A slow cooker lasagna may not be as crisp as a baked one, and its noodles may be softer, but we agree with Best Recipe Ever's Kary Osmond: The gooey cheese topping is pretty irresistible.

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Makes 8 servings

1 tub (500 g) 2% cottage cheese
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp (1 mL) grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 10-oz. (300-g) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
12 no-cook lasagna noodles
1 cup (250 mL) shredded provolone cheese or mozzarella cheese

Tomato Mushroom Sauce:
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
3 cloves, garlic minced
4 cups (1 L) sliced cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms
2 tsp (10 mL) dried Italian herb seasoning
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
1 jar (700 mL) pasta sauce

1. Tomato mushroom sauce: In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté onion, carrot, garlic, mushrooms, herb seasoning, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes until liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add pasta sauce and 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) water; bring to boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper. In a sieve, press moisture out of spinach; chop and add to bowl, stirring to combine.
3. Pour 1 cup (250 mL) of the sauce into a slow cooker. Arrange 3 of the noodles over sauce. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Cover with 3 noodles and half of the remaining sauce. Repeat with noodles and remaining cheese mixture. Top with remaining noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with provolone. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or until bubbly and pasta is tender.

Nutritional Info

Per serving: about 363 cal, 22 g pro, 11 g total fat, (5 g sat. fat), 44 g carb, 5 g fibre, 41 mg chol, 999 mg sodium; % RDI: 25% calcium, 16% iron, 52% vit A, 18% vit C, 26% folate.

Kary Osmond loves being the face of CBC's successful daily cooking show Best Recipes Ever. She is the ambassador of back-to-basics food every afternoon, teaching Canadians coast-to-coast how to prepare the very best of Canadian Living's renowned recipe library, one Tested Till Perfect recipe at a time.