Easy to throw together and delicious on those cold-weather days!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 can diced tomatoes - (14 1/2 oz)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (i used ahi panca instead)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 1 package mini lasagna noodles - (8 oz) cooked and drained (or any pasta)
- === white sauce ===
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- Carbohydrate 6.75175461131489 g
- Cholesterol 54.5685610985541 mg
- Fat 18.2256023467079 g
- Fiber 0.477401701876353 g
- Protein 14.7525116832871 g
- Saturated Fat 7.93428348736674 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (138g)
- Sodium 249.191213913075 mg
- Sugar 6.27435290943853 g
- Trans Fat 3.23736004003365 g
- Calories 252 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Drain.
- In a skillet, brown ground beef and onion, until onion is tender.
- Drain fat.
- Transfer meat mixture to crockpot.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, Sriracha, bouillon, herbs, and seasonings.
- Add cooked lasagna noodles.
- In a small bowl, mix melted margarine, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Stir into crockpot.
- Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH 2 to 3 hours.
- In the last 30 minutes, turn crockpot to HIGH, if cooking on LOW.
- Top with remainder of mozzarella cheese.
- Serve when cheese is melted.
Molten edges of caramelized mozzarella meet a creamy, bubbling dairy sauce that coats tender layers of pasta and savory ground beef within the ceramic insert of the appliance. Utilizing a slow cooker for pasta dishes requires careful attention to moisture levels and heat distribution, because traditional ovens rely on dry, circulating air while slow cookers trap steam and liquid continuously. Standard slow cooker inserts hold between four and seven quarts, and selecting a six-quart oval model provides adequate surface area to layer the noodles without cramming them against the heating elements. Whisking the melted butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and cheese into a cohesive liaison before pouring it over the beef and pasta prevents flour pockets from forming during the long heating cycle. Cooking this dish on the low setting for four to six hours gently hydrates the starch without overcooking the exterior of the mini lasagna noodles, while turning the dial to high during the final thirty minutes ensures the remaining mozzarella melts into an even, bubbling blanket across the top. Allowing the slow cooker to sit uncovered for fifteen minutes after turning off the heat lets the internal starches set up properly so individual portions hold their shape cleanly upon serving. Refrigerating leftover portions within two hours in an airtight container yields a dense, sliceable meal for the following day, which can be reheated gently in a skillet with a splash of water to restore the moisture balance of the sauce.
