You know those times when you just want a bowl of something absolutely scrumptious? Well, slow cooker lasagna soup will definitely hit the spot! This luxurious soup full of classic Italian ingredients might just be the highlight of your day!

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup garnished with cheese and served in bowl with wooden spoon

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What’s To Love About This Recipe

Fellow lasagna lovers will enjoy all the delicious flavors of lasagna, but with fewer steps to make it!
Some people shy away from lasagna because of the casserole’s ricotta or cottage cheese. With this soup, the cheese can be added to top off individual bowls. This makes this the perfect hearty soup recipe to serve a crowd!
This decadent soup is full of complex flavors because of the hours it simmers in the slow cooker.
This soup can simmer for up to 6 hours or be ready in a few hours.
Lasagna soup is also a flexible recipe to include the ingredients you have on hand or your preferences.

Ingredients Needed

Ground beef – Choose lean ground beef or be sure to drain extra grease from less-lean options. Beef provides a richer flavor, but you could substitute any ground meat you prefer.
Onion – Chop a yellow or white onion for a slight sweetness to add to the soup.
Garlic – A bit of jarred minced garlic is my go-to for soups and stews because of the convenience and even blending of flavor.
Tomato paste – Just a bit of tomato paste really helps to thicken the soup paste and adds complexity to the lasagna soup.
Marinara sauce – Choose a jar of your favorite brand of sauce. It’s so easy to keep this on hand for lots of recipes!
Fresh spinach – I love using fresh baby spinach in soups and stews. If you use a larger leaf spinach, you may wish to chop it up into bite-sized pieces.
Seasonings – Italian seasoning, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes make the best seasoning combination.
Chicken broth – This adds to the super-flavorful soup base.
Lasagna noodles – Use any kind of lasagna noodles since they will end up being broken into smaller pieces. You can even use gluten-free lasagna noodles – but keep in mind that these will have a shorter cooking time. Other pasta options will work, too!
Optional – Ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan are all optional additions when serving in individual bowls. This trio makes this soup resemble the most cheesy, delicious lasagna!

1 lb of ground beef, spinach, marinara sauce, broth, bowl of onions, 5 small bowls of spices and seasonings

How To Make Lasagna Soup In The Slow Cooker

Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking it apart until fully cooked.

Ground beef browned inside of silver skillet

Add the ground beef to the slow cooker along with onion, garlic, tomato paste, marinara sauce, spinach, seasonings, and broth.

cooked browned ground beef, diced onions, minced garlic, and tomate paste inside of slow cooker

ground beef, chopped onions, and marinara all inside of slow cooker

Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
Break the lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces and stir them into the slow cooker.

Gluten free lasagna outside of box next to box

Allow the soup to continue cooking until the noodles are tender – this should take about 30-45 minutes.
Serve individual bowls of soup topped with your desired cheeses and fresh chopped basil.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

One of the best things about this oh-so-tasty soup is the ability to customize and make ingredient swaps as you choose.

Instead of ground beef, a ground Italian sausage would also work! Brown it just like the ground beef and drain any excess grease before adding it to the slow cooker.
If you don’t have lasagna noodles, any type of pasta noodle will work. Penne pasta would be a great option! Whatever pasta you choose, just be sure to watch the cooking time since it will depend on the size and shape of the noodles.
You can use gluten-free lasagna noodles in this recipe! The cooking time for the noodles will be on the shorter end, so plan to stay near the slow cooker to check on them.
To make this a bit spicy, use a spicy marinara sauce and add extra red pepper flakes.
Adding some veggies to the soup would also be delicious. Think of any vegetables that you would typically add to lasagna like mushrooms, squash, or finely chopped bell peppers.
To keep this a dairy-free soup, omit the cheese toppings or use dairy-free versions.
To make this a vegetarian soup, use a crumbled meat alternative or simply add lots of extra veggies to create a filling soup.

What To Serve With Lasagna Soup

Considering that this is a very filling recipe, you might want to offer some lighter sides. A fresh garden salad with a drizzle of dressing made from my Easy Homemade Italian Dressing Mix would be delightful.

Because the soup base in this recipe is so flavorful, breadsticks or a roll would be perfect for dipping and savoring every bit!

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze leftovers in airtight containers, although it is best to freeze without any cheeses added. I love using Souper Cubes for freezing individual portions of soup!

Reheat leftover soup on the stove or in the microwave before adding cheese. Defrost first if needed.

To prep this soup as a make-ahead freezer meal:

Cook and cool the ground beef meat.
Add it to a freezer bag with onion, garlic, tomato paste, sauce, spinach, and seasonings.
Remove all air and freeze the mixture for up to 3 months.
Thaw before placing in the slow cooker and follow cooking directions as written.