Simple Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Lasagna is one of those dishes I love to eat but don’t always have the energy to make. All that layering and waiting around for it to bake can feel like a lot on a busy weeknight. But I still crave those rich, cheesy flavors, especially when the weather turns cold.

That’s where this soup comes in. It gives you everything you love about lasagna—the seasoned beef, the tomato sauce, the creamy ricotta—without all the fuss. Just toss the ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning, and dinner takes care of itself. The best part? You get to skip scrubbing that giant baking dish.

Want it a little spicy? Keep the red pepper flakes. Prefer it mild? Leave them out. Either way, you’re getting a bowl of comfort that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did.

What Kind of Beef Should I Use?

Ground beef is the star of this lasagna soup, and you have a few options depending on what you prefer. I typically go with 80/20 ground beef because it has enough fat to keep the soup flavorful, but if you want something leaner, 90/10 works just fine too. The key is to brown it well at the beginning so you get those nice caramelized bits that add depth to your soup. If you’re using a leaner beef, you might want to drain off any excess fat after browning, but with 80/20, I usually just leave it in since the slow cooker will distribute those flavors throughout the broth.

Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap ground beef for ground turkey, Italian sausage (remove the casings first), or even ground chicken. Each will give the soup a slightly different flavor profile.
• Lasagna noodles: Don’t skip the pasta entirely since it’s what makes this lasagna soup, but you can use broken spaghetti, penne, or rotini instead. Just adjust cooking time based on the pasta package directions.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese works great as a substitute and actually gives you a similar creamy texture. You can also use a mix of cream cheese and sour cream if that’s what you have on hand.
• Spinach: Fresh or frozen spinach both work fine. You can also use kale or Swiss chard – just chop them a bit smaller and add them earlier so they have time to soften.
• Marinara sauce: Any tomato-based pasta sauce will do the job here. You can use plain crushed tomatoes too, but you might want to add extra Italian seasoning to boost the flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese make good substitutes and bring that same salty, sharp flavor to the soup.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with lasagna soup is adding the noodles too early, which turns them into mushy, overcooked pieces that fall apart – always wait until the last 15-30 minutes of cooking to add your broken lasagna noodles.

Breaking the noodles into bite-sized pieces before adding them makes eating the soup much easier, so aim for roughly 2-inch pieces rather than tossing in whole noodles.

Don’t skip draining the beef properly after browning, as excess grease will create an oily layer on top of your soup that’s not appetizing.

Finally, stir the soup gently once you add the noodles to prevent them from clumping together at the bottom, and if you’re making this ahead, store the noodles separately and add them when reheating to keep them from getting soggy.

What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

A warm loaf of garlic bread is pretty much essential with lasagna soup – you’ll want something to scoop up all that cheesy, tomatoey goodness from the bottom of your bowl. I like to serve mine with a simple Caesar salad on the side to add some crunch and freshness to balance out the richness of the soup. If you’re feeding a crowd, breadsticks work great too, and they’re perfect for dipping. You could also add a side of roasted vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers if you want to sneak in some extra veggies alongside this already hearty meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just a heads up – the noodles will soak up more broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of beef broth when reheating to loosen it up.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 3 months, though I’d recommend freezing it without the ricotta topping if possible. The noodles will get softer after freezing, but it still tastes great. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway. Add fresh ricotta, parmesan, and a handful of spinach on top when serving for the best flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2800-3200
• Protein: 170-200 g
• Fat: 130-150 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-240 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2.5 tsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for this)
• 1.25 lb beef (ground beef, at least 80/20 for better flavor)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 32 oz beef broth
• 24 oz marinara (I use Rao’s Homemade for the best results)
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste (adds a nice depth and richness)
• 8 oz lasagna noodles (broken into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 cups spinach

For the cheese mixture:

• 16 oz ricotta (I like Galbani whole milk ricotta for creaminess)
• 3/4 cup parmesan

Step 1: Brown the Beef and Build the Flavor Base

• 2.5 tsp olive oil
• 1.25 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it browns.

Once the beef is no longer pink, add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Stir well to coat the meat evenly with spices, cooking for another minute to bloom the flavors.

