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Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Creamy Ricotta

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This Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Creamy Ricotta delivers all the rich, meaty, cheesy satisfaction of classic lasagna without the layering or fuss. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, and the creamy ricotta finish makes every bowl feel like a hug.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound mild or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 8 ounces dried lasagna noodles, broken into 1– to 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (low-moisture, part-skim)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage (casings removed) and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Scrape mixture into the slow cooker with the sausage.
  3. Build the broth: Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato paste, and sugar to the slow cooker. Stir until tomato paste is fully incorporated.
  4. Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until bubbling and fragrant.
  5. Add the noodles: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in broken lasagna noodle pieces, ensuring they are submerged. Cover and cook on HIGH for 25 to 30 minutes, or until noodles are tender but still al dente. Check at 20 minutes.
  6. Prepare the ricotta mixture: While noodles cook, combine ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
  7. Finish the soup: Once noodles are tender, stir in shredded mozzarella until melted and fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with a generous dollop of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and extra grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

For meal-prepping, cook noodles separately and add to individual servings to prevent mushiness. Let soup rest in slow cooker on warm for 10 minutes before serving to meld flavors. Use whole-milk ricotta for best creamy texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker lasagna soup, lasagna soup, easy lasagna soup, creamy ricotta, Italian sausage soup, comfort food, weeknight dinner

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