This Crock Pot Low Carb Lasagna recipe is the one that almost got away. It took me FIVE attempts to perfect, but I can safely say that it was completely worth every tear I shed (and less-than-lady-like word I uttered) into my slow cooker. Not only is this no-noodle lasagna absolutely delicious, but it’s become a reader favorite and one of the best crock pot recipes.
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Cheesy, saucy, low-carb, and protein-packed, this crock pot veggie lasagna is the most comforting, crowd-pleasing way to serve vegetables that I’ve found (and inspired me to also create these similar Zucchini Lasagna and Eggplant Lasagna recipes.)
I originally shared the recipe last summer, and I’m updating it today with a step-by-step video, as well as taking a trip down memory lane to revisit how this recipe came to be and why I refused to give up on it.
After seeing a few “no noodle” lasagna recipes floating around the web, and I became enchanted with the idea of creating a crock pot version that I could set in my slow cooker and forget. In place of pasta, the veggie lasagnas I saw used thin, sheet-like slices of zucchini or eggplant.
The idea seemed simple, perfect, and like a recipe even veggie-skeptics could enjoy.
Fast forward five recipe attempts later, and here we are. The best, most foolproof, no-noodle, low-carb lasagna recipe you will ever (and I mean EVER) find!
Avoiding Excess Liquid in Crock Pot Low Carb Lasagna
The issue with my first four low-carb lasagna attempts was that, no matter what I trick I tried—salting and draining the zucchini, reducing the amount of sauce, mixing eggs with the filling, leaving the crock pot uncovered during the last hour of cooking—the zucchini lasagna sheets still let off so much liquid that the crock pot veggie lasagna came out soupy.
It tasted lovely, but I had a conspicuous amount of discarded water at the bottom of my slow cooker.
Not okay.
My final solution, and the recipe I posted here, is to either grill or broil the zucchini and eggplant slices first to remove as much excess water as possible.
I tried my very hardest to eliminate this step (all of the first runs of the recipe didn’t include the additional effort), but I am afraid it simply must be done.
If you prefer to skip grilling or broiling the zucchini and eggplant, you can simply omit this part of the directions and discard the extra liquid—which is exactly how we ate attempts #1-#4.
In addition to the zucchini and eggplant “noodles,” I layered the low carb lasagna with sweet bell peppers, red onions, and a generous amount of cheese.
My final no-noodle lasagna recipe note is to spend a few extra dollars to purchase a good-quality pasta sauce, or use homemade sauce. Because this crock pot veggie lasagna recipe uses few ingredients, the taste of the sauce stands out, so you want to be sure it has excellent flavor. My favorite of the different sauces I tried was roasted garlic—rustic and zesty!
Perhaps the ultimate testament to this healthy low carb lasagna recipe is that, despite the multiple attempts, I didn’t grow tired of it.
This crowd-pleasing veggie lasagna is healthy comfort food, topped with gooey, melty cheese, combined with the flexibility of the crock pot. What’s not to love?
How to Store and Reheat This Lasagna
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat gently in the microwave, and top with a little leftover sauce if you have it available.
Recommended Tools to Make Low Carb Lasagna in a Slow Cooker
- Mandoline. For cutting fruits and veggies into consistent, thin slices, there’s simply nothing better (or cheaper). I have the original, but in retrospect, wish I had purchased the wide.
- Programmable Slow Cooker. I recently purchased this new one and am loving it so far.
Crock Pot Low Carb Lasagna
Video
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Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 medium eggplant
- Kosher salt
- 16 ounces good-quality store-bought tomato-based pasta sauce, or homemade (2 cups)
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese do not use skim—I used 1%
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounces part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese, divided (about 2 cups—I used a blend of both cheeses)
- For serving: Parmesan cheese freshly chopped herbs such as basil or parsley
Instructions
- With a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the eggplant and zucchini length-wise into long, thin (1/4-inch) sections so that they resemble lasagna noodles. Spread the vegetable slices out onto a kitchen towel or layers of paper towels and sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt. Let stand for 15 minutes to allow some of the excess liquid to drain off. Pat dry. Prepare the zucchini and eggplant according to one of the three methods below:
- GRILL METHOD: Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium. Lightly coat the grill with canola oil, then grill the eggplant and zucchini strips until cooked and lightly brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- BROIL METHOD: Place the top oven rack about 5 inches from the upper heat element. Set the oven to broil at 500 degrees F. Arrange the zucchini and eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. (Do not line the baking sheet pans with wax paper or parchment, as they will burn.) Lightly brush the slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip over the slices and repeat for the other side. Broil for 5-8 minutes, or until lightly brown, working in multiple batches as needed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Place the slices on paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- NEITHER: Move ahead with the recipe—skip grilling or broiling the zucchini completely. The lasagna will have a lot of excess liquid around the veggie slices in the slow cooker (even after salting them in step 1), but if this doesn’t bother you, you can scoop out the noodles and discard it.
- Lightly coat a 6-quart crock pot with nonstick spray. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot—the layer will seem very thin. In a small bowl, beat the cottage cheese together with the eggs.
- Create the first veggie lasagna layer in the crock pot as follows: 1 layer of eggplant “noodles”; one-third of the cottage cheese (about 2/3 cup); one-third of the bell peppers and onions; one-third of the mozzarella; 1/2 cup tomato sauce.
- Create the second veggie lasagna layer, this time using zucchini: 1 layer of zucchini “noodles”; one-third of the cottage cheese; one-third of the bell peppers and onions; one-third of the mozzarella; 1/2 cup of tomato sauce.
