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One of my favorite ways to eat zucchini is in slow cooker lasagna in place of noodles.  Oh yum.  Here’s the recipe so you can make it too!

Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Last summer, I shared my five favorite zucchini recipes and slow cooker zucchini “lasagna” was one of them.  Replace the lasagna noodles with thinly sliced zucchini and you’re good to go.

The biggest difference between zucchini lasagna and my favorite lasagna recipe is that I use a lot less sauce because the zucchini releases a lot of liquid while cooking.  I also add meat to make the meal extra hearty.  My husband and dad love that!

Making lasagna in your slow cooker is so much more convenient than your oven.  No need to heat up your kitchen and you can leave the house while it’s cooking.  (Of course you can certainly make this recipe in your oven too – I’ve already made it twice that way this year and it’s delicious.)

Subbing zucchini for the noodles in this lasagna recipe makes the prep time super fast because you don’t have to boil any noodles.  Yay!

Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 small zucchinis, ends cut off (you can sub two large zucchinis)
  • 1 pound cooked ground meat or chopped meatballs
  • 1/2 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded (about 2 cups), divided
  • 15oz container of part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

  1. Thinly slice (unpeeled) zucchini length-wise into thin strips, like lasagna noodles. It’s easier to do this with a mandolin, but a large knife works just fine.  (It’s OK if some are only a few inches long.)
  2. Create cheese filling by combining 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper.
  3. Create a layer of zucchini at the bottom of your slow cooker.  (It’s OK if pieces overlap.)
  4. Top zucchini with a rounded 1/2 cup of cheese filling, 1 cup meat, and 1-3 tablespoons sauce.
  5. Continue layering zucchini, cheese, meat, and sauce until you only have enough zucchini left for top layer.  (A 6-quart slow cooker will have 4-5 layers and a 4-quart slow cooker will have 6-8 layers.)
  6. Before you add the top layer of zucchini, add whatever sauce, meat, and cheese you have left.
  7. Top with zucchini and remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
  8. Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  9. Turn off slow cooker and let rest for at least 30 minutes, so juices become more set.

This might defeat the purpose of using zucchini instead of noodles, but we like to eat ours with a big piece of crusty garlic bread!  YUM.

Slow Cooker Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce


Looking for more summer slow cooker recipes?  Check out my ‘Easy & Healthy Slow Cooker‘ cookbook!  Every recipe inside is inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Here are some of my other favorite zucchini recipes, too.

Breaded and Baked Zucchini

Breaded and Baked Zucchini

BBQ Chicken Foil Packs
BBQ Chicken Foil Packs

Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Bread Recipe from @kellymcnelis
Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Bread

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Trisha G
Trisha G
9 years ago

Have you ever made regular lasagna in your crockpot? It’s the only way I make it! You use dry noodles and start and end with a layer of sauce so the noodles are covered with it–that way they’re sure to cook through. I cook mine on low for about 4 hours. So good!

Jen
Jen
9 years ago

Does the ricotta go into the cheese mixture?

Gale
Gale
9 years ago

Can this recipe be frozen after cooking?

Gale
Gale
8 years ago
Reply to  Kelly McNelis

Ahhhhh! i totally forgot to put in the ricotta! it’s listed in the ingredients but not the instructions!

Mary
Mary
9 years ago

How many servings are in this recipe? How many carbs per serving?

Amy
Amy
9 years ago

Is it okay if I prep at night and stick in the refrigerator until the morning??

Lisa
Lisa
9 years ago

How long and what temp do you bake if using oven?
Thanks!