This upfront seasoning ensures the beef is deeply flavored throughout the soup.

Carefully drain excess grease from the skillet, leaving just enough to coat the meat lightly.

Step 2: Build the Soup Base in the Slow Cooker

• browned seasoned beef from Step 1
• 32 oz beef broth
• 24 oz marinara
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste

Transfer the seasoned beef from Step 1 into your slow cooker.

Add beef broth, marinara sauce, and tomato paste, stirring until the tomato paste is fully dissolved and distributed throughout the liquid.

The tomato paste adds wonderful depth and richness that pure marinara alone can’t deliver.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-5 hours until the broth is simmering gently and the flavors have melded together.

Step 3: Prepare the Cheese Filling

• 16 oz ricotta
• 3/4 cup parmesan

While the soup simmers, combine ricotta and parmesan in a bowl, stirring until well blended.

I like to use whole milk ricotta for its creamy texture—it makes the soup feel more luxurious.

Set this mixture aside; you’ll use half of it to enrich the soup and half for garnish at the end.

Step 4: Add Noodles and Cook Until Tender

• soup base from Step 2
• 8 oz lasagna noodles

After the broth has simmered for the full time in Step 2, add the broken lasagna noodles to the slow cooker, stirring to submerge them in the liquid.

Cover and cook on high for 15-30 minutes, checking at the 15-minute mark.

The noodles should be tender but still hold their shape—don’t overcook or they’ll become mushy.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 5: Finish with Greens and Cheese

• soup with cooked noodles from Step 4
• half of the cheese mixture from Step 3
• 2 cups spinach

Once the noodles are tender, stir in half of the cheese mixture from Step 3 until it’s fully incorporated and creates a creamy texture.

Add the spinach and stir well, allowing it to wilt into the warm soup for about 1-2 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

I like to reserve the remaining cheese mixture for topping each bowl—this gives you control over how creamy and cheesy each serving is.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

• finished soup from Step 5
• remaining cheese mixture from Step 3

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of the remaining cheese mixture from Step 3.

The warm soup will slightly soften the cheese topping, adding richness without overwhelming the dish.

Serve immediately while hot.

Simple Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Delicious Simple Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 3000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup

• 2.5 tsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for this)
• 1.25 lb beef (ground beef, at least 80/20 for better flavor)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 32 oz beef broth
• 24 oz marinara (I use Rao’s Homemade for the best results)
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste (adds a nice depth and richness)
• 8 oz lasagna noodles (broken into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 cups spinach

For the cheese mixture

• 16 oz ricotta (I like Galbani whole milk ricotta for creaminess)
• 3/4 cup parmesan

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it browns. Once the beef is no longer pink, add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the meat evenly with spices, cooking for another minute to bloom the flavors. This upfront seasoning ensures the beef is deeply flavored throughout the soup. Carefully drain excess grease from the skillet, leaving just enough to coat the meat lightly.
• Transfer the seasoned beef from Step 1 into your slow cooker. Add beef broth, marinara sauce, and tomato paste, stirring until the tomato paste is fully dissolved and distributed throughout the liquid. The tomato paste adds wonderful depth and richness that pure marinara alone can't deliver. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-5 hours until the broth is simmering gently and the flavors have melded together.
• While the soup simmers, combine ricotta and parmesan in a bowl, stirring until well blended. I like to use whole milk ricotta for its creamy texture—it makes the soup feel more luxurious. Set this mixture aside; you'll use half of it to enrich the soup and half for garnish at the end.
• After the broth has simmered for the full time in Step 2, add the broken lasagna noodles to the slow cooker, stirring to submerge them in the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 15-30 minutes, checking at the 15-minute mark. The noodles should be tender but still hold their shape—don't overcook or they'll become mushy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Once the noodles are tender, stir in half of the cheese mixture from Step 3 until it's fully incorporated and creates a creamy texture. Add the spinach and stir well, allowing it to wilt into the warm soup for about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. I like to reserve the remaining cheese mixture for topping each bowl—this gives you control over how creamy and cheesy each serving is.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of the remaining cheese mixture from Step 3. The warm soup will slightly soften the cheese topping, adding richness without overwhelming the dish. Serve immediately while hot.