- Create the final layer: 1 layer of eggplant “noodles”; remaining cottage cheese; remaining bell peppers and onions; 1 layer of zucchini noodles; 1/2 cup tomato sauce; remaining mozzarella.
- Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the eggplant is tender. To test, insert a long, thin knife into the lasagna and ensure the eggplant feels tender. Re-cover, turn off the slow cooker, and let stand until any remaining liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Note: if you did not grill or broil the vegetables first, you will have a lot of remaining liquid.) To serve, slice and scoop desired portions, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and herbs as desired.
Notes
- Depending upon the size of jarred tomato sauce you can find, you may have some leftover. Most jars come in a 24-ounce size, so you will have some sauce remaining. The extra sauce is great for reheating leftovers (top with a bit before microwaving), or if you like a saucier lasagna, you can heat it separately on the side and spoon it over individual servings.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat gently in the microwave. Top with a little leftover sauce if you have it available.
- I have not tried cooking this recipe on low heat, but I estimate it would take about 4 to 5 hours covered, depending upon your crockpot.
- I also have not tried making this recipe in the oven instead of a slow cooker but would anticipate that it could be assembled in a 9×13-inch baking dish, then baked, covered, at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Uncover the pan for the last 10 minutes of baking. I would recommend grilling or broiling the noodles first.
Nutrition
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This lasagna looks incredible! Cheesy, saucy, and so easy to make :) Love the combination of zucchini and eggplant in here :)
This looks incredible. A pain to grill but well worth it in the end.
Oh heavens…this might just be worth FINALLY trying a ‘no noodle’ lasagna! I can get on board with anything in a crockpot <3 Yum! I wonder if baking the zucchini at a low temperature would work?! Not that you probably want to make it a 6th time to find out LOL…
Thank you for you hard work to provide us with this appealing recipe! I look forward to trying it.
And thank you for your kind words Sara. I hope you love it!
This is happening in my life, stat. I know it will be perfect b/c you nearly killed yourself making sure of it! <3
I can’t wait to try it. I will make it your way first but would also like to try dipping the eggplant and zucchini slices in egg and breadcrumbs and pan frying before layering as an option. Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I love getting your emails.
Beth, that means so much. Thank you!
Hey girl this looks so yummy!
Thanks Shawnna!
One of the tricks I have found useful for absorbing moisture in slow cookers is to put a terry tea towel folded in half over the pot then secure with the lid.
Do you think a homemade meat sauce work in this recipe?
Sue, I think that this would be delicious with homemade meat sauce! I’ve tried the towel trick before for slow cooker desserts, but not for savory recipes. Thanks for the suggestion.
in my oven version of zucc lasagna i spinkled 1 T of flour on each layer (can use rice flour) on top of zucc then layer up .. maybe i will try it in this crockpot version Kim
I make eggplant Parmesan, often but have never attempted a lasagna – especially in a slow cooker! I like the tip for grilling beforehand. I can’t wait to try this out!
Can ricotta cheese be used in lieu of cottage cheese or is there a specific reason why cottage cheese is used? I prefer the taste of ricotta.
Hi Lauren! You can certainly use ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
This looks good, and when I try it, I will have to skip the eggplant and replace it with probably butternut squash, or just use zucchini as I can’t have eggplant. I spiralize quite frequently, and one tip that might work with this, along with the paper towels under the lid, is to reduce the pasta sauce on the stove top. That way, when the zucchini bleeds moisture back into the sauce, it’ll return to “normal”. It’s probably about as much extra work as grilling/broiling, but with less cleanup. It should take care of some of the excess liquid. It might also work better in the oven, and when you uncover it during baking, some of the excess liquid may evaporate, which it won’t do in the crock pot.
You could also try very fine layers of toasted breadcrumbs over the veggie slices. Not enough to make it “bready” or change the taste, but just enough to soak up the excess moisture. I use this technique with strudels, fruit pies, hand pies, and Pop Tarts quite often, sometimes with graham cracker crumbs, sometimes cookie crumbs, and you can not tell it’s there, but it makes all of the difference between hand pies bleeding liquid, or not. You could try it, anyway. It would only be attempts 6 through 9. 8)
P.S.
Cornflake crumbs also work well, but you want to choose a “flavor” of crumb that will be unnoticeable in the taste of the final product.
Wow, you worked hard to perfect this one! It’s a beautiful lasagna recipe. I’m always looking for “keeper” slow cooker recipes to add to my collection. This is one of those!
Erin, I am SO making this. Easy peasy, great weeknight meal!
5 times? You are die hard – but thank you! I can’t wait to try this!!!
Love your commitment to this recipe! Now I have to try it out! It looks amazing :)
I don’t usually make a lot of crockpot meals but this …. this looks delicious!
Crock pot? Low Carb? You are so speaking my language. Can’t wait to try this!
YES! I am loving slow cooker recipes right now because it has been blazin’ hot here in Ohio. This one is going on my must-make list!
Any suggestions on adapting this to an oven? Best to just cook until the cheese is melted or would it not be the same?
Hi Susan! Please see the recipe notes. Thanks!
I’m gonna make this just now. Already got print of this page. Thanks Erin
Thank you for attempting so many times and sharing your recipe. I plan on making this recipe for a Sunday treat. My husband was just informed he needs to lower his carbs due to a health issue. He has been doing great, but I know he is saddened with the idea of not having lasagna the bad way. So, it is nice to see there is a healthy option. This looks absolutely delicious.
I hope that you and your husband both love this Roxanne. If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think too!
Yummy recipe! Is there a way to get this recipe done without using a crock pot? And can i just pan sear the veggies instead of grilling it?
