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Rich, saucy, and loaded with tender lasagna noodles, this high protein Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup has lean ground meat, zucchini, and red pepper pepper cooked right into the garlicky tomato broth. The noodles go in near the end so they stay tender and every bowl gets a creamy three-cheese topping. After a quick browning step, the slow cooker does most of the work.
When I’m making lasagna, I usually serve a salad or vegetable with it, too. With this crockpot lasagna soup, I wanted the vegetables to be part of the meal instead of another thing I had to make on the side.
Of course, I still wanted plenty of noodles and cheese, because those are my favorite parts. This soup gives me the best of both worlds: the cheesy lasagna I love with the vegetables already in the bowl and one less thing to make for dinner.
How I Turn Lasagna Soup Into a Complete Dinner
Red bell pepper and onion bring sweetness to the tomato broth, while the zucchini softens as the soup cooks and takes on the garlic and Italian seasoning. I dice everything fairly small so I still get some in every spoonful without the vegetables taking over the soup.
With lean ground meat, noodles, vegetables, and the cheese topping all in the same bowl, this works as a complete dinner on its own. Garlic bread is never a bad addition, though!
I also keep the three-cheese topping separate instead of adding it to the slow cooker. That way, the soup stays brothy, while the cheese stays creamy until it hits the hot bowl.
Here are a few more reasons I love this one:
- Balanced with protein and veggies. This soup has 38 grams of protein and even 6 grams of fiber per serving thanks to wholesome ingredients like lean meat and veggies.
- A lighter but SO good cheese topping. Cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan are added to each bowl when serving and adds a boost of protein.
- Two cups of zucchini + a whole bell pepper are built into the base. They cook alongside the meat and tomato broth.
- HIGH or LOW both work. The base cooks for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW before the noodles are added.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few things to know when you’re picking out your ingredients.
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Ground meat: Lean ground beef gives the most classic lasagna flavor, but ground turkey or chicken work here, too. Use whichever you prefer or already have on hand.
- Lasagna noodles: Use regular dried lasagna noodles, not oven-ready noodles. Break them into smaller pieces before adding them during the last 25-30 minutes of cooking. Different pasta shapes require different cook times, so I prefer regular lasagna noodles here.
- Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese, mozzarella and parmesan are mixed together for the most delicious cheese topping that you won’t believe is made with cottage cheese instead of ricotta (but you can always use ricotta if you prefer).
- Crushed tomatoes + tomato sauce: Crushed tomatoes give the broth texture while tomato sauce keeps the base smooth. Use plain tomato sauce rather than jarred pasta sauce so you can control the seasoning.
- Chicken broth: Lower-sodium broth gives you more control over the salt, but regular works, too. Taste the finished soup before adding more salt.
How to Make Lasagna Soup in the Slow Cooker
Once the meat is browned, the slow cooker takes over until it’s time to add the noodles.
- Brown the meat: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula, until mostly browned. Drain excess grease if needed before transferring to the slow cooker.
- Fill the slow cooker: Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth.
- Slow cook: Stir well, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Add the noodles: Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, cover, and cook on HIGH for 25-30 minutes, checking around 25 minutes. The noodles should be tender but still holding their shape.
- Mix the cheese topping: While the noodles cook, combine the cottage cheese or ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a small bowl.
- Finish and serve: Let the soup sit uncovered for 5-10 minutes before serving. It will thicken slightly as it rests. Ladle into bowls and add a dollop of cheese topping. I like finishing my slow cooker lasagna soup with fresh basil and a little extra mozzarella or Parmesan.
My Pro Tip
My Tips for Tender Noodles and the Right Soup Consistency
Here are a few small things that make prep easier and help everything cook evenly:
- Add the noodles at the very end. Don’t add your noodles at the beginning of they’ll get way too soft after hours of cooking.
- Keep the vegetables bite-sized. I dice the zucchini, pepper, and onion fairly small so I can get a little of everything on my spoon.
- Keep the noodles in the broth. Stir and gently press them down so they’re submerged and can soften evenly.
- Make your topping ahead and store in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture after you make it so it stays fresh while the soup finishes cooking and saves you time.
Make Ahead and Storage
The noodles keep soaking up broth as the soup sits, so a little extra broth comes in handy for leftovers. Here’s how to get a head start and save some for another meal:
- Prep ahead: Chop the vegetables and mix the cheese topping up to a day ahead. Refrigerate them in separate airtight containers until you’re ready to cook.
- Refrigerate: Store leftover soup and the cheese topping in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: For the best noodle texture, freeze the cooked soup base without the pasta or cheese topping. Divide into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze soup with the noodles already in it, but they’ll be softer after reheating.
- Reheat: Thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge, then warm on the stove or in the microwave until hot throughout, reaching 165°F. Add broth as needed to loosen it up. If you froze just the base, cook the noodles separately and stir them into the hot soup, then serve with a freshly made cheese topping.
More Veggie-Packed Soup Recipes
If you’ve made and loved this Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Ground Beef and Veggies
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (~1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (~1 cup)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced (~2 cups)
- 5 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced or microplaned
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into 8 pieces each (do not use "oven ready")
Cheese topping
- 1 cup cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat for about 5 minutes until mostly browned, breaking apart with a spatula while cooking.
- Transfer the meat to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients except for lasagna noodles (onion, red pepper, zucchini, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well and cover with lid. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Stir in broken lasagna noodles, replace cover and cook on HIGH an additional 30 minutes or until noodles are soft.
- While the noodles are cooking, prepare the cheese topping. Mix all topping ingredients in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Allow soup to cool slightly and sauce to thicken before serving. To serving, ladle soup into a bowl and add a dollop of topping. Garnish with fresh basil and extra mozzarella or parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use regular lasagna noodles, not oven-ready. Break them into bite-sized pieces before adding them near the end of cooking.
- Add the noodles at the end. Cook them on HIGH for about 25–30 minutes, checking around 25 minutes so they stay tender instead of becoming too soft.
- Keep the noodles submerged. Stir and gently press them into the broth so they cook evenly. Add a little extra broth if needed.
- Expect the soup to thicken as it sits. The noodles continue absorbing liquid, so keep the soup slightly brothier than you think it needs to be.
- Keep the cheese topping separate until serving. Add a dollop to each bowl so the soup stays tomatoey and brothy while the topping stays creamy.
- For leftovers: Store the soup and cheese topping separately. Add extra broth when reheating, since the noodles absorb more liquid in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Food photography by Marie-Catherine Dubé.
