Easy Slow Cooker Lasagne for Busy Nights — No Pasta Pre-Cooking Needed

Lasagne is delicious, but traditional lasagne can also turn your kitchen into a crime scene involving three saucepans, several mystery splatters and every dish you own.

This Slow Cooker Lasagne gives you all the rich mince, tender pasta and cheesy sauce without hovering beside the oven like it owes you money.

There is no need to boil the lasagne sheets first. You simply make the quick cheese sauce, mix the mince ingredients, layer everything in the slow cooker and let dinner sort itself out.

It makes around six generous servings or eight smaller portions, which means you may even score leftovers for tomorrow. Unless somebody discovers the slow cooker before you manage to hide them.

If easy dinners are keeping your household functioning, have a look at our best slow cooker recipes for more set-and-forget ideas.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Lasagne

• No need to pre-cook the lasagne sheets
• Only around 20 minutes of preparation
• Makes enough for a hungry family
• Uses affordable supermarket ingredients
• Delivers proper cheesy comfort food with considerably less kitchen chaos
• Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch or dinner

Cookware You’ll Actually Use in This Recipe

These are not random kitchen products added for decoration. Each one is used in the method.

• Instant Superior Slow Cooker 7.1L — The generous capacity gives you room to build the lasagne layers without attempting some sort of pasta-based balancing act. The inner pot and lid are also dishwasher safe.
• Anchor Hocking Glass Mixing Bowl 2.35L — This microwave-safe glass bowl can be used to make the cheese sauce and is roomy enough for mixing the mince ingredients afterwards.
• Kitchen Pro Ergo Balloon Whisk 25cm — You will need a whisk to keep the microwave cheese sauce smooth and rescue any little flour lumps before they become permanent residents.

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Slow Cooker Lasagne Recipe

Serves: 6 generous portions or up to 8 smaller portions
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the Mince Mixture

• Canola oil spray
• 500g beef mince
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 250g dried lasagne sheets

For the Cheese Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
• Extra grated cheddar cheese, for the top

Method

1. Lightly spray the inside of your slow cooker with canola oil spray.
2. Place the butter and flour in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for approximately 30 seconds, or until the mixture is foamy.
3. Whisk the butter and flour together, then gradually whisk in the milk. Add the grated cheese, crumbled stock cube and salt.
4. Microwave the sauce in 30-second intervals, whisking well after each one, until it is smooth and slightly thickened. Keep it reasonably pourable because it still needs to spread between the layers.
5. In a separate large bowl, combine the beef mince, onion, garlic, tomato paste, sugar, pepper, oregano, diced tomatoes and basil. Mix thoroughly, breaking the raw mince into small pieces as you go.
6. Spread a thin layer of the mince mixture across the bottom of the slow cooker.
7. Arrange a layer of dry lasagne sheets over the mince. Break the sheets where necessary so they fit without too much overlapping. This is lasagne, not pasta Tetris. Nobody is awarding points for perfect corners.
8. Spoon over enough cheese sauce to cover the pasta.
9. Continue layering the mince mixture, lasagne sheets and cheese sauce until everything has been used. Finish with cheese sauce and a generous handful of extra grated cheddar.
10. Cover and cook for six hours on low or four hours on high. The lasagne is ready when the pasta is tender, the mince is completely cooked and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
11. Switch off the slow cooker and allow the lasagne to stand uncovered for 10–15 minutes. This helps the layers settle and makes serving less like scooping delicious lava.
12. Serve using a large spoon with salad, vegetables or homemade garlic bread.

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Lasagne

Break Up the Mince Properly

The mince goes into this recipe raw, so mix it thoroughly with the tomatoes and seasonings. Breaking it into small pieces helps it cook evenly and prevents large mince boulders from appearing between the pasta.

If you prefer a firmer, more traditional mince texture, you can brown and drain it first. It is optional, not another compulsory pan to wash.

Do Not Pre-Cook the Pasta

The dried lasagne sheets absorb moisture from the mince and cheese sauces while cooking. Boiling them beforehand can leave you with very soft pasta and a lasagne that needs emotional support.

Keep the Cheese Sauce Pourable

The sauce only needs to thicken slightly in the microwave. If it becomes too thick, whisk in a small splash of milk before layering.

Let It Rest Before Serving

Slow cooker lasagne will be softer than an oven-baked version. Giving it 10–15 minutes to rest helps the sauce settle and makes it easier to serve.

What to Serve With Slow Cooker Lasagne

Serve it with:

• A simple green salad
• Steamed vegetables
• Roasted broccoli or zucchini
• Crusty bread
• Homemade garlic bread
• The smug satisfaction of knowing dinner cooked while you were doing something else

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to cook the mince first?

No. This recipe is designed for the mince to cook directly in the slow cooker. Just break it up thoroughly when mixing it with the tomatoes and other ingredients.

You can brown it first if you prefer a firmer mince texture or want to use the sauté function on your slow cooker.

Do I need to boil the lasagne sheets?

No. Add the sheets dry and make sure they are covered with sauce so they soften properly during cooking.

What size slow cooker should I use?

A family-sized slow cooker of approximately 5.5–7.1 litres works well. A wider slow cooker may produce more, slightly thinner layers, while a smaller model will create a deeper lasagne.

Why is my lasagne difficult to slice?

Slow cooker lasagne is naturally softer than oven-baked lasagne. Leave it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. If the family is already circling the kitchen with plates, hand them some garlic bread as a distraction.

Storing Leftover Lasagne

Allow any leftovers to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Reheat individual portions until piping hot.

You can also freeze the lasagne in individual portions for future emergency dinners. The pasta may become slightly softer after freezing, but it will still taste significantly better than cereal eaten over the sink.

Easy, cheesy and made with very little fuss, this Slow Cooker Lasagne is exactly the sort of dinner we need more of: filling, family-friendly and perfectly happy to cook while we get on with everything else.

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Slow Cooker Lasagna

Recipe by Stay at Home Mum

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: MainCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Medium

Layers of pasta, rich sauce, and melted cheese slow-cooked to perfection. A hearty, hands-off dinner that’s perfect for feeding the whole family.

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

Calories

450

kcal

Total time

4

hours 

20

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 500 gram Beef mince

• 1 Brown Onion-Diced

• 1 tbsp Crushed Garlic

• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste

• 1 tbsp White Sugar

• 1 tsp Pepper

• 1 tsp Oregano

• 1 Diced Tomatoes (tin)

• 1 tsp Basil (dried)

• 250 g number Lasagne Noodles

• Cheese Sauce

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2 cup milk

• 1 tbsp Plain Flour

• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese-Grated

• 1 tsp Salt

• 1 Chicken Stock Cube (crumbled)

Directions

• Place your slowcooker on the low setting and spray it well with canola spray.
• In a bowl mix together all the first part of the ingredients except for the lasagna sheets.
• Mix well.
• Cover the bottom of the slowcooker with the mince mixture, then place the lasagna sheets over the top (without overlapping – you might have to break them a bit to fit).
• Next spoon enough cheese sauce over the noodles to cover (not too thick), and repeat until all the mixtures are used up.
• Sprinkle some extra cheese on top.
• Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
• Use a large serving spoon to ‘scoop’ out the lasagna to serve.
• Serve with a salad and crusty bread.
• In a microwave proof container place the butter and the flour, microwave for 30 seconds or until the mixture is foamy, whisk in the milk, cheese and stock cube, and season to taste.
• Microwave in 30 second increments until mixture is smooth and consistent and slightly thickened.

Equipment

• 
  Glass Mixing BowlGlass Mixing Bowl
• 
  Kitchen Pro Ergo Balloon Whisk 25cmView here
• 
  Instant Superior Slow Cooker 7.1LView here

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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