Hi Leena! Please see recipe notes to bake in the oven. I’ve never tried searing the veggies, so this would be an experiment. The idea is to get as much moisture out of the veggies as possible, so if you are searing them and see that the moisture seems to be coming out, then I think that would work! To play it safe, I’d stick with grilling or broiling as suggested.
Thanks Erin! Can i just bake the lasagna instead of using a crockpot? If yes, could ypu tell me the temperature and the time required?
Hi Leena! Please see the notes at the bottom of the recipe. Thanks!
Oops! Don’t know how I overlooked the notes. Thank you Erin for replying. Can’t wait to try out your yummy recipe!
I wonder if you used salt to pull moisture out of the veggies first then rinse, pat dry, and use. That’s how I. Male my baked eggplant Parmesan
Hi Laura! Salting the veggies was actually the first thing I tried and is still a part of the recipe directions. Unfortunately, it alone isn’t enough. I found that the only way was to also grill them. I wish just salting would’ve done the trick!
Looks and sounds amazing, thank you for perfecting it for us! One question, do you think it would work to use ricotta instead of cottage cheese? I love both, but hubby isn’t a fan.
Hi Kim! I’ve never tried this recipe with ricotta, but I know that’s a common swap in lasagnas, so I think you would be fine. I hope you enjoy it!
Looking forwaed to this! Did the vegetables add a a strong flavor to the lasagna? My husband dislikes both veggies. Wondering if I can trick him!
Gina, I’m afraid there is no way around the fact that this recipe calls for A LOT of veggies. Eggplant and zucchini are both very mild, but your husband will know he’s eating veggies, not pasta. One idea (depending upon how much he likes/dislikes zucchini) is to use all zucchini and no eggplant, since it is the more mild of the two. Good luck!
Do you think this would work with whole milk cheese? I’m wondering because I prefer it, but I know sometimes the type of cheese does make a difference.
Definitely Sara! The only kind you wouldn’t want to use is fat free.
Great, thanks! Can’t wait to try this.
Could meat be added to this? I was thinking ground turkey.
Hi Tara! Yes, you could use the same amount of a homemade meat sauce. I hope you love the recipe!
I made this today and it was very good. I’m not a big squash fan so I was a little worried that the veggies would overpower the lasagna. But they didn’t at all. It was a rich and satisfying meal!
Susan, I am so excited to hear this! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking time to leave your positive review. Enjoy any leftovers as well!
I made a chicken enchilada made lasagna style with zucchini and the recipe called for adding TBS quinoa on top of the zucchini and I felt this helped soak up the water that was let out by the zucchini. Jus thought I would share if you were looking to try and omitting the grilling step this might be another option :)
That’s a great idea Heather! Thanks so much for the suggestion.
Hello,
This looks delicious & I can’t wait to try it. I wanted to add ground turkey. Should I cook it first and add it to my sauce????
Thanks so much!
Roshay, that is exactly what I would recommend! I hope you love the recipe.
I tried it in the oven tonight.. First time making anything like this…. It was so good… But like you said juicy.. I had to cook it for an hour and let it sit for 15 min. Thank you so much for this recipe! Family loved it.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and leaving this review Anna. I’m so glad that you all enjoyed it so much!
Made this tonight in the crockpot, and it was delicious! The grilling of the vegetables made the lasagna not super liquidy. I didn’t let it sit a full 30 minutes, which made it have a little excess water but not much! I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe!
Kristen YAY!!! I am so so happy to hear this. Thanks for the wonderful review!
Is that 22g of carbs per serving?
Hi Misty! Yes, all nutritional info is per serving.
I was very skeptical to try this, but omg was it amazing! Couldn’t believe how good it was, and my boyfriend even loved it. Can’t wait to make it again. Only thing I adjusted was using the emersion blender to smooth out the cottage cheese. Thanks for a great recipie :)
Julia, this makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad you tried it. Thanks for the tip on blending the cottage cheese too. I bet it was extra creamy. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and stopping by to leave this lovely review.
Can’t wait to try it but I have a question, why cottage cheese and not traditional ricotta cheese ?
Hi Kate! The cottage cheese is totally personal preference. I like that it’s lower in fat than ricotta while still being nice and creamy, and it’s high in protein too. You can use ricotta if you’d like!
This was so good I made it twice in 3 days! I used ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. I seasoned it well and added an extra egg to my ricotta. My husband does not like cottage cheese in his lasagna so this was a must. I also added mushrooms (which I sauteed first with the onions). The second batch I did with no mushrooms. They were both very good….with and without. Thank you for this recipe! I’d eat it even if I wasn’t doing low carb. We love it!
Grace, I’m so excited to hear you love the recipe! The mushroom addition sounds DELICIOUS. I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this kind review!
Erin, I rarely write reviews beyond giving a 5 star rating! This was the best lasagna I have ever eaten or prepared. I broiled the eggplant and zucchini and added some fresh mushrooms. I was impressed with how well the dish held together in the crockpot like an oven baked lasagna. There was some water at the bottom of the pot, but we just poured it out and it did not compromise the texture of the bottom half of the dish. Thank you for taking time to recreate this dish until you got it right. It was PERFECT!
Sarah, thank you so much! Your comment is SO kind, and it makes me happy to hear that you loved the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave this review!
Will try this for sure- my son and his wife are trying to eat vegetarian and this would be a great meal to make for them. When I make lasagne I use low fat Ricotta cheese – the Italian me will not let me use cottage cheese. Still add the egg but also some fresh ground pepper and a couple dashes of ground nutmeg – really makes the cheese layer “pop” – try it!!
