This Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup has everything I want from traditional lasagna without all the layering and baking. Italian sausage, tomato, lasagna noodles, and plenty of cheese come together in a rich, hearty soup that tastes just like lasagna.
It takes about 15 minutes of prep before the slow cooker handles most of the cooking. Ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and Parmesan are added to each bowl at serving time for that cheesy lasagna finish.
If you like easy Italian sausage dinners, try my One Pot Italian Sausage Rigatoni. My Slow Cooker Rotel Chicken Spaghetti is another easy slow cooker meal when pasta and comfort food are on the menu.
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Shortcut Notes
- Easy slow cooker dinner: Brown the sausage and onion, add everything to the slow cooker, and let it cook with very little hands-on work.
- Short ingredient list: Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and Italian seasoning build the soup base without a long list of ingredients.
- Lasagna without all the work: Broken noodles cook right in the soup, so there is no layering, separate pasta pot, or baking dish involved.
Ingredient Breakdown
- Ground Italian sausage: Ground Italian sausage gives the soup plenty of savory flavor without needing many additional seasonings. I prefer mild.
- Onion: Chopped onion cooks with the sausage until softened and adds flavor to the soup base.
- Tomato paste: Concentrated tomato paste gives the broth a richer tomato flavor. Cooking it briefly with the sausage mixture helps deepen that flavor.
- Beef broth: Forms the liquid base of the soup and complements the Italian sausage.
- Petite diced tomatoes: Use the tomatoes and their juice. Petite diced tomatoes give you smaller tomato pieces throughout each bowl.
- Italian seasoning: A blend of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
- Lasagna noodles: Broken into bite-size pieces before adding them near the end of the cooking time.
- Shredded mozzarella: Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each bowl for the familiar cheesy flavor of lasagna.
- Grated Parmesan: Freshly grated melts best.
- Ricotta cheese: A spoonful of creamy ricotta on top makes each bowl taste even more like traditional lasagna.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Add the ground Italian sausage and onion to a large skillet over medium heat. Break the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until the sausage is fully cooked and the onion is softened. Drain any excess grease.
Add the tomato paste to the skillet. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste is fully incorporated and slightly darkened.
Transfer the sausage mixture to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the beef broth, petite diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
Add the broken lasagna noodles and stir to separate and submerge them. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
Stir in the salt, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, then top each serving with shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and a spoonful of ricotta cheese.
Substitutions
- Italian sausage: Use hot Italian sausage for more heat. Ground beef, ground turkey, or turkey sausage can also be used, though the seasoning may need to be adjusted.
- Onion: Yellow, white, or sweet onion will work.
- Petite diced tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes work well. Crushed tomatoes can also be used if you prefer a smoother tomato base.
- Italian seasoning: Use a combination of dried oregano, basil, and thyme.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano is a good substitute with a slightly sharper, saltier flavor.
- Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese can work in a pinch.
Behind the Recipe
I developed this lasagna soup recipe out of spite. The last crock pot recipe I tried had dull flavor and noodles that weren't fully cooked, so I knew I needed to make my own version based on my homemade lasagna.
My version is made with Italian sausage, which is my favorite meat for lasagna, and has a reasonable cook time for lasagna noodles.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think! Please take a moment to leave a rating and review—it helps me create high-quality recipes and lets others know what to expect.
FAQ
Yes. Oven-ready lasagna noodles can be used, but they are typically thinner and soften faster than regular lasagna noodles. Add them at the same stage as the regular noodles, start checking them early, and cook just until tender so they don't become mushy.
Yes, I recommend browning it first. Browning cooks the sausage, lets you drain excess grease, softens the onion, and gives you a chance to cook the tomato paste before everything goes into the slow cooker.
Yes. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, then add them to individual bowls before ladling the hot soup over them. This is especially helpful if you plan to store the soup for several days because the noodles won't continue soaking up the broth.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 6 sheets lasagna noodles broken into bite-size pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for serving
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving
- ½ cup ricotta cheese for serving
Instructions
- Add the ground Italian sausage and onion to a large skillet over medium heat. Break the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until the sausage is fully cooked and the onion is softened. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the tomato paste to the skillet. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste is fully incorporated and slightly darkened.
- Transfer the sausage mixture to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the beef broth, petite diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles and stir to separate and submerge them. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the salt, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, then top each serving with shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and a spoonful of ricotta cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook ground Italian sausage thoroughly before transferring it to the slow cooker. Ground pork sausage should reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving.
- Store leftover soup in a covered, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
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Kelsey Smith says
Hope y'all love this one. If you give it a try, I'd love to hear your thoughts.