Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Lasagna is one of the most popular comfort foods, with as many variations of ingredients as there are ways to prepare it.
For a busy stay at home mom it can be too much to make a traditional pan lasagna during the week. This recipe is my attempt to bring the yummy, satisfying flavors of lasagna into our home despite our busy weekday schedules.
It’s Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup. All the delicious Italian flavors in a hearty, tasty soup, topped with mozzarella cheese. A side of garlic or plain french bread would compliment it well.
I used lean ground beef in order to save a step. Many Lasagna Soup recipes require cooking the beef separately, draining, then adding to the crock pot. Lean meat allowed me to add all ingredients, except the noodles and cheese, to the pot at once. The first time I made it, I added the noodles too early and they became mush. So, wait to add noodles toward end of cooking time. 🙂
Happy Cooking! ~ Gena
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Ingredients:
Serves 6-8
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped **
- 2 cloves garlic, minced **
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 t. sea salt **
- 1 t. fresh ground pepper **
- 1 t. ground oregano
- 1 t. ground thyme
- 30 oz. marinara
- 32 oz. chicken broth
- 6 lasagna noodles, broken into large pieces **
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
** Ingredients are used in other recipes from This Week’s Menu, starred to help in your planning. Types of cheese, beans and noodles may vary.
Directions:
- Using a paper towel, spread a little butter around the sides of crock pot.
- Add marinara to the bottom of crock pot. Add ground beef. (The butter and marinara will keep meat from sticking to the crockpot, making an easier clean-up.)
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, seasonings and broth and turn to high heat for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours (crockpots may vary.)
- About 30-60 min. before serving, add the noodles and stir to get them down into the liquid.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and top with mozzarella and basil. If desired, you may broil on high to get the cheese a little more melty, but it actually melts pretty good just from the heat of the soup.
Enjoy!!