This simple lasagna is so dreamy good. I really hope you give it a try. It’s my new favorite way to make lasagna. Wonderful for Sunday night dinner or busy weeknights. Loaded with protein, each slice has 273 calories and 9 grams of fat. Such a satisfying portion, serve with a side salad or some veggies and you’ll be stuffed!
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef, see shopping tips
- 1 cup onions, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- A little black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) carton light ricotta cheese
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups jarred pasta sauce. Buy 2 jars (24 oz each). I like Classico Tomato Basil. You’ll have some leftover sauce. See shopping tips below
- 6 lasagna noodles (4 ounces)
- ¼ cup water
Ingredients for Topping:
- ½ cup jarred pasta sauce
- 1 cup light Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- In a large nonstick pan, brown ground beef with onions over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Be sure to break up beef into a crumble as it cooks. Remove from heat. Pour into a colander in the sink to drain the excess fat. Add back to pan and stir in Italian seasonings, crushed red pepper and black pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, spinach and egg. Mix well.
- To assemble lasagna: Spread 1 cup of pasta sauce in bottom of crock-pot. Top with half of noodles, breaking and overlapping as necessary to fit. Add half of beef mixture and spread all around. Next, spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce and add ¼ cup water. Spread half of the cheese/spinach mixture over pasta sauce. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Top with remaining beef. Spread remaining cheese/spinach mixture. Finally top with 1 cup pasta sauce. Spread evenly over top.
- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3-3½ hours or cook for 1½-2 hours on high heat until hot and lasagna noodles are soft. Once ready, top with ½ cup pasta sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.
- To serve: Cut lasagna into 8 portions. Remove each slice from crock-pot using a spatula. Leftovers freeze great!
Notes
Makes 8 servings
Shopping Tips
Most supermarkets sell extra lean ground beef. I used the 96% lean ground beef from Trader Joe’s. Sometimes I use a grass fed 94% lean ground beef I buy at my local supermarket. You could also use ground turkey, if desired. This recipe uses a total of 3½ cups jarred pasta sauce. I like Classico, Prego or Ragu. This recipe is so flexible. Use your favorite sauce that’s 1-2 grams of fat per serving. You’ll have some extra sauce. You can freeze it and use it later.
Prep Tips
You don’t need to use no-cook lasagna. Regular, uncooked lasagna noodles work just fine. The small amount of water is added to the crock-pot to help the lasagna noodles cook.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 7-Blue (using light ricotta cheese)
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 6-Green (using fat-free ricotta cheese)
WW POINTS PLUS 7
Shopping Tips
Most supermarkets sell extra lean ground beef. I used the 96% lean ground beef from Trader Joe’s. Sometimes I use a grass fed 94% lean ground beef I buy at my local supermarket. You could also use ground turkey, if desired. This recipe uses a total of 3½ cups jarred pasta sauce. I like Classico, Prego or Ragu. This recipe is so flexible. Use your favorite sauce that’s 1-2 grams of fat per serving. You’ll have some extra sauce. You can freeze it and use it later.
Prep Tips
You don’t need to use no-cook lasagna. Regular, uncooked lasagna noodles work just fine. The small amount of water is added to the crock-pot to help the lasagna noodles cook.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 7-Blue (using light ricotta cheese)
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 6-Green (using fat-free ricotta cheese)
WW POINTS PLUS 7
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving 273 calories, 9g fat, 4g sat. fat, 73mg chol, 27g protein, 25g carbs, 3g fiber, 495mg sod, 8g sugar |
| FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints 249 calories, 4g sat. fat, 25g protein, 7g sugar |
Skinny Facts
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 27gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 495mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gBlue Smart Points: 7Green Smart Points: 6Plus Points: 7
The ingredients say the recipe takes 3 1/2 cups of sauce, but when I read the instructions it amounts to 4 1/2 cups of sauce. Which one is the correct amount? Thanks
So sorry Darla. My mistake. I just adjusted step 3. Yes it’s only 3 cups for the lasagna and 1/2 cup for topping.
I so appreciate you letting me know.
My best wishes,
Nancy
How would this be converted to an Instant Pot? I’m sure it can be but just don’t know the cooking times. Sounds delicious and thank you!
Hmmm…Sorry Beth. i’ve never tried making lasagna in my instant pot.
Maybe in the future I’ll give it a try.
My best,
Nancy
Made this recipe today. It was terrific and so easy to put together. Two of my granddaughters were visiting and they loved it too.
I’m so happy. Thanks Dee!
Al the best,
Nancy
Hi. This looks good. I don’t have a crock pot and I don’t eat meat. Was thinking of subssituting beans or tofu, but not sure how the tofu and ricotta would taste. Maybe i could crumble up a veggie burger? Thanks for you help.
Joan
Joan, I would use a product such as Ives Veggie Ground Round Original. It’s a pre-cooked soy-based crumble that can replace cooked ground meat in any recipe. Most supermarkets sell it. Here’s the link to their website to learn more about this vegetarian alternative-http://yvesveggie.com/en/products/ground-round/original-veggie-ground-round/.
Best of luck,
Nancy
What size crock-pot did you use? (I have a 3 quart oval crockpot, so I’m wondering if I would have to halve the recipe.) Also, does the 9 grams of total fat still apply when you used 94% lean ground beef?
Sheri, I used a 6 quart crock-pot. I’m thinking it should still work in a 3 quart. You could easily cut this recipe in half to make in a 3 quart crock-pot. Or you could use the entire recipe and divide the ingredients into 3 layers of ingredients instead of the 2 layers in the recipe. Your lasagna will just be higher nd the slices will be thiner. I used 96% lean ground beef but 94 % should be the same in points since you drain the ground beef before adding to the lasagna. I hope this all helps!
All the best,
Nancy
If I use 99% fat free ground turkey, what would the Blue points be?
I’m eager to try this recipe! Thank you!!
Andrea, 6 Blue points, if made with 99% fat-free ground turkey.
All the best,
Nancy
I am planning to do this recipe and make it for 12 servings -so I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully it works in the oval large crock pot.
I’m sure it will work out fine, Kyra. And yes, I’d love your feedback!
Best of luck,
Nancy
The lasagne was a hit for all- 12 servings in my large oval shaped crock pot.
4hours
1st hour on high then put on low for the last 3.
3 layers
Delicious, thank you for sharinv this recipe.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful feedback, Kyra!
All the best,
Nancy