Hi Friends!
Let’s talk about lasagna for a second.. It is, traditionally, a comfort food. It’s not always healthy. And it tastes delicious. I don’t make lasagna all that often…but when I do, I always try to make it healthier with a couple of changes:
- I look for a sauce that it low in sodium, or I make my own sauce by using no-salt-added crushed tomatoes and adding garlic and italian spices.
- I ALWAYS add extra vegetables. I mix them right into the sauce. Fresh, frozen…doesn’t matter. Whatever you have on hand.
- I add a lean protein. When I ate meat, it was usually ground turkey. Now that I don’t, I use white beans or lentils. I mix them right into the sauce as well.
- I use part skim ricotta, and I add frozen spinach to it (more veggies!)
- I use low-fat and limit the amount of mozzarella cheese I use.
This weekend I tried something different. I made lasagna in the crockpot. And it worked like a charm! I used regular lasagna noodles and didn’t cook them beforehand. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical that they would cook, but they did!
PrintCrockpot Lentil Vegetable Lasagna
Put your crockpot to good use and whip up this easy veggie lasagna. It’s a nutritious spin on a classic comfort food, perfect for chilly winter dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 jar pasta sauce (24-32 oz)
- 21/2 c cooked lentils
- 21/2 c mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp oregano
- black pepper, to taste
- 1– 16 oz tub part skim ricotta
- 1 c frozen spinach (defrosted & squeezed to remove water)
- 2 Tbsp pesto
- 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 1 c shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the pasta sauce, vegetables, lentils, garlic and oregano.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the spinach, ricotta and pesto.
- Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of the crockpot.
- Break 3 lasagna noodles to fit in the crockpot.
- Top with some of the ricotta mixture, sauce and a little mozz cheese.
- Repeat 2 more times.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or until noodles and vegetables reach desired tenderness.
Easy peasy. Comfort food at its finest…and healthified to boot!
A word of warning. Some of the moisture from the sauce is absorbed to cook the noodles, so this lasagna may not have as much sauce as you’re used to. I personally like mine with less sauce, but I left a bit of sauce in the jar when I made the lasagna and then I just heated it up and added it to the top of my hubby’s before serving because he likes his with more sauce than I do.
Also, please note that you don’t have to use all the ricotta cheese mixture. I’m not a huge ricotta fan so I usually only use about 2/3 of it. Perfectly acceptable.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
This looks like it would make an amazing meal. It combines three of my current favorite things: lasagna, lentils, and crock pot meals. Definitely pinning this!
Pinned! I’ve just started making lasagna in the crock pot and was surprised how well it comes out. I never thought to put lentils in. Thanks for the tip!
YAY!!! I saw you post a picture of this yesterday and I was hoping you would have the recipe up soon!!! YUM!!!!!!!!!! Lasagna is a great meal to make healthier- your tips are spot on. Love this!!! Have a great day girl!!
I’ve always wanted to make lasagna in the slow-cooker!! Thanks for the recipe Lindsay. IT looks amazing (AmazeBalls, ha!)
you’re quite welcome 🙂 let me know how yours turns out!
Looks delicious, Lindsey and I am the Crock Pot Queen in my area 😉 but a question…Does it come out in one piece or do you have to take the servings out one at a time? Just trying to visualize this. Great idea!!
i cut mine out in pieces and then stored the leftovers in a tupperware already cut into slices.
How unique with the lentils! Looks good!
thank you!!!
this looks so good and perfect for the cooler temps and holidays! i’ve never made lasagna in the crockpot (ok i’ve only made lasagna once before) so i think i’ll give this a try!!
WOW this looks and sounds amazing. I have to make this. And this might just be the meal I was looking for to bring for Thanksgiving since I need to have something vegetarian. Sweet!
This sounds amazing!!! And looks fantastic. I love an easy but healthy crockpot meal!
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
Love the food pics and how you focus on the front piece and blur the back. I need to learn how to do this with video.
I love my crockpot almost as much as I love you, so this is made for me. Have to make this sometime soon!
I love lentils so I am definitely going to try this!
Lindsay this is so awesome! I love the addition of all the extra veggies. When I finally get a crock pot I will be making this immediately! Mmmmm so comforting and perfect for fall 🙂
YUM!!!!! It’s only 10am and now I really want some lasagna…. 😉
I NEED to start using my crockpot more! I am always so busy and whine about not having time to make dinner….I really have no excuse because my crockpot should be my best friend! 🙂
This looks awesome Lindsay – I’m thinking it’s perfect for a Sunday night dinner!!!
such an awesome idea! it looks super delish. I’m gonna have to try this 🙂
Great idea! It looks so good!
I love my crock pot and I LOVE lasagna..this looks freakin’ awesome. THANK YOU for sharing! this may just be my sunday dinner this upcoming weekend!
This looks (and sounds) delicious!
This sounds delicious!! I’m definitely trying this once I unpack my crockpot again from one of the 50 boxes stacked in my inlaws’ garage 🙂
I will be trying this for sure! I love lentils, but can’t imagine them in lasagna, but will definitely try it!
yay!!! let me know how it turns out!!
Looks delicious as usual! How did I not know that you are a vegetarian?
i don’t know! we eat fish…but no meat for over a year
This looks awesome! I love the addition of lentils. I’m consistently low in iron, and lentils are one of the foods I eat to boost myself when I’m low. I’ve never heard of making lasagna in the crock pot, but I really want to try it out now!
This looks fabulous, totally gotta make this! I’m a lentil lover but I don’t think my hubby has ever tried them… I don’t think he could turn down a slice of lasagna 😉 And I like my pastas a little “drier”[?] and he prefers more sauce- maybe it’s a girl/ guy thing?!
i think it must be! funny!
I made your recipe tonight and it was so good. I used black lentils (ready made from Trader Joe’s) and hubby said it was so tasty. He says next time 3 hours instead of 4, a tiny burnt but not horrible. So glad it turned out.
I’m looking for more vegetarian crockpot meals so if you have more, I’m all ears!
ahhh yay! so glad you guys liked it! i have a good vegetarian crockpot chili recipe!
The best vegetarian lasagna I’ve ever tasted!! and without the guilt. It’s so easy to make too! Thank you for creating this recipe.
yay!! so happy to hear that 🙂