Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 oz high-quality marinara sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 11 regular lasagna noodles, dry
  • 3 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • Fresh parsley and basil

Instructions:

  1. Place your ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook until deeply browned and a sizzle is constant, breaking it up with a spatula.
  2. Add the diced onion to the beef. Note: The fat from the beef helps soften the onions without adding extra oil.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the paste turns a dark brick red.
  4. Pour in the marinara sauce, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Let it bubble for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, and salt. Whisk until velvety and completely uniform.
  6. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Note: This prevents the bottom noodles from sticking and burning.
  7. Break the dry noodles to fit the shape of your crock. Place 3-4 noodles over the sauce (some overlapping is fine).
  8. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by a layer of mozzarella and more meat sauce. Repeat this twice.
  9. End with a layer of noodles, the remaining meat sauce, and a generous topping of mozzarella.
  10. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours until the noodles are tender and the cheese is bubbling.