Thanks for the tip! :) I hope you and your family enjoy the recipe!
I am fixing to make this recipe and I noticed your comment about the excess water in the eggplant and zucchini. I make a Baked Eggplant Parmesan dish that I bake the eggplant after it is breaded with bread crumbs and it resolves the problem of excess moisture. Since I have an abundance of eggplant out of my garden in the fall I slice them about 1/2 inch thick, bread and bake them. I then store them in the freezer until I need them for casseroles or sandwiches.
Joe, your recipe sounds delicious. I love eggplant. Thanks so much for sharing, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can I use Parmesan cheese instead of mozzarella cheese? Btw, thank you for this great recipe, can’t wait to try it!!!
Hi Jenny, I would actually caution against this. Using all Parmesan would be pretty salty, so if you don’t like mozzarella, you could try swapping provolone or similar Italian melty cheese like fontina. Parmesan by itself won’t give you the stretchy, melty cheese in the dish. I hope that helps!
I am on a FB CrockPot list and many people have spoke of placing a dishtowel stretched across the crock under the lid to collect excess moisture. Wondering if you have ever tried that?
Hi Val! A few of my recipes call for this method, such as the crockpot peach cobbler and crockpot scalloped potatoes, but a towel isn’t enough to absorb all the moisture in this case. I definitely recommend grilling or roasting the zucchini and eggplant as outlined in the recipe. I hope you love it!
Erin, I did follow your directions to broil the zuchinii ahead of time. It was delicous! I added cooked italian sausage to my pasta sauce. My family ate it up! Thank you for your quick response to my question.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Val! Thanks for taking the time to report back and leave this wonderful review. :)
I loved it! Trying to eat more healthy and lose weight. I really loved this recipe. My only problem was that after 3 hours, the onions were still a little too crunchy. Maybe it’s just my crock pot. Next time i might soften them a few minutes in a sautee pan before I add them.
THANK YOU!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagna, Frank! That’s a good idea to sauté the onions a bit if they were too crunchy for your liking in the finished dish. Thank YOU for leaving this great review!
Lasagna calls for Ricotta not Cottage Cheese. I would never use Cottage cheese in any lasagna (I’m Italian) – just can’t do it. The difference in taste is like night and day!!
Hi Penny, it’s totally a personal preference! Ricotta would also work great in this recipe—I like the cottage cheese myself because it’s still creamy, lower in fat, and high in protein.
I’m not a fan of eggplant. If I left this out, would I need to add more zucchini or maybe summer squash to the recipe?
Hi Kerry! Yes, I’d add more zucchini. Your idea to use yellow summer squash would also work too!
Use a counter top dehydrator for the zucchini and eggplant strips. Get them to a soft and chewy point then add them to the lasagna. No more water problem. ?
That’s an excellent idea, Sybil—thanks for weighing in! I hope you enjoyed the lasagna!
nice choice for the pasta swap, and love the idea of a slow cooker lasana as all of flavors meld together over a long time, so thank you for this!
Thanks Sabrina!
Erin, always pulling it out of the bag with the veggie recipes!
I personally use large leaf Kale types such as Cavolo Nero or leek sheets (slick down the length of the leek to open into a flat sheet) for my veggie noodle sheets. Both work brilliantly, and I tend to prefer the chunks/gratings of courgette (sorry, Brit!) in the lasagna mix.
I’m going to try to make it this weekend, really excited to come home to a bubbly cheesy pot of veggie tomato delight!
Lo
http://www.themixtures.com
Awh, thanks so much Lo! I hope you enjoy the recipe, and I’d love to hear what you think. (Also, now I’m so intrigued by using kale leaves/leeks as noodles…)
Erin,
This sounds like a great recipe and I’m looking forward to trying! If I wanted to add some ground turkey to it, how much would you recommend and would that change the portion size of anything else, as well as cooking time?
Thanks!
Hi Brianna, I’d start with about a pound of ground turkey, sauté it first, and then layer it in with the peppers. It will certainly make the dish heartier, but portion sizes really depend on how much you want to eat! :) I hope you love the recipe!
very nice! Great for athletes (:
This looks so good! I love the healthy spin on a classic comfort food. Guiltless enjoyment!
I have made a similar dish and did bake it in the oven instead of using a slow cooker. It turned out great!
Awesome, Peggy! I love hearing about people’s successes with similar dishes. I hope you enjoy this one too if you do give it a try!
Tried this today and am so glad I did! Great way to use up those fresh veggies without heating up the whole house. I used the grill method (with a brush of olive oil and salt and pepper) and it gave the veggies a tender texture and subtle flavor boost. Thank you for sharing this great dish!
I am so happy you loved the recipe Emily! Thank you so much for trying it and for taking time to leave this kind review too.
I have a 5 quart slow cooker. Would this recipe fit for that size, or is the size problematic?
Hi Sara, I think that would be okay! You should just really make sure to get as much moisture out of the veggies as possible and watch the cooking time. It may need a bit longer. I hope you enjoy!
I made this the other night. AMAZING! Even my 6yo and 8yo loved it. I did swap out a couple of layers for standard noodles, and I briefly pre-cooked the pasta sauce with a mix of vegetables and mince. But the technique from your recipe was spot on. Sharing with all my friends.
Leni, I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit! Thanks for taking the time to share this awesome review and the swaps you made! :)
I made this tonight and it was sooooo good! I sauteed the onions and bell pepper in butter until they were soft and browned a pound of ground beef and added it to the pasta sauce. Although it tasted an amazing, it didn’t hold its shape when dishing it up (and I let it sit about an hour).
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagna, Shea! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback and tweaks!
