Description
Hearty Crockpot Lasagna Soup brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with layers of rich flavors and cheesy goodness. Bubbling with marinara, tender pasta, and melted cheese, this one-pot wonder will make you crave seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (453.6 grams) ground beef (or Italian sausage)
Tomato Base:
- 1 (28 ounces / 793.8 grams) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounces / 425.2 grams) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounces / 170.1 grams) can tomato paste
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquid:
- 4 cups beef broth
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Noodles:
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
Cheese:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Herbs:
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Additional Seasoning:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Sear ground beef and diced onions in a skillet over medium heat until meat browns thoroughly, eliminating excess fat. Introduce minced garlic and sauté briefly for enhanced aromatic depth.
- Migrate the seasoned meat mixture into the crockpot, incorporating crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, robust beef broth, concentrated tomato paste, Italian seasoning blend, salt, cracked black pepper, and fiery red pepper flakes. Blend ingredients meticulously to ensure uniform distribution.
- Secure crockpot lid and allow contents to simmer and meld flavors on low temperature for 6-8 hours or accelerate on high setting for 3-4 hours, developing a rich, complex taste profile.
- Approximately 30 minutes before serving, fragment lasagna noodles directly into the simmering liquid. Gently agitate to prevent noodle clumping and cook until pasta reaches perfect al dente tenderness.
- Craft a creamy ricotta topping by whisking ricotta cheese with fresh chopped parsley and a pinch of salt, creating a luxurious garnish with complementary texture.
- Introduce shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan into the soup, stirring until cheese melts completely, transforming the liquid into a decadent, velvety consistency.
- Ladle the aromatic soup into serving bowls, crown with a generous dollop of herbed ricotta mixture, and present this comforting culinary creation.
Notes
- Perfectly brown ground beef by avoiding overcrowding the skillet, which helps achieve a rich, caramelized flavor and prevents steaming.
- Choose lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) to reduce excess grease and create a cleaner, more concentrated soup base.
- Enhance the soup’s depth by using San Marzano crushed tomatoes, which offer a sweeter, less acidic profile compared to standard canned tomatoes.
- Customize the soup’s heat level by adjusting red pepper flakes – start with a pinch for mild warmth or add more for extra kick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg