Ingredients
1lbsausage
24ozpasta sauce
16lasagna noodles,uncooked, no-boil
32ozcheese,ricotta, part-skim
2cupsmozzarella,shredded
½cupparmesan,grated
2cupsbaby spinach,fresh, chopped
¼cupbasil,fresh, finely-chopped
Preparation
Add the ground Italian sausage (or ground beef) to a large saute pan, and cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, using a large spoon to stir and break up the meet into small crumbles as it cooks.
Remove from heat and drain off any excess grease. Set aside.
Spray the insert of a large 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Then layer the ingredients.
Spread 1½ cups pasta sauce evenly along the bottom of the slow cooker.
Layer about 4 lasagna noodles — breaking them into smaller pieces as needed to fit — evenly over the sauce to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.
Layer about ⅓ of the ricotta cheese (a little over 1 cup) evenly on top of the noodles.
Sprinkle ½ cup of the shredded Mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese in an even layer on top of the ricotta.
Layer about ⅓ of the cooked ground meat in an even layer on top of the cheeses.
Layer about ⅓ of the chopped spinach in an even layer on top of the ground meat.
Layer 1 cup of pasta sauce in an even layer on top of the spinach.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, ricotta, Mozzarella/Parmesan, ground meat, spinach, and sauce. Then repeat with another layer of noodles, ricotta, Mozzarella/Parmesan, ground meat, spinach, and sauce.
Then add one more layer of noodles, sauce, and Mozzarella.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the noodles are tender.
Turn off the heat, and sprinkle the top of the lasagna evenly with the remaining Parmesan and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
