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or Italian sausage as a layer.
What Are the Best Vegetables for Crock Pot Vegetable Lasagna?
Since you're replacing a meat sauce with vegetables, you want something that will offer a level of richness to replace the meat.
We almost always choose a combination of spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. You can pick whatever combination you prefer. Some yummy combinations are listed below.
- Mushrooms, onions, and spinach
- Zucchini, yellow squash, red onions, and kale - make the final dish delicious and colorful! Yellow pepper would give it a good flavor as well.
- Shredded carrots, cabbage, and onions
- Broccoli, mushrooms, and red onion - pack in more nutrition with the addition of these veggies.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions, and you'll have the best lasagna your family will rave about!
- Prep Ingredients. First, gather your ingredients and spray or line your Crock-Pot to prevent the noodles and cheese from sticking. Place a ½ cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the crock.
- Prepare the Cheese Mixture: Next, in a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, garlic powder, crushed red pepper if using, and salt and pepper (Image 1). Then, you will mix together your cheese mixture with your vegetables in the large bowl (Image 2).
- Assemble the Lasagna: Once the vegetable ricotta mixture is ready, you will begin making your layers in the slow cooker. You will make three layers, so divide your ingredients accordingly as you start building your lasagna. Start with a bit of marinara sauce on the bottom of the pot, then top that with noodles (Image 3), the veggie cheese mixture (Image 4), and shredded cheese (Image 5). You will repeat this process, ending with a final layer of noodles. You will pour the remaining sauce on the noodles (Image 6) and top them with the last of your shredded cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high heat for 3 hours or on LOW heat for 5-6 hours or until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
ERIN'S TIP: For the vegetables, small dice or shreds work best for this recipe so they cook evenly.
Note: Plan ahead! Let the lasagna cool for about an hour before cutting it to serve. Otherwise, it will be too moist and not cut well.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Sauce: Any sauce—jarred or homemade—will work. Make sure to spread the marinara sauce all over the bottom of the crock to ensure the noodles don't stick and stay moist.
- Pasta: The noodles in the bottom of the crockpot will look a little awkward as you lay them in, but this is no big deal. They will cook just fine.
- Veggie Options: Many different vegetable combinations work in this lasagna, including sliced mushrooms, yellow squash, red onion, grated or chopped carrots, or green bell pepper; pick your favorite.
- IMPORTANT: Make sure you let the cooked lasagna sit for at least an hour after it's cooked, or it will have too much moisture and be very soupy.
If you're getting to know your Slow Cooker, check out these important Crock Pot Tips and Tricks.
Storing
Store your Crock Pot Lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Can You Freeze Crockpot Lasagna?
If you want to freeze this recipe, we recommend:
- Cook it.
- Letting it cool.
- Then freeze it for up to 3 months.
To reheat from the freezer, leave the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight and cook it in the microwave until heated through.
Alternatively, if thawed, you can place it in an oven-safe dish and heat it at 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes.
Can This Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes! If you know you'll be busy the morning you want to make this lasagna, assemble it and refrigerate it until it is time to cook.
You can make this vegetarian crockpot lasagna up to 24 hours ahead of time. Assemble the lasagna, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it in the slow cooker insert. Before putting it in the crockpot to cook, you will need to let the insert warm up a bit so it doesn't crack.
Cook time will take longer; cook until heated through in the center and the cheese is bubbly.
Recipe FAQs
The vegetables give off lots of moisture as they cook, making the lasagna watery.
To avoid this issue, make sure you let the cooked pasta sit to reabsorb the water before cutting into and serving it. 60 minutes should do the trick.
After your last layer of noodles, finish off your lasagna with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit more shredded mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese. This makes the melty cheesy layer on top.
Yes! While it takes a bit of work to find the right vegan substitutions, you can definitely turn this into a vegan lasagna recipe with great success.
Use vegan ricotta or soft tofu in place of the ricotta and cottage cheese
Top with vegan cheese shreds. We prefer Daiya or Trader Joe's vegan options.
Sprinkle the top with nutritional yeast for that nuttiness you expect from Parmesan.
We make this vegetable lasagna with both ricotta and cottage cheese and honestly cannot tell the difference in the flavor.
We find that cottage cheese has a different texture and may not be preferred by kids, so if you serve your children, ricotta is smoother and perhaps a better choice.
You could also mix the two kinds of cheese to add more texture to your vegetables and cheese mixture.
More Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Love
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Printable Recipe
Crock Pot Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Spatula or cooking spoon
Ingredients
- 36 ounces marinara sauce (about a jar and a half)
- 9 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
- 24 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese OR cottage cheese
- 3-4 cups chopped vegetables of choice (we used spinach, zucchini, red peppers, and onion)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (if desired)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
Toppings
- Parmesan cheese for topping
- fresh chopped parsley for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Spray a 5-6 quart crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Spread ½ cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the crock.
- Prepare the Cheese/Veggie Mixture: In a large bowl, mix vegetables, ricotta cheese, garlic powder, crushed red pepper if using, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the Lasagna: Break 3 noodles to fit and cover the bottom of the crockpot. Cover with about one-third of the ricotta cheese and veggie mixture. Then, top with ⅓ of the Mozzarella cheese and ⅓ of the remaining sauce. Repeat the layers two more times (for a total of three times). End with noodles on top, covered with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit more shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. Turn the crockpot off completely and let the lasagna sit for at least one hour. This allows all the moisture to soak into the noodles and ensures the lasagna isn't too runny.Slice and serve!
Notes
- Noodles: The noodles in the bottom of the crock pot will look a little awkward, but this is no big deal. They will cook just fine.
- IMPORTANT: Make sure you let the cooked lasagna sit for at least an hour, or it will have too much moisture and be very soupy.
- Vegetable Options: Other good vegetables in this recipe are sliced mushrooms, yellow squash, red onion, grated or chopped carrots, or green bell pepper.
- Slow Cooking: Be sure to check the manufacturer's guidelines for your specific slow cooker, as cooking times may vary.
Anik says
REALLY enjoyed this, and while there is a fair bit of prep I was able to do it in stages even with my physical limitations. This will become a regular dish for our family.
Ritika Gann says
Amazing! So glad to hear that.
Maureen Merritt says
Do you precook the veggies?
Ritika Gann says
Hi Maureen, nope! It’ll cook With the rest of the lasagna.
Donna Bowles- DeBiasa says
I have a crock pot that I am embarrassed to say I have never used. My thoughtful husband bought it for me but since I am vegetarian and he is not I never got around to making something in it that we might both like. He is now very ill and I want to try it out while I still have him here with me. It would make him happy to see me preparing this recipe and cooking it in that crock! It seems easy to make and delicious.
Erin Henry says
I think you'll both like this recipe, Donna! And once you get a couple recipes under your belt, I think you'll enjoy using your crock pot. With this recipe, make sure to give it time to rest after cooking. It will seem a little liquidy, but as it sits the liquid will soak into the noodles and be perfect for cutting into! Enjoy.
Sally says
Can this be made 1 day ahead of time and cook the next day? After cooking in crock pot do I turn it off for 1 hr. or keep it on warm?
Erin Henry says
We haven't tried making it the day before, Sally, but we think that would be fine. I just turn the crock pot off and let it sit while the temp comes down, but if you want to keep it on warm, that should work too.
Nan Fisher says
Would there be any changes to the directions using a 4 quart crockpot?
Erin Henry says
Good question, Nan. This recipe is designed for a 6-quart, so I would reduce the ingredients slightly so that it cooks properly in a small crockpot.
Agnes says
I love that it's both vegetarian AND a crockpot recipe. Thank you!!
Erin Henry says
Yes, this crock pot pasta recipe is pretty perfect! Enjoy!
Jen Dart says
I'm blown away, who knew how easy this is to make in the crock pot! So delicious, thank you!
Erin Henry says
That is one of the reasons we love this recipe so much. It's so easy to make. We love coming home to a tasty, tender pasta recipe after a busy day.
katerina @ diethood.com says
This vegetable lasagna looks incredible!! My family would love it!