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.
