“Lasagna Soup” Is 1000x Times Easier to Make Than the Classic Pasta (I Get Why Everyone’s Making It)
Homemade lasagna is one meal that is guaranteed to be greeted with smiles from everyone at the table. And it’s no surprise: From the slow-simmered sauce and creamy ricotta, to the gooey mozzarella and tender noodles, there’s a lot of love in every layer. It’s a comforting casserole that I always consider adding to my weekly dinner queue, but never quite follow through with. The “problem” with this Italian American classic is the time it takes to painstakingly prepare and assemble each saucy layer.
A few years ago, I cross-tested Kelli Foster’s recipe for lasagna soup made in the slow cooker. While I figured it would be delicious (I mean, how could it not?), I was skeptical that a bowl of soup could come close to the cozy satisfaction of traditional layered lasagna. I’ve never been so thrilled to be so wrong. This recipe for lasagna soup has all of the flavors you’d expect from a slice of lasagna, but because it is made entirely in the slow cooker it’s easy enough for weeknight meals.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
How to Make Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
I’m not joking when I say that this is one of the easiest dinners that I know. Begin by breaking up uncooked ground beef in the bottom of a large slow cooker, and seasoning it with kosher salt and black pepper. Make sure to break the meat up into various sized pieces with a wooden spoon. Pour in low-sodium chicken broth (both store-bought or homemade broth work well in this recipe, and I usually just use whatever I have on hand), your favorite jar of marinara sauce, diced onion, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Because I often have Parmesan cheese rinds stashed in the freezer, I’ll toss one into the slow cooker as well. Stir the soup mixture together, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
Break lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces, stir them into the soup, and continue to cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind, then ladle the soup into serving bowls. Top with a generous dollop of ricotta cheese, a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese, and torn fresh basil leaves.
What Makes Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup So Good
If you have ever doubted that anything could be more comforting than lasagna, I urge you to try this soup. It has all of the classic cheesy, savory, saucy flavors you expect from lasagna, plus that slow-simmered flavor, thanks to the slow cooker. If you’ve ever wanted to add lasagna to your weeknight dinner lineup but avoided doing so because of the prep work, this slow cooker lasagna recipe is for you.
Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
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