I’m currently in the middle of making this delicious recipe – it smells so good! However, It’s abit an hour and a half in the slow cooker and i put my knife in and it is very watery! I salted and grilled the vegetables, so not sure where I am going wrong! ? :)
Caroline, it might be that your veggies are just extra moist and could have benefited from a few more minutes on the grill. Did you try cooking for a while with the lid off? Regardless of the water content, I hope the recipe turned out and tasted great!
Made this last night but baked in the oven in a 9×13 pan, covered For 35 minutes @ 350, then uncovered for 10 minutes. I did broil the zucchini/eggplant however I missed the step where you’re supposed to let them sit on paper towel first. I ended up with a lot of liquid in the pan but I just poured it out, no big deal. Otherwise it turned out awesome!
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your tweaks, Bridgette! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
I tried this recipe and loved it!!! With each layer I added basil and oregano. DELICIOUS!! Love it!
YAY Megan! I’m so excited to hear the recipe was a hit! Thanks so much for giving it a try and reporting back. :)
I’m attempting this today but just realized my husband got into the cottage cheese before I could make it! I’ve got about 10 oz left! Suggestions?! Make do and keep it at 2 eggs? Cut back to 1 egg? Anything else I could throw in to make up the difference?
Hi Leslie, I would say you could do 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, and add additional mozzarella if you have it. The recipe will still work but be less cheesy and creamy. (Ricotta could also be used as a direct 1:1 swap with the cottage cheese if you happen to have it.) I hope you enjoy the recipe!
This is super good!! Three hours later I’m still full. The only thing I would add is a little ground beef.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Christy! Thanks so much for reporting back!
It was a success! Even short on cottage cheese! Subbed mushrooms for the onions and sauteed them with bell peppers first. And added Italian seasoning, garlic & onion powder cause I wasn’t confident in my sauce. Had to put it on high for 2 hours because of a indecisive 3year old, but it all turned out great. Meat eating manly man husband said add it to the rotation! AND said it was good as is when I suggested adding Italian sausage.
Leslie, I’m so happy to hear it turned out and was enjoyed by all! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tweaks and substitutions.
I wonder if dehydrating the zucchini and eggplant would reduce the excess liquid and still provide plenty of flavor?
Hi Amy, I worry that they might be TOO dry if dehydrated, especially if they become more like a chip in texture. The grilling or baking of the slices in the recipe takes care of the excess moisture (thought it doesn’t dry them entirely), so I’m not sure that the dehydrating step would be necessary. If you do decide to experiment with it, I’m afraid I don’t have much specific guidance to offer, as I’ve only tried the recipe with the methods listed!
This looks great, but I do not like cottage cheese. Do you think I can use Ricotta or something else instead?
Hi Raye, I’ve never tried this recipe with ricotta, but I know that’s a common swap in lasagnas, so I think you would be fine. I hope you enjoy it!
This was so delicious! I baked at 350 for 40 minutes. I also did the broil method for the veggie noodles and had very little water.
YAY Savannah, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for reporting back.
I followed all directions s, including grilling the veggies first. I did add chicken sausage to my thick homemade sauce. Mine turned out a very soupy mess, not at all like lasagna. It was tasty though.
Hi Stacia, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the taste, even if it turned out soupy this time. Water content in veggies can vary so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to report back.
I made this exactly as you suggested and loved it! Thanks for all the helpful hints. My husband who loves meat asked if I could make this once a week.
Afte
YAY Erin, I’m so glad to hear the recipe was a hit! Thank you for giving it a try and taking the time to share this awesome review.
Hi,
Do you think putting the zucchini and eggplant strips in a dehydrator for an hour or two rather than grilling might work?
Hi Becky, I worry that they might be TOO dry if dehydrated, especially if they become more like a chip in texture. The grilling or baking of the slices in the recipe takes care of the excess moisture (thought it doesn’t dry them entirely), so I’m not sure that the dehydrating step would be necessary. If you do decide to experiment with it, I’m afraid I don’t have much specific guidance to offer, as I’ve only tried the recipe with the methods listed!
Hello Erin,
Thank you for testing this recipe so much, so we do not have to. I have been looking for a crockpot recipe, so I can make it and take it to work to share. I have made lasagna with eggplant or zucchini but never together. This will be interesting to use both in the same meal. I usually bake the zucchini or eggplant on a baking sheet in the oven for 350 with salt for about 15 minutes and this seems to help with some of the liquid. I hope this helps. I am going to try this today. Wish me luck!
I hope you love the recipe, Helen!
This looks so delicious. My husband and I are trying to eat healthier and lose a little weight. We will definitely try this. We usually get two meals out of most recipes and wonder If you have ever tried to freeze this? I wonder how the veggies would be after freezing.
Hi Linda, I would hesitate to freeze this since the veggies would get mushy and liquidy when reheated. It does store for around 5 days in the fridge though! There’s some information about leftovers in the recipe notes!
Hi
Sounds yummy and planning to make it this weekend. I wonder if anyone has prepared the ingredients in the ceramic pot and left in the fridge overnight before cooking? Thanks
Rachel
Hi Rachel, this answer may be coming a little too late, but I’ve never tried prepping this that far in advance. I would be hesitant because I would be afraid that the vegetables would get too soggy. I might try preparing the vegetables in advance and then store them separately. Then I’d assemble just before making, wiping away extra moisture from the vegetables if needed. If you gave it a try, I’d love to know how it came out!
Be careful. The one and only time I prepared the meal the night before and put it in the fridge and then in the crockpot the next morning, my ceramic crock cracked right down the middle. Take it out of the fridge as soon as you get up so it warms up a little bit.
