Posted by Cassie in Food | 18 Comments
slow cooker lasagna soup
You know what’s awesome? Lasagna. You know what’s not awesome? How fussy lasagna can be to make. Layers and division and dolloping and the whole regular or no-boil noodle controversy. It’s enough to make a gal never want to make lasagna again.
Okay, that’s a total drama queen over-exaggeration, but the truth is, lasagna can be a bit finicky to make. It’s definitely not a weeknight dish. But you know what is a weeknight dish? Anything that’s made it the slow cooker. Including this soup.
My love affair with my slow cooker continues. Seriously folks, if you work outside the home and don’t have/use a slow cooker, you are missing out. It’ll make your life infinitely easier. Your car will never be out of gas. You’ll never have to take the trash out again. Your kids won’t complain about anything ever. The slow cooker rights all wrongs.
Theme of this post: over-exaggeration.
The best part about this soup is that is tastes like lasagna, obviously. It has all the flavor (read: cheesy yum) without the layering and baking fuss. Devote 10 minutes to the slow cooker before work and you’ll come home to a hearty, lasagna-flavored soup that will make even the coldest and darkest November evening feel a little bit warmer and brighter.
Granted, today it is 70° outside here in sunny Southern Indiana today, but still, you should totally make it.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Adapted from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Makes 8 Servings
You can easily turn this into more of a pasta dish by just upping the amount of pasta that you throw into the slow cooker. Then, you can just call it “deconstructed lasagna”. That sounds cooler anyway.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage links, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 large onions, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1-28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 10 ounces curly pasta (fusilli)
- Ricotta and mozzarella cheeses for topping
Directions
- In a large slow cooker, combine all ingredients except pasta and cheeses. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-6.
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add in pasta.
- When ready to serve, preheat broiler. Spoon soup into oven-proof bowls. Top each bowl with a dollop of ricotta and a sprinkling of mozzarella. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is hot and melted.
Thank you for posting this right as I’m leaving to go to the store. This will be Friday’s dinner. Yum!
Um, used to prefer no-boil (so much faster!), but wasn’t good about getting the noodles cooked just right. Between inconsistent results and the boyfriend preferring the “way my mom does it”, switched to regular (I’ll be back in 3 hours) pasta which means we don’t have lasagna very often.
Hahah, “the way mom does it” always sucks.
I just let Babyface cook the foods that he wants like his mom. Which is why he is the pancake master in our house.
Love this recipe. I got a slow cooker as a wedding gift and have never used it. I’m going to make this on Friday night! My husband loves lasagna but it’s such a pain in the you know what to make. Thanks for sharing!
Oh girl! Get that slow cooker out. You will not regret it!
Jenn, you should try Betty Crocker’s slow cooker lasagna! It is to die for, and only takes ten or so minutes to prepare – literally! I hardly ever made lasagna before because it was such a pain to layer, etc, but now I make it all the time in the crock pot. LOVE it!!
The closest I have come to “making” lasagna is putting a frozen one in the oven. But this soup? OMG, this soup I could totally handle making!!
Yes! I’d venture to say this is as easy as popping one in the oven and probably with even better results!
When I make momma’s lasagna, I par-boil the noodles (read: cook to al-dente) and then layer away
I actually posted about it.
Part I: http://megsfitness.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/how-to-make-lasagna-part-1/
Part II: http://megsfitness.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/how-to-make-lasagna-part-2/
That’s how I do it, too!
Regular noodles. I’m not a fan of that oven ready noodle business.
This looks so good (as do all your recipes). I believe I’m going to put it on next weeks menu!
Love your blog! Keep up the good work!
Are the noodles you put into the soup uncooked or cooked? This looks fantastic!
Uncooked!
O what a great idea for an easy weeknight meal if you are craving lasagna but don’t have the time. It’s all the good stuff, just in a different deconstructed form.
The Dinner Belle for Kimberlybelle.com
I made this recipe last night and it was FANTASTIC! Cooking the sausage in a slow cooker made it so tender and soft. I also made homemade garlic wheat croutons to add to the cheesy top (a little like French onion soup.) I’ll definitely be making this again
Ooooh yum! The croutons sound like an amazing addition! I might have to steal it next time I make it.
So I made this today and just had to say that this is even more delicious because it was so darn easy! I am waiting 20 minutes before I go back for bowl #2 in case I am actually full enough, but I can’t wait to have it for lunch tomorrow.
You made a pregnant lady very happy.
THANK YOU!!! It was sooo easy! It’s cooking now! I can’t wait to taste it!