Layered Vegetable Crockpot Casserole

This is a super busy week for me.  I’m sure you’ve all been there.  It’s one of those weeks where I just don’t have more than 20 or 30 minutes to spend on dinner.  So last week when my sister-in-law requested vegetarian crockpot recipes, it was perfect timing.

This meal took about 20 minutes to prep and left me wondering why I don’t use my crockpot more often.  I whipped it together while Meghan was napping and we had a hot meal with no mess at dinner time.  It doesn’t get any better than that!

This casserole has a lasagna-like quality to it, with layered vegetables, tomato sauce, cheese, and Italian flavors.  I just finished the leftovers for lunch and it is tasty and comforting.

It may just look like a big glob of vegetables, but it is truly delicious. Looks can be deceiving.  And does it really matter how it looks when it tastes good and only takes 20 minutes to prep?  I don’t think so.

Layered Vegetable Crockpot Casserole

Serves 4-6 as a main course

1  (14.5 ounce) can no-salt added tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Italian herb blend

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 large carrot, sliced

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

4 russet potatoes, sliced

2 large zucchini, sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used a 3-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and jack)

In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, Italian herb blend, salt, pepper, corn, peas, and carrots.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.  Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom.  You want to cover the bottom, overlapping the potatoes a little.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a similar fashion, add a layer of zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce and vegetable mixture.  On top of this, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Repeat this two more times for a total of three layers.

Cook on high in your crockpot for 3 1/2-4 hours.

When it’s finished, it should look like this melty-cheese goodness.  Your kitchen will smell fabulous.

When you dig in, depending on your serving size you’ll be getting somewhere between 250-380 calories, 4-6 grams of fiber, 9-13 grams of fat, and 11-17 grams of protein. Of course it is chock full of vegetables which means you and your family will also be getting a ton of vitamins and minerals.  All of that in a quick and easy meal.  I’m sold on my crockpot and am convinced I need to start breaking it out more often.

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Layered Vegetable Crockpot Casserole

Serves 4-6 as a main course

1  (14.5 ounce) can no-salt added tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Italian herb blend

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 large carrot, sliced

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

4 russet potatoes, sliced

2 large zucchini, sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used a 3-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and jack)

In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, Italian herb blend, salt, pepper, corn, peas, and carrots.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.  Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom.  You want to cover the bottom, overlapping the potatoes a little.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a similar fashion, add a layer of zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce and vegetable mixture.  On top of this, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Repeat this two more times for a total of three layers.

Cook on high in your crockpot for 3 1/2-4 hours.

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