Thanks for chiming in, Cass. That’s definitely one of the reasons why I recommend keeping the elements separate and assembling before you’re ready to cook.
I have a question. I want to try this recipe but I was wondering if I could assemble it all in my slow cooker the night before and then cook the next day?
Hi Brenda! I actually just answered this in the comment right above yours. The short answer is that you can’t assemble the whole thing, but there are some steps you can do ahead. Let me know if you have any questions once you have a chance to review the prior response. I hope you love the recipe!
My 16 month old devoured it, great recipe, thanks!
I’m so glad to hear the recipe was a hit, Sarita! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review!
This recipe was delicious and turned out great. Make sure if you use the broiler for the “noodles” you cut them thick enough, the thinner ones burned.
The prep work and clean up was quite a time commitment. I hoped that when it was done it would not taste good so I would not have to do all that again, but instead it was incredible and I will commit the time again and probably make a double batch.
Kimberly, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your review!
I tried your recipe yesterday and it turned out super nice! I took the lid of the last half hour and evaporated all the necessary liquid. I also put some feta cheese inside and it fits perfectly to your recipe if you want to try it. Thank you for sharing such a healthy and smart dish.
Anastasia, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for leaving this review and sharing how it went!
This recipe sounds great and I will definitely try it. I have two questions, though. One, why does it have such a huge amount of sodium–at least half the daily recommended allowance? Two, why not save the remaining liquid for a soup? It would probably be great in a minestrone or other tomato based soup.
Hi! The sodium amount is just an estimate—it will really vary depending on the products you use (like the brand of tomato sauce) and how much you salt the veggies. I’d look at those two areas if you’re looking to bring the overall sodium level down. I’ve never used the remaining liquid because it’s mostly water and I’m not sure how much flavor it will have, but you can certainly play around!
Just made this! Was absolutely delicious and will make a tasty lunch for tomorrow with the leftovers! Fab!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review and rating, Kimberley! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I was wondering if you have made this in an Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker? (Hope I didn’t miss a comment about this.)
Hi Felicia, I haven’t made this recipe in an Instant Pot, but I would not recommend that—I don’t think that the vegetables could stand up to the pressure.
Just made this Low Carb Lasagna using the “broiling” process and it worked beautifully! No excess juice to pour off. It tastes good, but it doesn’t have that classic Italian flavor. I would suggest adding some dried herbs (I.e. parsley, basil, thyme, oregano) to punch up the flavor. But I will definitely be making this again!
Sheila, I’m so glad you enjoyed this and I hope you love it even more with the herbs next time around!
I have done this same recipe using zucchini but with a little bit of a different trick. I like the zucchini thinner as I just didn’t want too much the taste. If you use a cheese slicer or a long peeler tool, you can make really long noodle like slices. Since they’re thinner and not as long, less excess water. Other then that, the recipe is the same and it all comes out really tender and not so much of a ‘green veggie’ after taste. Good luck.
Thanks so much for the idea Julez!
I usually don’t like eggplant but I enjoyed it in this lasagna. I made it with a homemade meat sauce. The only thing I will do differently next time is to sauté the onion and bell pepper. They weren’t quite done enough for my liking.
Janet, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try and taking the time to report back!
I was planning on preparing this the night before and cooking it during the day while I’m at work. Can I cook on low for 5-6 hours instead of on high for 2-3 hours? Either way, still very excited to try this recipe!!
Hi Georgia, I have not tried cooking this recipe on low heat, but I estimate it would take about 4 to 5 hours covered, depending upon your crockpot. As for preparing it the night before, a few people have asked about that in the comments section and I’m hesitant to recommend it as I would be afraid that the vegetables would get too soggy. I might try preparing the vegetables in advance and then store them separately. Then I’d assemble just before turning on the crock pot, wiping away extra moisture from the vegetables if needed. If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it comes out!
Any chance at all I can use a traditional cheese sauce instead of the ricotta/cottage cheese?
I’m not sure as I’ve never tried! I do worry that would be too liquidy. You could top the finished slices with a cheese sauce if you liked.
Delicious! This is now my go to lasagna recipe.
I am so so happy to hear that Tabitha! Thank you!!
We really loved this, and thought it was better the second day. I would definitely try it again and can see lots of ways to vary it to keep it new, like maybe just dicing, sautéing and layering all the veggies together to speed up the grilling process. Whatever, it was awesome. I’d also like to try it with butternut squash. Thanks for bringing this into my life.
Valerie, thank YOU for taking the time to leave this awesome review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This recipe is easy to follow, really good instructions. And it turned out perfect when I made it. I enjoyed leftovers for the following two days. The only thing I would add is garlic. Thanks for posting the recipe, I’m sure I’ll be making this again!
Anna, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave this comment too!
This is seriously SO good that I don’t even miss the noodles! Maybe it’s because I love cheese so much and it tastes like cheesy vege goodness! I also buy one of those big containers of fresh basil at Trader Joe’s and add a layer of basil leaves to each layer … also mushrooms. Next time I’m going to try sautéing the onion, red pepper and mushrooms to see if I can get rid of some additional moisture. Anyway, this is definitely a keeper, and thank you for all your efforts, Erin!
Daria, I’m so glad this recipe was a hit for you! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review.
Great recipe trying it again. Using the Air fryer to dehydrate the vegetables
Great idea Albert. So glad you liked it!!
Tried this recipe last night! Definite WoW! It is worth the extra step of broiling the eggplant and zucchini first. 5-6 mins on high broil lightly brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt/garlic powder. Added 1 lb ground sausage (browned and drained). Was a little juicy at first…..set up nicely after it cooled.
