Description
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup: A hearty and comforting dish packed with ground beef, pasta, ricotta cheese, and Italian seasoning. Perfect for a crowd!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454g) lean ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup/160g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon/9g)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 can (28 oz/794g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (6 oz/170g) tomato paste
- 4 cups (946ml) low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- 2 teaspoons (5g) Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2g) black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz (227g) lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream (optional)
- 1 cup (226g) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup (113g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons (8g) fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then brown the ground beef or Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. When the meat is about halfway cooked through (about 3-4 minutes), add the diced onion and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
- Step 2: Transfer the meat mixture to your slow cooker (at least 6-quart capacity). Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The longer cooking time allows the flavors to develop more deeply, but either setting will work depending on your schedule.
- Step 4: About 30-45 minutes before serving, add the broken lasagna noodles to the slow cooker. Stir gently to submerge the pasta in the liquid. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender. If the soup seems too thick, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.
- Step 5: While the pasta finishes cooking, prepare the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, half the mozzarella, and the Parmesan cheese. Stir well and set aside.
- Step 6: Once the pasta is tender, remove the bay leaves. If using, stir in the heavy cream for added richness. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
- Step 7: To serve your Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup, ladle into bowls and top each with a generous dollop of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and fresh basil. The heat from the soup will slightly melt the cheese, creating that classic lasagna experience in every spoonful.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 1150mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg