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Crowd-Pleasing Crockpot Lasagna Soup with Italian Sausage

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This crockpot lasagna soup is a set-it-and-forget-it comfort food that feeds a crowd with minimal effort. Rich Italian sausage, tomatoes, and herbs simmer into a silky broth, then are topped with creamy ricotta and melty mozzarella for a dish that tastes like lasagna without the layering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 ounces dried mafalda pasta (or broken lasagna noodles)
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (for serving)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for serving)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if desired, then transfer the sausage to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape into the slow cooker with the sausage.
  3. Add the tomato paste: Drop the tomato paste into the hot skillet and stir for about 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, then pour into the slow cooker.
  4. Combine liquids and seasonings: To the slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, remaining chicken broth, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir well.
  5. Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until flavors meld.
  6. Cook the pasta: About 20 minutes before serving, cook the pasta separately according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. Do not add pasta to the slow cooker until ready to serve.
  7. Combine and serve: Remove bay leaves from the soup. Stir in the cooked pasta. Ladle into bowls and top each with a dollop of ricotta, a sprinkle of mozzarella, a dusting of Parmesan, and fresh basil or parsley.
  8. Serve immediately while hot and cheese is melty.

Notes

Cook pasta separately and add only when serving to prevent mushiness. For leftovers, store pasta separately from soup base. The soup tastes even better the next day. For a thicker soup, use less broth or add a cornstarch slurry. For a lighter version, use half Italian sausage and half ground turkey with extra fennel and salt.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot lasagna soup, Italian sausage soup, slow cooker soup, potluck recipe, comfort food, easy dinner, crowd-pleasing

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