Thanks for taking the time to review the recipe, Andreyus! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Hey thank you heaps for this recipe! I made it with some modifications but it was absolutely delicious! I added lasagna sheets and used cauliflower instead of eggplant because it wasn’t available at my local supermarket. But both my husband and I loved this. Thanks again!
Tess, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to report back!
I have had to switch my diet to lower my carb intake and had been thinking about doing an eggplant lasagna recipe I’d taken from a light Italian cookbook I used many years ago. The approach was the same as yours regarding broiling or grilling the eggplant. I will likely make the modification to add frozen spinach (will need to remove excess water), Parmesan, basil & oregano to ricotta cheese or cottage cheese. Which cheese used will depend on which has the lower carb & sodium content.
I like the idea of using the leftover sauce for reheating. Saves me from having to freeze it. May also consider adding Italian turkey sausage as a topping as well.
I will definitely make this in my crock pot as it is quite warm out and the idea of turning on my oven just dies not appeal to me.
One last thing, for the eggplant, zucchini, onions & peppers I may try microwaving them separately on a layer paper towels. I’d seen this done before on a Jenny can cook video and thought it may work here. Since it’s hot out anything to prevent use of the stove or oven is definitely welcome
Thanks for the tip, Jonny! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
The lasagna is super good and low cal. Unfortunately I cooked it in the oven and not the crock pot and the onions and peppers didn’t really soften. Will definitely try to sauté them first next time or broil them like I did with the zucchini and eggplant.
Thank you for taking the time to try this recipe and for sharing how it went, Nicole! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
After seeing a few “no noodle” lasagna recipes floating around the web, and I became enchanted with the idea of creating a crock pot version that I could set in my slow cooker and forget. In place of pasta, the veggie lasagnas I saw used thin, sheet-like slices of zucchini or eggplant.
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Emma! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
MADE IT! Loved it. DELISH!! Worth it to drain out the liquid off the eggplant and zuck, although there was still a bit of water at the bottom – but who cares! It was delicious! I used a bit less salt and still turned out just a bit too salty… I have a photo but nowhere to post it. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Suzanne! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious! I made it this week and just had the last piece as a leftovers and it still tasted amazing! I did mine in a 13×9 in the oven because I needed it done sooner, 45 minutes at 350 uncovered was perfect. It had some liquid but minimal and easy to drain. The overall shape held up well and it was able to be sliced and plated like normal lasagna not soup (win!) I did my slicing and broiling of the vegetables the day before, planning to make it that day and plans changed. So I put it in a glass dish with paper towel and refrigerated it until the next day. The vegetables were very soft but the paper towel soaked up quite a bit more liquid, so maybe its a good thing to prep ahead? My husband requested ground turkey, so it would “at least have some meat”. It tasted great! I didn’t have a mandoline slicer so it was a bit more work slicing the veggies but totally worth it! I need to invest in a slicer because I definitely plan to make again! Thank you for your work on this and the tips for the excess moisture!!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Shayla! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe!
I hope it tastes good. Hopefully will try one day the same recipe in my kitchen.
I hope you love the recipe if you try it, Riya!
I used the broiling method, and it worked! The lasagna had great texture, will do that every time in the future.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Judith! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is awful… Comes out tasting like boiled vegetables with cottage cheese. Because that’s what it is… Zero stars.
Hi Christopher, I’m sorry to hear that this recipe wasn’t to your tastes. I (and many other readers) truly enjoyed it as written, so I wish it would’ve been a hit for you too!
Cheesy, veggie-laden comfort food. Will make again! Used broil method, which worked well. Swapped ricotta for cottage cheese. Sautéed my peppers and onions. Might add mushrooms next time. A mandolin definitely makes this easier.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Michelle! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
this reminds me of a dish I created. size and quantity according to number of servings. this is what I used.
Sliced eggplant, yellow summer squash, zucchini, onion slices, cottage cheese, egg, parsley, garlic,
mozzarella ,parmesan cheeses. layer these in sprayed pan alternately as you would regular lasagna
cover with a med jar of Alfredo sauce your choice of flavors. cover with foil, bake at 350 for 45 min. uncover bake additional 15 min or till veggies are done and excess liquid is evaporated. Try using your method of removing moisture when you try it out. You can add any type vegetable to this .
enjoy it. 1 med jar of sauce is good for a 13 x 9 dish
That sounds delicious too, Barbara! I hope you enjoy this version if you try it!
Do you need the eggs if you swap out the cottage cheese for ricotta?
Hi Samantha! I haven’t tried swapping in ricotta myself, but I think eggs will still be important for creating the ideal texture and making sure the cheese layer doesn’t ooze out when you’re slicing it. I hope this helps!
So good! And so healthy! I might have given this recipe 4 stars the day I cooked it, because it is not a quick recipe (especially if you are going to make homemade sauce to go along with it). It’s a process with the salting, broiling, then crockpot time (stress might have also been due to the fact I was homeschool 3 boys while I tried to cook, but that’s another matter :) ) But eating the let overs today… this is definitely a 5 Star recipe! So delicious! Thank you!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Andrea! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’m a carnivore and yet this is the best lasagna I’ve ever made. I used extra cheese mixture and extra onions, peppers and garlic in between layers, and I baked this instead. And wow. My partner still raves about it. I did make a meat sauce on the side, but we didn’t really need it. Thanks for sharing this!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Tina! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I am going to make this tomorrow, but have just been in the garden and picked my zucchini and eggplant fresh and have sliced them and about to put them in the dehydrator to make pasta noodles out of them. (Live in Australia so the garden is full of abundance at this time of year)
Not sure how this will turn out, but will let you know is this is another alternative.
