I enjoy lasagna, but I despise boiling lasagna noodles. It’s laborious, they always cling together, and to be honest, I prefer to avoid unnecessary processes if possible. So, while I usually bake my lasagna in the oven, it’s usually a no-boil dish.

Even yet, lasagna is still more of a weekend job for me – it takes so long that I don’t make it on weeknights when my free time is limited. But it turns out that you can prepare lasagna in your slow cooker without cooking the noodles. It’s a layer-up, close the lid, press a button, and walk away lasagna, which means your slow cooker can do the work while you take your kids to soccer practice.

To begin, you will need two jars of marinara sauce. While you could easily add meat to this, we’re going for speed and convenience, so bottled sauce is the way to go. Layer a little on the bottom of your slow cooker, exactly like you would in a baking pan.

INGREDIENTS
2 jars marinara sauce (each 24 oz)
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
Ricotta cheese, 32 ounces
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
To taste, 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Fill the bottom of your slow cooker with roughly 1 1/2 cups of the pasta sauce.
Layer on a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them apart as needed to fit.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper and add the Italian spice and basil. To blend, stir everything together.
Spread a third of the cheese mixture over the noodles, if desired. Add another layer of noodles and sauce on top.
Layer again, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, covered.
Cut, serve, and enjoy!