Slow Cooker Beef Zucchini Lasagna

A Paleo lasagna dish that’s easy to prepare – it may not sound possible! But with some nifty Paleo substitutions and the use of your slow cooker, you too can enjoy this amazing Paleo-Italian dish. Instead of dealing with the long layering and baking process of a traditional lasagna casserole, you’ll be using layers of eggplant, zucchini, and Italian sauce in your slow cooker, setting it up for the day, and returning to a delicious and hearty meal. We really do believe that Paleo shouldn’t be about giving up, and we think this recipe does such a great job of combining the needs of the Paleo diet and the simplicity of a quick weeknight meal.

In this dish, you’ll be using some of our favorite noodle replacements in lieu of sheets of lasagna – eggplant and zucchini. Both of these veggies are awesome for a ton of reasons: Eggplant works well in any Italian meal (just make sure to sweat your eggplant if you prefer it drier), and zucchini is a perfect zoodle with a good amount of Vitamin C. Since you’ll be cooking these in your slow cooker, definitely slice these a bit thicker than you might for a casserole – the long cook time can make these a bit too limp otherwise.

One of the benefits of a slow cooker meal is that there isn’t really a need to add other dishes, but if you are looking to fill up your plate a bit more, try adding a dish like this Italian chopped salad.

Slow Cooker Beef Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

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Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced length-wise;
• 1 medium eggplant, thinly sliced length-wise;
• 1 bell pepper, diced;
• 1 lb. ground beef;
• 1 onion, diced;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste;
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced;
• 4 cups tomato sauce;
• 2 tsp. dried oregano;
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced;
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced;
• 2 tbsp. olive oil;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook the garlic and onion 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add in the diced tomatoes, bell pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, and tomato paste.
5. Cook everything while stirring 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Pour in the tomato sauce, stir everything, and season to taste with salt and pepper to complete the lasagna sauce.
7. Alternate layers of zucchini and eggplant topped with lasagna sauce in a slow cooker.
8. Finish with one last layer of lasagna sauce, top with fresh basil, cover, and cook on low 4 to 6 hours.