Crock Pot Veggie Lasagna

One of my most frequent dinnertime complaints is lack of time. It’s tough trying to get a balanced, nutritious meal on the dinner table when you only have a limited amount of time in which to make it. That is why whenever I need an easy-to-prepare meal I can be sure the whole family will love, I get out my crock pot. From prep to clean up, it is the biggest time saving appliance I own. I’d actually marry it if my husband wasn’t already in the picture.

This Veggie Lasagna is one of my biggest recent crock pot success stories and it only took me a few minutes to put the whole thing together. No sautéing or stove-watching required. Just chop your veggies, mix the cheeses and layer everything into the pot. By the time you get home from picking up the kids at school and an afternoon of errands, this delicious dinner will be waiting for you — just take the lid off and serve.

You may not want to marry your crock pot, but you might consider it after tasting this lasagna.

Crock Pot Veggie Lasagna
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
2 cups zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and/or spinach
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp. dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
1 25 oz. jar pasta sauce
1 box lasagna noodles (uncooked)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions
Place the vegetables in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop.

Place the ricotta, parmesan cheese, herbs, garlic powder, salt and egg in a bowl and stir to combine.

Pour half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a crock pot.

Place a layer of noodles on top of the sauce, covering the entire surface, breaking the noodles to fit the pot.

Layer half of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles, followed by 1 cup of the chopped vegetables and then one cup of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat with another layer of noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta mixture and the chopped vegetables.

Pour the remaining pasta sauce on top of the lasagna and top with the remaining cup of the grated cheese.

Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve.