Healthy Crock-Pot Vegetarian Lasagna

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients you buy drastically change vegetarian lasagna's taste and nutritional content. Consider these swaps depending on your diet:

Cheeses - Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses are used in this recipe. Any fat content may be used. Cottage cheese can be used in place of ricotta cheese.

Vegetables - Use 5-6 cups of vegetables that are in season. Slice thin or finely dice if the vegetable is hearty. We used zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and onion. Other options include spinach, kale, yellow squash, peppers, and eggplant.

Pasta Sauce - There are many different types of pasta sauce to choose from, including ones with no added sugar, which will impact the nutritional information. You can cut back on the pasta sauce a little, but be sure to completely cover the noodles with sauce.

Lasagna Noodles - Use whole wheat or regular pasta. Feel free to cut back on the number of noodles used, which will also cut back on the carb count.

Optional Meats - Cooked ground beef, sausage, and crumbled tofu are some proteins that can be added along with the vegetables.

Directions with Pictures

In case you're new to cooking pasta in a crock-pot, here are the easy steps to make slow cooker vegetarian lasagna with pictures.

Collage of 4 main steps in slow cooker lasagna recipe. 1) Broken lasagna sheets in crock-pot. 2) Layer of zucchini, mushrooms, onions. 3) Cheesy ricotta mixture in balls 4) Cooked lasagna in slow cooker.

Lasagna noodles. Buy regular, uncooked lasagna noodles. They DO NOT need to be cooked first. (Can I hear a little cheer?!) Break them as necessary to fit in the bottom of your slow cooker. The sheets will overlap, and there may be some gaps. No one will ever know!

Vegetables. Layer chopped, UNCOOKED vegetables over the cheese and then top with a generous portion of pasta sauce.

Cheese mixture. Spreading the cheesy ricotta mixture over the broken noodles can be tricky. Drop small scoops of the cheese mixture over the noodles. (I use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to do this.) Use a spoon (or your fingertips) to gently spread the lumps of cheese over the noodles.

Finishing Step. At 4 hours, turn off the crock-pot. Take off the lid and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top. Return the cover and allow the lasagna to sit for at least 30 minutes more (or up to one hour.) The cheese will melt, and the lasagna will "set."

Garnish with fresh basil or parsley!

FAQ

How do lasagna noodles cook in a crock-pot?

The noodles soak up the sauce and cook during the time in the slow cooker. Be sure to use an adequate amount of sauce to cover the noodles. You do not need to soak the noodles first.

Do you need to cook the vegetables first?

You do not need to cook the vegetables first. The slow cooker will take care of that.

What size crock-pot do you need?

The recipe quantities work well for a 5 ½ to 6-quart slow cooker. Mine is on the small size. For larger appliances, the ingredients will spread out a little more and the cook time can be adjusted down an hour.

How to serve lasagna from a slow cooker?

Allow the lasagna to set for about 30 minutes and you will be able to serve it right out of the crock-pot using a sturdy spatula.

Can you make this recipe in an Instant Pot?

You probably can, but I've never done it. Check out Easy Vegetable Lasagna by Inspired Taste for a pressure cooker version.

Serving of slow cooker vegetable lasagna in front of a crock-pot.

Storage

Rejoice if you have leftover veggie lasagna. It's very enjoyable the next day and freezes well. Cut it into single servings for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

Storage. Store cooked lasagna in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

To Reheat. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat servings in the microwave, or the oven at 350 °F.

📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published 9/23/2014. It was updated to improve the reader experience.