Luckily I have time on my side.
I don’t have cottage cheese, but have just done a batch of home made ricotta that I will use instead.
Thanks for this, I love slow cooker recipes.
Hi Annie! Hope you enjoy it!
Curious how this turned out using the dehydrated veg as I was thinking it would be a good solution the the liquid problem.
Excellent recipe, did let zucchini and eggplant and a yellow squash too–salt and sit for a good 1/2 hour–then baked at 400 till browned a bit flipping them once–about 25 minutes, did layering as listed here but used a lot less cheese to cut calories a bit more. I did bake it at 375 covered for 45 minutes and it was perfect. Don’t miss the noodles at all. Will do again. Like a ratatouille lasagna. For the sauce I used the onion and pepper and some garlic and spices and cooked in skillet for about 5 minutes to get soft–then added tomato (crushed) simmered about 10 minutes, and that was my sauce, so my sauce had the pepper and onion called for in that. Probably good to precook the pepper and onion since making it in the oven rather then a longer cook in slow cooker, Will try slow cooker next time when I start it sooner in the day.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Frances! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. Do you think it’s okay to grill the vegetables the day before assembling it?
You could try it out Sandra, it’s just not something I’ve done before. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Could you add Kale or spinach? If yes, at what point? I am not overly experienced at cooking.
Hi Sharla! I’ve only tested this recipe as written so I am not sure if you could add it. If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Delish! Followed all steps but added a layer of ground turkey. So dang good. Like comfort food without the guilt!
Hi Courtney! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Best vegetable lasagna ever!! I don’t like eggplant so I substituted an extra bell pepper diced, some shredded carrots and spinach instead and it was amazing
Hi Mandy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
May I add more veggies to this recipe, like broccoli, spinach and kale?
Hi Kristi! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so it would be hard to say. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I just tried this recipe today. It was fairly labour-intensive as I carefully diced and sauteed the peppers and onions with some ground chicken before adding to the slow cooker. I also pan-fried the zucchini and eggplant since I don’t have a grill or broiler/oven. I pan-fried about 3-5 minutes per side for the eggplant slices (longer for zucchini) until slightly golden, but my lasagna turned out terrible – the water came all the way to the top of the lasagna, even after letting it sit for an hour and a half after turning off the heat. For nearly a full morning’s prep work, it is just soup, which I could have made with a lot less effort. :(
Could adding the meat and omitting the egg (I’m allergic) have done something to create the extra water? Did I not cook my vegetables enough? Do they have to be fully cooked? How do I know the vegetables are done?
Oh well, at least it tastes okay! Was just hoping to have something other than a soup or stew from the slow cooker :)
Hi Andrea! I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe. Did you see my notes in Step 4, where I spoke about that if you skipped Steps 2 or 3 that you would have a lot of excess liquid? It will cause your lasagna to be runny. Also I can’t guarantee the results when omitting/adding ingredients because I haven’t tested the recipe that way.
Hi Erin, thanks for the reply! Yes I did read that, which is why I salted the veggies on both sides, let them sit salted for over an hour, dried them well, and then I browned them in a frying pan before adding them to the slow cooker. So I didn’t think I skipped steps 2/3.
I’m guessing by your reply that cooking them in the frying pan is the same as not cooking them at all? I don’t have a broiler or grill – do they remove the extra liquid in a different way than pan-frying would?
Is it normal (even when using raw vegetables) for the water level to rise above the lasagna? I understood from what you were saying that you had water in the bottom only.
Sorry for all the questions. I’m not a very experienced cook :)
Hi Andrea! No problem about the questions, I just have only tested the recipe as written so I am not able to tell you how the end result would be if pan frying the vegetables. I can only guarantee the result based on how the recipe was tested and give tips based on issues that I’ve seen myself.
This was absolutely outstanding!
Both my husband and I raved-I was amazed how well it held up as leftovers.
A little watery even after cooking the zucchini and eggplant ahead for time but not a problem.
Hi Christine! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
On Christmas Eve our family started a tradition we call lasagna 3 ways. Our GF daughter does turkey lasagna with GF noodles. Our daughter who hunts makes venison lasagna and I make this recipe baked in the oven. They’re all super yummy. We’ve been doing this several years now ever since I discovered your recipe. My husband loves it so much he requests I make it at least one other time during the year. I’m making it tonight … and May add some ground bison and pork I have in the freezer to get the protein. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Huge hit!!
Hi KimAnn! I LOVE this idea and thanks so much for including this recipe! Thank you!
Flavor was great but the eggplant noodles and zoodles took forever to prep!
Glad you enjoyed the flavor Anna!
Could you air fry the vegetables instead of grilling?
Hi Sue! That could likely work! I just haven’t tested it this way. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Can I substitute the cottage cheese with something else? Not a big fan of it but would love to make this.
You might be able to use ricotta? I haven’t tried it myself, but it might work!
I have made many lasagna with the fresh eggplant and zucchini (just winging it), and this recipe looks like a great way to prepare it; I haven’t tried using eggs before. My go to solution for the type of recipe that will use a lot of veggies yet want to maintain a bit more structure and less liquid is to add quinoa to absorb the excess liquid. This is an “eye balling” approach, but hasn’t failed me yet. It also makes the dish much more freezer friendly!
Hope you love it! Thank you Mary!
I am an experienced cook. We like zucchini, but know how watery it can be because I use it in quiche. Despite all the things we did to reduce the moisture, the dish was still very watery. I think it would have been fine with just the eggplant.
I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Cherly. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.