This is the soup that makes my family cheer on a Tuesday. Imagine a deep, savory tomato broth swimming with crumbled beef, soft lasagna noodles and a swirl of creamy ricotta — everything you love about lasagna, but warm and spoonable, with that same cheesy, herby, comforting finish. The first bite hits you with oregano and garlic, then the noodles give way and the cheese melts into the broth, making it silky and rich.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 lb (450g) ground beef (85% lean)
Lean beef keeps the broth from turning greasy; ground turkey or Italian sausage work beautifully as swaps. Look for a package with a little marbling so it stays juicy after browning.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup/160g)
Yellow onion gives the sweetest, deepest base; white onion or 2 shallots are fine substitutes. Choose one that feels heavy and firm with dry, papery skin.
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
Fresh garlic is best, but 1 teaspoon garlic powder can stand in for a pinch-style shortcut. Pick heads that are tight and firm, not sprouting.
1 jar (24 oz/680g) marinara or tomato basil pasta sauce
Use your favorite jarred marinara for ease; crushed tomatoes plus a teaspoon of sugar work if that's what's in the pantry. Choose a sauce with no added sugar for a brighter broth.
4 cups (960ml) low-sodium beef broth
Beef broth gives the deepest flavor; chicken broth or vegetable broth are easy swaps. Low-sodium lets you control the salt, so taste before adding more.
1 can (14.5 oz/411g) diced tomatoes, undrained
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add a lovely smoky note if you can find them. Don't drain the can — that juice is part of the broth.
8 oz (225g) lasagna noodles, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces
Regular lasagna noodles hold up well; no-boil noodles also work but add them 30 minutes later. Break them in the bag with your hands for less mess.
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
A good blend covers basil, oregano and thyme in one scoop; 1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano is a fine swap. Crush it between your fingers before adding to wake up the aroma.
1 cup (250g) whole-milk ricotta
Whole-milk ricotta is creamiest; cottage cheese blended smooth is a lighter swap. Look for ricotta that looks moist, not watery, in the tub.
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Freshly grated Parmesan melts best; pecorino Romano is a sharper substitute. Buy a wedge and grate it yourself for the best flavor.
1 1/2 cups (170g) shredded mozzarella
Low-moisture mozzarella melts into lovely strings; provolone or a pizza-blend cheese works too. Shred from a block for better melt than pre-shredded.
2 cups (60g) fresh baby spinach, optional
Spinach wilts into the broth for a little green; chopped kale or frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed) are good swaps. Add it at the very end so it stays bright.
Tips & Tricks
Don't add the noodles too early
They soak up broth and turn mushy, so stir them in during the last 30 minutes on High.
Brown the beef first
Skipping this step leaves the broth flat — browning builds the savory base that makes it taste like lasagna.
Hold back the cheese
Stir the ricotta and mozzarella in at the end, off the heat, so they stay creamy instead of curdling.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Brown the beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (about 400°F/205°C) and cook the ground beef with the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the edges are golden brown. Spoon off excess fat, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Load the slow cooker
Scrape the beef mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker and add the marinara, beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juice, and Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is combined and the broth looks deep red.
3. Cook low and slow
Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours or on High for 3 hours, until the broth is bubbling gently at the edges and smells richly of tomato and oregano.
4. Add the noodles
Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, cover, and cook on High for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the noodles are tender with just a slight bite in the center. Stir once halfway so they don't clump.
5. Wilt the spinach
Stir in the spinach, if using, and let it sit covered for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted and bright green.
6. Make the cheese dollop
In a small bowl, mix the ricotta and Parmesan until smooth; it should look like thick, creamy frosting.
7. Finish and serve
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, top each with a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of mozzarella, and let the cheese melt into the broth for a minute. Serve with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Italian
Swap the ground beef for hot Italian sausage and add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic.
Vegetarian Garden
Replace the beef with 8 oz sliced mushrooms and a can of drained chickpeas, and use vegetable broth.
Creamy Tomato
Stir 1/2 cup heavy cream into the broth right before adding the cheese for an extra-luxurious finish.
How to Store Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup {an easy family favorite!}
Refrigerator
Cool the soup and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the noodles soften more each day, so add a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze the soup base without the noodles or cheese for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook fresh noodles in it before serving.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat (about 300°F/150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot; add broth if it has thickened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I put raw lasagna noodles in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can add broken raw lasagna noodles directly to the slow cooker, but wait until the last 30 minutes on High so they don't overcook. Regular noodles work best; no-boil noodles need a little extra broth.
Q: Why did my lasagna soup get thick and mushy?
The noodles absorbed too much broth, which happens when they sit in the soup too long. Add noodles late, cook only until tender, and loosen leftovers with hot broth when reheating.
Q: Can I make lasagna soup in the Instant Pot instead?
Yes, brown the beef on sauté mode, add the broth, sauce and tomatoes, then pressure cook on High for 4 minutes with the noodles. Do a quick release and stir in the cheese at the end.
Q: Is lasagna soup gluten-free?
It can be if you use gluten-free lasagna noodles or broken rice pasta and check that your broth and sauce are gluten-free. Add the gluten-free noodles late and watch them closely, since they soften fast.
Q: What do you serve with lasagna soup?
Garlic bread or a crisp green salad are classic pairings, and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan finishes it nicely. Keep sides simple since the soup is already rich and cheesy.
Give this slow cooker lasagna soup a spot in your weekly rotation and watch the bowls come back empty. If you make it, I'd love to hear how your family liked it — and don't forget the garlic bread. Taste as you go, trust your tongue.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup {an easy family favorite!}
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup turns rich tomato-beef broth, tender noodles and three cheeses into lasagna you can eat with a spoon. Set it and forget it!
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup/160g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 jar (24 oz/680g) marinara or tomato basil pasta sauce
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 8 oz (225g) lasagna noodles, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup (250g) whole-milk ricotta
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups (60g) fresh baby spinach, optional
📋 Instructions
- 1Brown the beef — Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (about 400°F/205°C) and cook the ground beef with the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the edges are golden brown. Spoon off excess fat, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 2Load the slow cooker — Scrape the beef mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker and add the marinara, beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juice, and Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is combined and the broth looks deep red.
- 3Cook low and slow — Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours or on High for 3 hours, until the broth is bubbling gently at the edges and smells richly of tomato and oregano.
- 4Add the noodles — Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, cover, and cook on High for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the noodles are tender with just a slight bite in the center. Stir once halfway so they don't clump.
- 5Wilt the spinach — Stir in the spinach, if using, and let it sit covered for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted and bright green.
- 6Make the cheese dollop — In a small bowl, mix the ricotta and Parmesan until smooth; it should look like thick, creamy frosting.
- 7Finish and serve — Ladle the hot soup into bowls, top each with a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of mozzarella, and let the cheese melt into the broth for a minute. Serve with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Priya writes about cooking for busy people who want food that tastes like effort was made. Her angle is building flavor with few ingredients and forgiving techniques that survive a rushed weeknight. She writes about substitutions freely and treats recipes as starting points rather than rules.
