Description
This Crockpot Lasagna Soup turns the classic layered Italian comfort dish into a cozy, spoonable delight. Loaded with ground beef, tender noodles, rich tomato broth, and a creamy cheese topping, it’s the perfect easy dinner that tastes like lasagna without the fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef, Italian sausage, or a 50/50 mix (or ground turkey/chicken)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed for browning)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes (or diced for chunkier texture)
- 2 cups marinara or tomato sauce
- 4–5 cups beef or chicken broth (start with 4; add more to thin later)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼–½ tsp red-pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8–10 broken lasagna noodles (about 6 oz), or sub mafalda/bowties
- 1–2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheesy Finish
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- Fresh basil/parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown meat: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown the meat, breaking it up. Drain.
- Load the slow cooker: Add meat, onion, garlic, crushed/diced tomatoes, marinara/tomato sauce, tomato paste, 4 cups broth, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, red-pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir.
- Cook: High 3–4 hours or Low 6–8 hours.
- Pasta time: Switch to High if not already. Stir in broken lasagna noodles and cook 20–35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until al dente. Add spinach/kale for the last 5 minutes, if using.
- Adjust: Thin with additional warm broth as desired. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of balsamic or a squeeze of lemon if you like it brighter.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls. Top each with a spoonful of ricotta, a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan, and fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: PT15M
- Cook Time: PT1H
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 80mg