Slow cooker how-to: Lasagne

Did you know that your Crock-Pot can make THE MOST delicious slow cooker lasagne?  Like, ever?

I would have not believed it myself.  There I was kidding myself thinking it would turn out soggy, or overcooked.

This is how I was intrigued to give it a shot.

I was toying with the idea of trying it, but thought it wouldn’t be a good idea. But, slow cooker lasagne kept popping up over and over.  Weekly meal planning?  Recipes come up when I’m browsing.  Pinterest notification?  There it goes again.  That new slow cooker recipe book I just got.  Lasagne.  Again.

Arghh! 

This is when I decided I would give slow cooker lasagne a shot.  The worst thing that could happen was one soggy lasagne for dinner.  I didn’t batch cook it, just in case it turned out to be not so great.

I was wrong.  So wrong!  

My slow cooker lasagne turned out to be the best thing since sliced bread.  The clan dug in and licked their plates clean! Success!

Since then, I’ve made it countless times.  I’ve experimented with different recipes, ingredients and cooking times.

This is ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW to make slow cooker lasagne

1. You can use any lasagne recipe

The only differences between a conventional oven-cooked lasagne and a slow-cooked one are the cooking time and the cooking method.  Use any recipe that tickles your fancy.  No need to make any adjustments.

2. Opt for fresh pasta

I have made it with dry pasta.  It’s doable.  However, given that you need to (repeatedly) break the pasta into little pieces to fill your slow cooker pot, using fresh pasta is easier.  It’s much more pliable, and I didn’t waste any pasta by unwittingly breaking it into odd bits and pieces I couldn’t use (I’m a bit of a perfectionist as you may gather).

3. Cook it the day before

Since the slow cooker pot is typically deeper than a standard dish, serving the lasagne when it’s hot can prove to be messy business.  
To avoid this, cook the lasagne the day before, let it cool, and refrigerate.   Not only will serving become a breeze, but the lasagne’s flavours develop overnight and it will turn out even tastier!

4.  All about the cooking time

This very much depends on three things:
1 – How large your slow cooker is
2 – How full it is
3 –  The cooking rate of your slow cooker
I find that my one cooks quite fast.  Considering that I fill my slow cooker to 3/4 full with my uncooked lasagne, the cooking time I’ve found works best for me is 5-6 hours on low.
I experimented with different amounts of pasta and ingredients and different cooking times until I found my sweet spot.  My suggestion would be to keep a watchful eye on your lasagne the first one or two times you make it until you perfect it.  

TIP: Most slow cookers have a tiny hole in the lid to let steam escape.  Take a kebab stick and insert to check doneness.  

That’s it.  Simple right?

The only thing I ask from you is to share when you have your first slow cooker lasagne experience.  Upload a photo onto Facebook or Instagram and tag me!  I’d love to know how it went!

Here is one of my own recipes 🙌🏼

Happy Friday mamas!

Nakita xxx