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Quick Crockpot Lasagna Soup: Easy One-Pot Dinner

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This quick crockpot lasagna soup is proof that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to get that slow-cooked, soul-satisfying flavor. It’s the kind of recipe that saves your sanity on busy weeknights, impresses people who think you slaved away, and honestly just tastes like a warm hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works best)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (fire-roasted adds nice depth)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or beef broth for a richer flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 8–9 noodles, regular or no-boil)
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk for creaminess, but part-skim is fine)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (low-moisture, whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef and aromatics: Heat your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with your spoon, until no longer pink—about 6-8 minutes. Add the diced onion and cook for another 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Drain off any excess fat (I usually leave about a tablespoon for flavor).
  2. Build the flavor base: Transfer the beef mixture to your slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with their juices), chicken broth, and tomato paste. Stir in the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir until the tomato paste dissolves completely.
  3. Slow cook the base: Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours or on HIGH for 1 hour. This gives the flavors time to meld together.
  4. Add the noodles: After the initial cooking time, stir in the broken lasagna noodles. Make sure they’re fully submerged in the liquid. If they’re poking out, add a splash more broth or water. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but still have a slight bite. Check at 20 minutes.
  5. Prepare the cheese mixture: While the noodles cook, mix the ricotta and Parmesan in a small bowl. Stir until combined. Set aside at room temperature so it’s not ice cold when you add it.
  6. Finish the soup: Once the noodles are tender, turn off the slow cooker or switch to warm. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the top of the soup. Don’t stir it in completely—you want those creamy pockets. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over everything and cover for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
  7. Serve immediately: Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the melted cheese and ricotta swirls. Garnish with fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy. Let it cool for a few minutes before digging in.

Notes

Don’t overcook the noodles. Start checking at 15 minutes. Brown the meat for best flavor. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness. Let cheese come to room temperature before adding. Don’t stir the cheese in completely—drop it in spoonfuls. If soup is too thick, add more broth. If too thin, cook uncovered on high for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning at the end.

Nutrition

Keywords: lasagna soup, crockpot lasagna soup, slow cooker lasagna soup, easy lasagna soup, one-pot dinner, weeknight dinner, comfort food, Italian soup

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