Slow Cooker Lasagna
(from the weightwatchers.com recipe database)
Servings: 6Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 360 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
No need to cook the noodles first or stay home while it bakes. Just let it sit a few minutes before serving so it can firm up a bit.
Ingredients
1 pound(s) uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1 small onion(s), chopped1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
15 oz canned tomato sauce
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
6 item(s) dry lasagna noodles, no-cook1/2 cup(s) shredded Parmesan cheese, strong-flavored like Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ric
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ric
otta cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with remaining 1/3 of beef mixture.
Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes. Yields 1/6th of dish per serving.
Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with remaining 1/3 of beef mixture.
Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes. Yields 1/6th of dish per serving.
Notes
To boost your vegetable intake, add a can of zucchini in tomato sauce to the meat mixture. You can also add 2 cups of sliced shiitake mushrooms to the beef mixture.
To boost your vegetable intake, add a can of zucchini in tomato sauce to the meat mixture. You can also add 2 cups of sliced shiitake mushrooms to the beef mixture.
Review: I had never cooked a lasagna before so this was a first for both this
recipe and lasagna from scratch in my kitchen. I cooked it about 5.5 hours and goofed a little on the tomatoes. I forgot to get the 25 oz of crushed tomatoes, so settled for 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes that I chopped up myself. While this wound up tasting fine, it would have been much better with the full 25 oz of crushed tomatoes! Woops!
I cooked this for my friend, his father and myself. Everyone loved it. I was really surprised that the end result wasn't too "soupy." It held up pretty well and had great flavor. I think next time I will add a little more basil to add a little more of a sweet taste and perhaps try turkey instead of ground beef.
My photo is less than amazing, but here is my meal!
Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?
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