This recipe is so easy and delicious. You don't have to boil the noodles. It makes a lot, and leftovers freeze very well. Someone in my cooking group made it, and we all fell in love with it. I have made it several times since then. The original recipe calls for sausage, but I used ground beef instead with excellent results.
Total Time: 1/2 hour prep and 4 - 4 1/2 hours cooking time
Yield: 8 servings
Source: www.bettycrocker.com
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage ( I used ground beef)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 3 cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce ( I used jarred spaghetti sauce)
- 2 tsp dried basil leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
- 1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 15 uncooked lasagna noodles
Steps:
- Cook ground beef and onion in a pan over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the fat with a spoon or turkey baster. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
- Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and all the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses well.
- Spoon one-fourth of the ground beef mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; break 5 noodles to fit and put them on top. Then put half the cheese mixture and one fourth of the ground beef mixture. Break another 5 noodles to fit. Put the rest of the cheese mixture and one quarter of the ground beef mixture. Break the final 5 noodles to fit and top with the remaining ground beef mixture.
- Cover and cook on Low heat about 4 1/2 hours, or until the noodles are tender.
- Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.
