Let’s face it; traditional lasagna is awesome AND tedious with a lot of extra steps if you’re doing it right. This Lazy Lasagna Soup recipe is anything but laborious! It’s the lazy person’s lasagna, and you won’t believe how much it tastes like the real thing!
Please do not let the number of steps in this recipe intimidate you! This is faster and easier than it looks! My suggestion is to read through the Lazy Lasagna Soup recipe first, and you’ll see what I mean! Most of it really is just dump and go! The meat that I used for this recipe is ground beef, but you can use whatever kind of meat you prefer.
Easy Lazy Lasagna Soup (Slow Cooker)
This Easy Lazy Lasagna Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish made in a slow cooker, featuring a hearty blend of meats, tomatoes, and herbs. With minimal prep time and a rich, satisfying taste, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or gatherings. Top each bowl with a creamy ricotta mixture and fresh basil for a delicious twist on traditional lasagna.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef - ground buffalo, ground pork, ground Italian sausage (sweet, mild or hot)lean, or a blend of any of these
5 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon salt - to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - to taste- 2 cups pasta - any small pasta you like
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 small can tomato paste - and 1 can of red wine or water if you prefer- 2 large cans diced tomatoes - do not drain (28 ounces each)
2 boxes chicken stock - (32 ounces each)- 1 teaspoon bay leaves - crushed, or 2 whole bay leaves (if using whole)
1 large bunch basil - fresh, clean, finely chopped and divided into 2 portions (1/2 will be used for garnish)- 1 bunch Italian parsley - fresh, clean, finely chopped and divided into 2 portions (1/2 will be used for garnish)
8 ounce ricotta cheese
¾ cup Parmesan cheese - or Romano cheese, grated
½ cup mozzarella cheese - shredded low-fat, or Italian ⅘ cheese blend
Instructions
- Chop parsley and basil in advance.
- Slightly brown meat and garlic in a large skillet, breaking it apart into small chunks and adding salt and pepper to taste.FastTrack: If you use very lean ground meat (like buffalo or turkey), you do not have to brown it first; you can just put it in the crockpot raw (I do this a lot)—Just make sure you cook the soup on high for at least 4 hours so that it gets fully cooked! You will also have to break it apart into small chunks with a wooden spoon once it is cooked. If using the FastTrack method, add the garlic, salt and pepper right to the crockpot.
- If browning, drain meat of grease and put into the crockpot (I use paper towels for this).
- Add all other “soup ingredients” to the crock pot—If using Gnocchi, add it in the last 30 minutes of cooking, so it doesn’t get mushy!
- Turn the crockpot on high and cook for at least 4 hours or until all flavors meld (if FastTracking until meat is fully cooked), stirring about once an hour.
- At about the 3-hour mark, if you’ve used the full 2 cups of pasta, you will find that your liquid factor is much lower due to the pasta soaking up the liquid. I added the full second box of chicken broth at this point and let it cook for another hour.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare garnish for the top:
- Mix together ricotta, parmesan & parsley together in a mixing bowl
- Add salt and pepper to taste (careful with salt as parmesan has a lot already)—Do not add basil!
- Place ricotta mixture in the fridge until the soup is almost ready.
- Remove ricotta mixture from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving (so it warms up to room temp).
- Fill each bowl with soup and top with a generous dollop of ricotta mixture.
- Sprinkle it with mozzarella or Italian cheese blend & fresh basil.
- Serve and wait for the compliments!
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 22gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1009mgPotassium: 684mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1488IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 273mgIron: 3mg
How did this recipe turn out for you?We’re eager to hear your thoughts!
