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1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef (I use 90-93% lean)
½ medium yellow onion, diced finely (¾ cup)
5 garlic cloves, minced (~1 ½ tablespoons)
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 ½ cups water*
3 ounces fresh spinach (2 large handfuls), roughly chopped
8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (not the ‘No boil’ type), broken into small pieces**
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup cottage cheese, lightly drained if there is a lot of liquid***
⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves, optional for garnish
Instructions
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, spray generously with cooking spray then add the ground beef, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the onions start to soften and the beef is cooked through. Drain excess fat, if there is quite a bit in the pan.
Mist the slow cooker insert with cooking spray then add the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture to the bottom.
Next, add the marinara sauce, water, spinach, noodles, and 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
Dollop the cottage cheese over the top of the meat and noodle mixture then very gently fold it into the mixture – being careful not to mix completely.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese (about ½-¾ cup) and ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese on top and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until the noodles are tender. Turn off the heat and serve.
Garnish with fresh basil and additional parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef (I use 90-93% lean)
½ medium yellow onion, diced finely (¾ cup)
5 garlic cloves, minced (~1 ½ tablespoons)
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 ½ cups water*
3 ounces fresh spinach (2 large handfuls), roughly chopped
8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles (not the ‘No boil’ type), broken into small pieces**
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup cottage cheese, lightly drained if there is a lot of liquid***
⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves, optional for garnish