Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

That's why I am obsessed with this Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup. Not only does it use one of my favorite kitchen tools, the slow cooker, it really couldn't be easier to make. The most time-consuming step is to brown the meat, which takes less than 10 minutes. From there, it is basically a matter of dumping everything in the slow cooker. That's it!

Plus, this version is actually pretty light and healthy, which is not something you often find in lasagna!

Now, to get the true lasagna feeling, you are going to want to top this soup with some cheese! If you like ricotta cheese, I highly recommend mixing together some ricotta and basil (fresh or dried) and using that as your cheesy topping.

Another delicious option is topping the entire bowl of soup with a slice of mozzarella cheese and throwing it under the broiler to crisp up like a French onion soup. Delish.

If you're a sucker for slow cooker Italian recipes like I am, you have to try this Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore and Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers in Tomato Sauce!

Easy Pantry and Freezer Swaps

This is one of those recipes you can make with whatever you have at home, so here is a list of easy swaps for most of the ingredients in the recipe.

• Ground beef: Use any ground meat you like in the recipe including turkey, chicken, pork, sausage, or vegetarian ground "meat." You could also use cooked leftover shredded chicken, beef, or pork. Sliced brown sausages would work. To make it meatless, you could also swap in some white beans or chickpeas or just leave out the meat.
• Onion: If you don't have a fresh onion, you could omit it completely and add some onion powder or dehydrated onion flakes instead. Normally you will want to use about 1 tablespoon of onion powder to replace 1 onion or 1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes.
• Garlic: If you don't have fresh, you can use garlic powder, minced garlic (the one in the jar, this one is from Costco sold through Amazon), or dehydrated garlic. Use 1 garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon dehydrated garlic.
• Canned crushed tomatoes: Any type of canned tomato will work in place of crushed tomatoes. If you want a smooth consistency, just blend whole or diced tomatoes to get a crushed tomato texture.
• Marinara sauce: You can use any jarred marinara or tomato sauce in the recipe. Our favorite is Rao's. The marinara is an important ingredient in this soup, so if the flavor of the sauce you have isn't great, just add some extra seasoning.
• Chicken broth: Any kind of broth will work, such as bouillon powder, cubes, or paste.
• Italian seasoning: If you don't have Italian seasoning, replace it with any combination of dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and/or marjoram.
• Lasagna noodles: Any type of pasta will work in this soup; it doesn't have to be lasagna noodles. You could also use cooked rice, quinoa, Israeli couscous, orzo, farro, barley, or any other pasta or grain.
• Zucchini: If you don't have fresh zucchini, just leave it out. You can replace it with any other fresh or frozen vegetable. If you are using frozen, add it in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking so it doesn't get mushy.
• Spinach: Use fresh spinach or defrosted frozen spinach. You could also use kale or another hearty green; just add it when starting the soup since it takes longer to cook. If you don't have either, use any vegetable you like or leave it out.
• Parmesan cheese: The Parmesan cheese adds a salty, earthy, cheesy taste to the soup. If you don't have any, just taste and adjust the salt as needed. Top with any other cheese you add. You could also add a touch of half-and-half or cream cheese to get a creamier taste.

How to Make Crock Pot Lasagna Soup

After browning the beef, onions, and garlic, the slow cooker practically does all the work for you! Here's a quick rundown of how to make it:

1. Brown the Beef and Veggies

Start by browning the ground beef with the onion and garlic in a large skillet until the beef is cooked through. If your slow cooker has a sauté feature, you can do this directly in the slow cooker. Just season with salt and pepper as it cooks.

Pro Tip: Browning the beef adds extra flavor to the soup, so don't rush this step!

2. Combine the Sauce Ingredients

Next, add the cooked beef, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker along with your crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, chicken broth, and seasonings. Let it cook on low for a few hours to blend all those flavors together.

3. Add the Noodles and Veggies

When the soup is ready, toss in the lasagna noodles, zucchini, and spinach. Let it cook for another 25-30 minutes until everything is tender and the noodles are cooked through.

Pro Tip: Stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom.

4. Stir in the Cheese

Once the noodles are soft, stir in some Parmesan cheese to make it extra creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Can I make this soup on the stovetop?

Yes! If you don't have a slow cooker or don't feel like whipping it out, you can totally make it on the stovetop instead! Here's how to do it:

1. Brown the meat: In a large pot, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is browned.
2. Add the liquids and seasonings: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
3. Add the veggies and noodles: Add the noodles, zucchini, and spinach. Simmer until the noodles are tender.
4. Finish with cheese: Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Customizations For This Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

You can customize this recipe any way you want! Here are some easy options:

• Sauce: The marinara sauce is going to create a lot of the flavor in the broth of this soup so make sure to choose one that you would be happy eating on its own. Ideally, look for one that doesn't have added sugar. If you opt for plain canned tomato sauce instead, make sure to add some extra seasoning to the soup. You can also use your favorite Alfredo sauce to make white lasagna soup instead!
• Protein: Normally we use ground beef in our lasagna but you could use ground chicken, turkey, or lean turkey sausage. The turkey sausage adds even more flavor to the soup and it's one of my favorite options.
• Veggies: When it comes to veggies, the options are pretty open. Zucchini and spinach are the two I use the most often, but you can mix it up to include whatever veggies you like.
• Dairy-free: Use dairy-free parmesan, ricotta, and/or mozzarella cheese.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta instead of regular to make this soup gluten-free!
• Cheese: To get the true lasagna feel, you are going to want to top this soup with some cheese. You can either go with a simple shredded mozzarella or for a more traditional flavor combination, use ricotta. I like to add some fresh basil to the ricotta and then top each bowl with a nice spoonful. Not only does it look beautiful, it really brings out the lasagna factor.

How long does pasta take to cook in the slow cooker?

Pasta can be tricky to cook in a slow cooker, and it may take some experimenting to find the perfect cooking time. Most people find that pasta will cook in about 2 hours if you are starting with a cold slow cooker. It may cook a bit faster or may take a bit longer, depending on your specific slow cooker. For that reason, I like to add the pasta to a hot slow cooker about 20 minutes before the soup is ready to serve. This ensures that you won't end up with mushy pasta.

Ways to Lighten Up Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

This soup is a lighter version of traditional lasagna soup but there are even more ways to lighten it up if you are looking for a lower calorie option.

• Ground turkey: Swap out the ground beef for 99% lean ground turkey.
• Zucchini noodles or beans: Swap in fresh zucchini noodles for some of the lasagna noodles to cut down on the calories. You could also add canned white beans in place of some of the lasagna noodles.
• Sauce: Make sure to choose a marinara sauce that doesn't have any added sugars. You can also look for a light sauce. Your other option is to use canned tomatoes and simply add extra spices and garlic to mimic the flavor found in jarred sauces.
• Broth: Choose a fat-free chicken broth or swap in a lower-calorie vegetable broth.