Mini Lasagna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

My mom makes a fantastic lasagna. It has been my favorite since I was knee-high to a grasshopper (a little kid, that is!). We make it often, though we do make a slightly different version. Usually we bake it in the oven, but this time we decided to make mini lasagna on the Char-Broil Big Easy using smaller pans. The results were amazing. Fantastic mini lasagna, hot and bubbly in no-time, ready to devour!

Mini Lasagna on a Big Easy

Oh So Good. And Fun, Actually.

The technique for making mini lasagna on the Char-Broil Big Easy is al most the same as how we make big baking pans of lasagna. The difference is that the noodles have to be cut to fit the miniature pans. We found that the best approach was to cut an inch off the end of the noodles, then cut them in half. They fit perfectly!

Mini Lasagna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Grab A Bunk Bed Basket

We used a bunk bed basket to make 4 mini lasagnas at a time. They cooked evenly and quickly.

We used these disposable aluminum pans. Leftovers can be wrapped in foil and kept in the freezer.

Also try my all-American meatloaf, made on a Char-Broil Big Easy!

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Mini Lasagna on a Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Mini Lasagna on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Fantastic lasagna cooked in no time!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, lasagna
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 887kcal

Ingredients

For the meat

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 large white onion diced
  • 2-4 cloves garlic minced

For the sauce

For the lasagna

  • 1 package lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup Parmesan grated
  • 1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella torn into chunks, or use shredded

Instructions

For the meat sauce

  • Crumble the meats into a large pot or Dutch oven and brown over medium high heat. Drain fat if desired.
  • Add the onion and cook until softened.
  • Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add in all of the sauce ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, 1-2 hours.
  • Continue cooking with lid off for another hour, adding a bit more water if the sauce is too thick.

For the lasagna

  • Cook noodles per package instructions. Drain well.
  • Cut 1" off of each noodle end then cut each in half in the middle.
  • First, spread a little sauce out on the bottom of each pan.
  • Then, layer the ingredients in the following order. Try to divide the ingredients evenly between each layer, but you don't have to be picky about it.
  • Noodle halve
  • Sauce
  • Ricotta
  • Mozzarella
  • Parmesan
  • Repeat for 3 total layers.
  • Fire up your Big Easy. You can cook 2 lasagnas at a time in the basket that comes with the Big Easy. With a bunk bed basket you can cook 4 at a time.
    Place loaf pans into the Big Easy basket (and bunk bed, if using). Place in the Big Easy and cook for 15 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
  • Cook the remaining 4 pans while the first pans rest. Alternately, keep them in the oven on low or warm until the final pans are done.
  • Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 887kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 1422mg | Potassium: 969mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1262IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

As much as I prefer cooking outdoors, I still love cooking dishes inside in a slow cooker, specially on days when the weather is a bit questionable. Preparation is almost always simple, even though the final results can be quite fantastic. I went into making this slow cooker ravioli lasagna thinking it’d be ‘ok’. I came out thinking ‘wow, that was excellent’.

Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

The Easiest Lasagna Recipe Ever

All the flavors of a great lasagna, but done so easily with very little effort. The sauce was nice and tasty, the ravioli cooked up perfectly, and of course, there was ooey-gooey cheese.

You can substitute frozen raviolis if you like. Nothing beats the taste of fresh ravioli in this slow cooker ravioli lasagna. Even though this is a quick not-much-from-scratch dish, there’s no reason to not add some fresh ingredients. Fresh ravioli can be found in a tiny fridge in the pasta aisle in our local grocery store.

It’s possible that I added a few pinches of red pepper flake to this lasagna because, well, I like a little kick in everything I make. I left it out of the recipe below.

Also try my slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs and also my slow cooker pizza casserole. They’re yummy too!

Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna
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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

All the flavors of a great lasagna, but done so easily with very little effort. The sauce was nice and tasty, the ravioli cooked up perfectly, and of course, there was ooey-gooey cheese.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot, lasagna, ravioli, slow cooker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 285kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Crumble in the sausage and cook until almost done.
  • Add the garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper and cook another minute.
  • Add in the pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, basil and oregano.
  • Add a layer of the meat mixture to a slow cooker.
  • Top with some of the ravioli.
  • Add another layer of meat followed by more ravioli. Continue until all of the meat and ravioli are used.
  • Cook for 4 hours on low.
  • Top with cheese and cook 1 more hour until the cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 884mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Lasagna

This is an adaptation of my mom’s lasagna, my favorite thing to eat as a kid. I could not stop eating this then, and I cannot stop eating it now.

Is it authentic? Nah. Is it stick-to-your-ribs good? Oh yeah. It also freezes great, which is good because this makes a big ole batch.

Lasagna

Too Good To Rest

I have only complaint about this lasagna. In all my years I have NEVER been able to let it rest long enough to firm up. I have never been able to get a pretty picture of it. Believe me, I have tried and tried. I just end up cutting off a big ole piece before it gets set up. So, that’s why it sags in the picture. It’s a good sag, though.

Lasagna
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Lasagna

This is an adaptation of my mom’s lasagna, my favorite thing to eat as a kid. I could not stop eating this then, and I cannot stop eating it now.
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Keyword lasagna
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 335kcal
Author Mike’s Mom

Ingredients

Instructions

Note: Total cook time does not include the time to make the meat sauce

  • Preheat oven to 325 F.
  • Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Cook noodles per package instructions. Drain well.
  • First, spread a little sauce out on the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Then, layer the ingredients in the following order. Try to divide the ingredients evenly between each layer, but you don’t have to be picky about it. They’ll all get gooey melty lovely in the oven.
  • Noodles
  • Sauce
  • Ricotta
  • Mozzarella
  • Parmesan
  • Repeat for 3 total layers.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly hot. Let rest (yeah, right) 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 456IU | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.