This Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup is the ultimate comfort food, delivering all the rich, classic flavors of traditional lasagna without the layering and lengthy bake time. It’s a lazy lasagna lover’s dream, combining savory Italian sausage, lean ground beef, and a trio of creamy cheeses in a hearty, tomato-based broth. This recipe is designed to be incredibly easy, using a slow cooker to do most of the work for you. Plus, it solves the single biggest problem with lasagna soup: mushy noodles. Prepare to make this your new favorite weeknight meal.

Why You’ll Love This Lazy Lasagna Soup

• Deep, Rich Flavor: Sautéing the meat and aromatics before they go into the slow cooker builds an incredible depth of flavor that many crockpot recipes miss.
• Unbelievably Easy: After a quick browning step, you simply set it and forget it. It’s the perfect solution for busy days when you’re craving something special.
• No Mushy Noodles: We have a dedicated, foolproof method to ensure your noodles are perfectly al dente, even in leftovers.
• Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: This soup is a guaranteed hit with the whole family. It’s hearty, cheesy, and satisfying, much like our popular Crockpot Cowboy Casserole.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 24 ounces high-quality marinara sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 9 lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces (Use regular, dry noodles, NOT oven-ready/no-boil for best results.)
• 2 cups fresh spinach (optional)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Cheese Topping:

• 10 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil, for serving

How to Make The Best Crockpot Lasagna Soup

• Brown the Meats: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Use a spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess grease and transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

• Sauté the Aromatics: In the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.

• Optional Step: Deglaze for Depth: For an authentic, deep Italian flavor, pour 1/2 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Merlot) into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Let it simmer until reduced by half before scraping the mixture into the slow cooker.
• Combine in Slow Cooker: Stir the tomato paste into the onion and garlic mixture and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the entire mixture into the slow cooker with the meat. Add the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, basil, and chicken broth. Stir everything together until well combined.

• Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Prepare Cheese Topping: While the soup cooks, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Finish the Soup: About 30 minutes before serving, stir the broken lasagna noodles and heavy cream into the slow cooker. Turn the heat to high, cover, and cook until the noodles are tender (al dente). If using, stir in the fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking, allowing it to wilt.

• Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with a generous dollop of the three-cheese mixture and garnish with fresh basil.

The 1 Secret to Perfect Lasagna Soup Leftovers (No Mush!)

The biggest complaint about leftover lasagna soup is that the noodles absorb all the broth and turn to mush. Here’s how to prevent that forever.

CRITICAL TIP: Cook The Noodles Separately!

For the best results, especially if you anticipate leftovers, do NOT add the noodles directly to the slow cooker. Instead, cook the lasagna noodles on the stovetop according to package directions until al dente. Store the cooked noodles and the soup base in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. To serve, simply add the desired amount of noodles to a bowl, ladle the hot soup over them, and top with the cheese mixture. This guarantees perfectly textured noodles every time.

Variations and Substitutions

• Vegetarian: Omit the ground meat and sausage. Sauté diced mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers with the onion for a hearty vegetable base.
• Low-Carb: Swap the lasagna noodles for zucchini ribbons or palmini noodles. Add them during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking so they don’t get too soft.
• Protein Swaps: Feel free to use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef and sausage.
• Spice It Up: If you like more heat, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add a dash of your favorite hot sauce. For more cozy soup ideas, check out our Crockpot White Chicken Chili or this delicious Santa Fe Soup.

Expert Tips for the Best Lasagna Soup

• Use Quality Marinara: Since the sauce is a key flavor component, using a high-quality jarred marinara sauce (like Rao’s) will make a noticeable difference.
• Parmesan Rind Boost: If you have a Parmesan cheese rind, toss it into the slow cooker at the beginning of the cook time. It will infuse the broth with a savory, umami depth. Just remember to remove it before serving.
• Don’t Skip the Browning: Taking the time to brown the meat and sauté the aromatics is essential for developing the rich, layered flavor that makes this soup taste like it simmered for days. If you love this method, you’ll also enjoy our Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup.

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

C. Sophie

A rich and creamy soup that captures all the classic flavors of lasagna, made effortlessly in your slow cooker. Hearty, cheesy, and pure comfort in a bowl.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 521 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 24 ounces high-quality marinara sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 9 lasagna noodles broken into bite-sized pieces (Use regular, dry noodles, NOT oven-ready/no-boil for best results.)
• 2 cups fresh spinach optional
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Cheese Topping:

• 10 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil for serving

Instructions

 

Brown the Meats:

• In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Use a spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess grease and transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Sauté the Aromatics:

• In the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
• Optional Step:

Deglaze for Depth:

• For an authentic, deep Italian flavor, pour 1/2 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Merlot) into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Let it simmer until reduced by half before scraping the mixture into the slow cooker.

Combine in Slow Cooker:

• Stir the tomato paste into the onion and garlic mixture and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the entire mixture into the slow cooker with the meat. Add the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, basil, and chicken broth. Stir everything together until well combined.

Slow Cook:

• Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Prepare Cheese Topping:

• While the soup cooks, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Finish the Soup:

• About 30 minutes before serving, stir the broken lasagna noodles and heavy cream into the slow cooker. Turn the heat to high, cover, and cook until the noodles are tender (al dente). If using, stir in the fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking, allowing it to wilt.

Serve:

• Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with a generous dollop of the three-cheese mixture and garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories

 

521kcal

 

Carbs

 

36g

 

Fat

 

28g

 

Protein

 

31g

Keyword Lasagna Soup, Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup