Crockpot Spinach Lasagna With Sausage and Mushrooms | Slow Cooker Meals

Hi there Shabby Creek Cottage readers, it’s me Claire from A Little CLAIREification back again with your monthly dose of Slow Cooker LOVE!  Happy Memorial Day, too!  It seemed fitting to make something Italian, right??  Ha.  Well that ‘s just how it timed out this month.

Now y’all, I have been itching to try making lasagna in the crock pot and this Spinach Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms is just…. a big fat pot of Italian goodness.

I’ll be completely honest that my original approach to making lasagna in a slow cooker was like “Why bother?  May as well just make it in the oven!” But what I like about this is, while yes – there is about 20 minutes prep – it cooks for 5 hours and does it’s own thing without me hovering over an oven.  I can get a WHOLE lot done in 5 hours, you guys!

Now this is by far the hardest slow cooker recipe I have ever had to photograph.  My frustration was mounting and, frankly, the lasagna was disappearing really fast.  My Husband happened to wander out during this photography frustration – he may or may NOT have had a plate of lasagna in hand – and he looked at me like I had a third head.

He basically told me I was being ridiculous and that it was delicious.  And that it is, my friends, so in the end he was right.  There was no way I couldn’t share this one with you all.  Not only is it amazing when it comes out all bubbly and hot but if you refrigerate it overnight it slices beautifully.  Instant lunch or dinner.

I cooked it on HIGH heat for 5 hours so I can only imagine it would work on LOW for 6-8 hours but I didn’t try that.  I’m pretty daring, though.  Especially since the sausage is cooked already.  Maybe next time I’ll layer it and refrigerate overnight then set on LOW heat for 8 hours the next day.  I may just add a little extra sauce.

So while this one does entail a little prep and layering, I am telling you it’s definitely worth it for an easy dinner and fantastic leftovers! In fact, I am eating the last lone slice right now as I finish writing this.

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday weekend and I’ll see you right back here next month.  Come on by in the meanwhile and say hello!

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Crockpot Spinach Lasagna With Sausage and Mushrooms | Slow Cooker Meals

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Crockpot Spinach Lasagna With Sausage and Mushrooms, lasagna

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 lb ground sausage browned (I use Jimmy Dean)
• 2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms
• 4 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 4 oz any shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese divided
• 1 1/2 25.5-ounce bottles tomato-basil pasta sauce
• 1 8 oz package pre-cooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage and mushrooms in a large skillet over medium high heat and set aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Using the same hot skillet, add the spinach and cook down for 3-4 minutes or until wilted.
3. Add the spinach to the sausage plate and pat firmly with more paper towels to release extra moisture.
4. Combine the sausage, spinach and mushrooms in a medium bowl and set aside.
5. Combine the mozzarella, Italian cheese, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine.
6. Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the cheese mixture, and set aside.
7. Turn the slow cooker on HIGH.
8. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom.
9. Arrange 3 noodles in a criss cross fashion over pasta sauce mixture (this is easier with an oval slow cooker but I made it work)
10. Top with 1 cup of the cheese mixture – spread with a spoon – followed by 1 cup of the spinach mixture.
11. Repeat the layers, ending with spinach mixture.
12. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce.
13. Place remaining 3 noodles on top.
14. Spread the remaining pasta sauce over noodles.
15. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
16. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until done.

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Did you miss my last couple of Slow Cooker Recipes? Here’s a Recap:

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Saltimbocca

And my Chicken Chilaquiles Mexican Crockpot Chicken Soup