Dutch Oven Lasagna (Slow Cooker Lasagna)

This year we've been trying to do a bit more Dutch Oven cooking when we go camping. Here is another great recipe, based on a slow cooker recipe for lasagna.

Dutch Oven Lasagna

Choose your favorite quick lasagna recipe, such as this No-Boil Classic, or this slow cooker recipe.

Lasagna – Slow cooker

1 lb. hamburger

1 onion, chopped

1 large jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

9 lasagna noodles

1 (8 oz.) container cottage cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Brown hamburger with onion, drain. Mix with spaghetti sauce. Layer in crock pot: sauce, dry lasagna noodles (broken), sauce, cottage cheese, dry noodles, sauce, shredded cheese, dry noodles, sauce, shredded cheese. Pour water on top. Cook for 3 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

This is the recipe I followed (basically a modified version of the above recipe).

Meat filling
Cook together:
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
Add:
28 oz. chopped, stewed tomatoes
14-16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning mix
Let simmer for 20-30 minutes, if you have the time. Let the meat filling cool and pack it in a disposable container or freezer bag. You can freeze it at this point if the meal will be a few days away.

Cheese filling:
Blend together in a blender:
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Stir in:
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Put the cheese filling in a disposable container or freezer bag. Again, you can freeze it, if you want.

For the Dutch oven lasagna you need one box of flat, no-cook lasagna noodles (like the Barilla brand), the meat filling, and the cheese filling, plus all of the Dutch Oven cooking equipment. If we are traveling for more than one day, or I am worried about the food keeping cold, I freeze the food and let it slowly defrost in the cooler. However, if the food is just needed that same day, the meat and cheese last fine in the cooler.

About two hours before you want to eat, start your coals, line the Dutch oven with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray it with oil. Put in some of the meat filling, a layer of noodles, another layer of meat, a layer of cheese filling, and so on so you have about three layers of noodles with meat and cheese on top. Add about 1 cup of water. Cook the lasagna for 1-2 hours at 375°, rotating the Dutch oven and adding coals as needed. Have a card game and some snacks on hand in case it takes longer than expected. The dinner is done when the lasagna is heated through and the noodles are soft. The cheese on top should also be browned. Enjoy with Dutch Oven rolls or bread and a salad. This was another great camping meal.