Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup – all the flavors of homemade lasagna in a flavor-packed slow cooker soup recipe. Top with creamy ricotta, shredded mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil for the ultimate comfort food!
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
A tasty flavor packed combination of ground beef and Italian sausage slow cooked in a homemade tomato sauce. Lasagna soup combines all the flavors of traditional lasagna in a cozy slow cooker soup recipe. Ground beef and Italian Sausage cooked with onions and garlic, simmered in a rich homemade tomato sauce with broth, herbs, and spices. Broken lasagna noodles are added to the slow cooker and cooked until tender, then the whole thing is topped with creamy ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan, and fresh parsley and basil.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onions and Garlic – freshly chopped and minced for best flavor
- Crushed Red Pepper – for added heat. Leave out if you don’t want any spice.
- Ground Beef and Italian Sausage – a mix of 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 Italian Sausage, or use 1 pound of Ground Beef or 1 pound of Sausage. Italian Turkey Sausage or Ground Turkey would work great too.
- Red Wine – adds a great depth of flavor to the homemade tomato sauce. You can skip this step if you prefer not to cook with wine.
- Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce – using a high quality can of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce will really elevate the taste and texture of the soup. I like to use San Marazano crushed tomatoes if available and I usually reach for Hunts Tomato Sauce.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth or Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – I tested this recipe with both low-sodium chicken broth and low-sodium beef broth and they both taste great in the soup, so use what you prefer.
- Italian Seasoning
- Pasta – 8 oz (1/2 pound) of lasagna noodles broken into small pieces or Campanelle pasta which looks like small pieces of wavy lasagna noodles. I really like using the Campanelle because the lasagna noddles can get messy when breaking them up.
- Baby Spinach – fresh baby spinach. I like adding baby spinach to the soup for an additional easy vegetable serving.
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper – I like to lightly season the meat, onions and garlic when cooking then taste for seasoning at the end.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
- Start by sautéing onions and garlic, then browning ground beef and sausage on the stovetop. Deglaze with red wine.
- Add meat, broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning to slow cooker and cook for 3-4 hours on high until hot and bubbly.
- Stir in pasta and let cook for another 30 minutes on high until pasta is cooked through.
- Stir is spinach and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with fresh herbs, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and freshly grated parmesan.
Recipe Tips
- The toppings are what really give the soup the true lasagna feel! Start with just a small dollop of ricotta when serving. A little goes a long way!
- Slow cooker times vary, so look for the soup to be bubbly and at a light simmer before adding the pasta.
- The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce and broth as it sits. You can add more broth the increase the soupiness as needed.
- If you want to save the soup for leftovers, keep the ricotta and cheese toppings separate and top each bowl with the cheeses when served. The soup is easier to reheat when the cheeses are kept separate.
Can I make this recipe on the stove instead of the slow cooker?
Yes! Use a 6 quart dutch oven or stock pot. Keep the measurements the same and instead of transferring to a slow cooker, add ingredients to the dutch oven. Follow the same steps simmering over medium heat for at least 30 minutes. Keep pot covered to avoid the soup over reducing. Pasta will cook faster when added on the stovetop.
More Slow Cooker Recipe Favorites
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- Slow Cooker Stuffed Shells
- Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 1/2 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 pound Italian Sausage
- 1/2 cup Red Wine optional
- 28 oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- 15 oz Tomato Sauce
- 6 cups Low Sodium Beef Broth or Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 8 oz uncooked pasta Campanelle or Broken Lasagna Noodles
- 2 cups Baby Spinach
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Ricotta Cheese
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Basil
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In a skillet on the stovetop, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they start to soften and become translucent then add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another minute. Increase heat to medium high and add sausage and ground beef. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, breaking up as it browns. Once meat is cooked through add wine, if using, and let simmer until reduced by half.
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Transfer meat to slow cooker and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and Italian seasoning. Cook on high for 3-4 hours in slow cooker or until soup is bubbly and hot. Stir in noodles and cook on high for another 30 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir in baby spinach and season soup with additional salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve soup topped with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan, chopped parsley and basil.
5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
My five FAVORITE recipes for busy families!
- Quick to make
- Light on your budget
- Easy to clean-up
- and...most important...absolutely DELICIOUS
Beth
This soup is everything I love about lasagna. It’s rich and cheesy, but it’s so much easier to make. I love this, and so does my family. I’m already planning to make it again.
April
This is one of my all time favorite soups. All the flavors of lasagna, none of the work. It’s perfect.
Gina
Made this on our coldest day last week. It was so cozy and comforting. Not only delicious but I really loved how easy it was to make in the slow cooker. YUM!
Janelle
Yes! This was a great crock pot recipe. We tried it out for spaghetti night and everyone loved it. Thanks!
Sandra
This is one of my favorite comfort food! So easy to make and very delicious!
Katerina Petrovska
This is a keeper, especially for those cozy, busy nights when you crave something comforting and delicious!!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
I tried this slow cooker lasagna soup and it was fantastic! I can’t wait to make it again soon!
Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert
Comforting and delish! One of the best soup I’ve ever made!
Catalina
Made this slow cooker lasagna soup, and it’s a comforting bowl of goodness! The flavors, the convenience of the slow cooker—it’s a win-win!
Tisha
We love lasagna soup, love that you can throw it in a slow cooker and go.