Cook up a delicious, healthy and hearty dinner with this one pot lazy lasagna soup recipe! All made in the crockpot, this ground beef, veggie and pasta soup is perfect for those busy days. Easy, cheesy, and loaded with protein, this is one tasty dish that the whole family will love! {Gluten-free friendly}
I’m a huge fan of easy, hearty and healthy meals and that’s why one of my new favourite dinner recipes is this lazy lasagna soup! Because after a long and busy day, can you really beat finishing off the day with a delicious bowl of hearty soup?
Thanks to the slow cooker, this healthy lasagna soup is a breeze to make. Dump the ingredients in the crockpot at the beginning of the day and have a satisfying and delicious meal waiting for you and your family. My husband and kids can’t get enough of this soup!
This tomato based soup is made with ground beef, veggies, pasta sauce, lasagna noodles and cheese for a dish that tastes just like your favourite lasagna recipe, but without the hassle. Top it with a dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of parmesan and you’ve got the perfect easy lazy day lasagna!
If you’re a fan of lasagna, you’ll definitely want to try this soup!
And while we’re talking tasty soups, be sure to try my Tuscan White Bean Soup and ABC Soup too!
Table of Contents
Why we love this healthy lasagna soup recipe
- One pot: All cooked in the crockpot, this soup comes together so easily and the clean up afterwards is a breeze!
- Hearty: This high protein lasagna contains a whopping 34 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre per serving for one filling soup recipe that will keep you feeling satisfied for hours.
- Family-friendly: This is a delish recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Even if you have picky eaters, I’m pretty sure they won’t be able to resist this fun twist on lasagna. It’s totally customizable too!
- Make ahead: This is a great recipe for meal prep and it’s freezer-friendly too. Be sure to scroll down for the make ahead directions and storage instructions.
Ingredient notes
- Beef: Use extra lean ground beef for the protein in this recipe. Ground turkey or sausage could also be be used in place of the beef.
- Fresh veggies: Onion, garlic and red bell pepper add some extra fibre and flavour to this soup.
- Canned tomatoes: I like to use fire-roasted tomatoes for this soup as they have a deeper and richer flavour. Use diced or crushed fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favourite jar of marinara for the base of this recipe. Try to look for one that’s lower in sodium in possible.
- Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper provide additional flavour. If you want a spicier kick, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Broth: I typically use reduced sodium beef broth, but vegetable or chicken broth will also work well.
- Lasagna noodles: Use whole-grain or fibre-enriched noodles for extra goodness. I like to use Smart lasagna noodles if I don’t have whole grain.
- Cheeses for topping: Mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan are used to add cheesy flavour. Look for part-skim mozzarella and light ricotta cheese to reduce the saturated fat content.
How to make lazy lasagna soup – step by step instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- Place the ground beef into the crockpot.
- Add in the diced onion, garlic, red bell pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes, marinara sauce, seasonings and broth. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours.
- Remove the lid. Break the lasagna noodles into bite-size pieces over the crockpot and stir them in with the other ingredients.
- Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
- Divide into bowls. Top with a tablespoon of ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
- If you want to add even more flavour to the soup, cook the onion, garlic and peppers along with the beef before adding it all to the crockpot (or cook it right in the slow cooker if it has a saute function). This helps to caramelize the vegetables and bring out more natural sweetness.
- The soup thickens up more the longer that it sits. If you make this soup in advance and want it to be more “soupy,” you may wish to stir in some extra broth right before serving.
- I prefer to add the mozzarella and ricotta cheese separately to each bowl right before serving, so that everyone can top their soup with the desired amount of cheese or skip it altogether. You can add the cheese right to the pot, but it may stick to the bottom of the pot, so clean up may be a little more tricky.
- If you plan to make and freeze this soup, I recommend making the noodles fresh. Add in the broken noodles while reheating or pre-cook them ahead of time and add them in right before serving. Also don’t freeze the cheese as it might develop a funny texture. Add it in fresh when the soup has been thawed and reheated.
How to make this soup ahead of time
If you want to make this soup in advance, here’s what I recommend:
- Follow the recipe instructions for making the soup, but do NOT add the broken noodles. Cool the soup to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
- When ready to serve, you can either dump the soup back into the crockpot and set it to high. Add in the broken noodles and cook for 30-45 minutes or until noodles are tender.
- Alternatively, if you really want to save time, you can cook the broken lasagna noodles 1-2 days ahead of time following the box instructions so that they are al dente. When storing them, drizzle them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together. Store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, reheat the soup in the crockpot or in a large pot on stovetop and add the noodles in. Top with the cheese and serve!
Recipe FAQs
I like to use whole-grain or fibre-enriched lasagna noodles (i.e. Smart noodles) for extra fibre and nutrients. You can also use other pasta shapes if you prefer, like penne, bowtie or fusilli.
Yes, it makes a great one pot dinner option! To make on stove top:
– Brown the beef and soften the onions and red bell pepper in a little oil.
– Once soft, stir in the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
– Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, marinara sauce, seasonings and broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
– Add the broken noodles and cook until soft and tender, about 10-15 minutes
– Serve with the cheesy toppings.
Yes! This soup can be frozen in a freeze-safe bag or container for up to three months. However, I have a few tips for the best frozen lasagna soup:
1. Make the noodles fresh. If you plan to make and freeze the soup, I recommend waiting to add the noodles until you’re ready to serve the soup. Add the noodles in when you’re reheating the soup in the crockpot or on stovetop or make them in a pot separately and add them in the thawed soup right before serving.
2. Don’t freeze the cheese. Instead, I recommend thawing the soup first and then reheating and adding the cheese when serving.
If you want to store any leftovers, you can store this soup in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days.
From frozen: Remove soup from the freezer and place in the fridge to thaw. When it has thawed completely, reheat the soup either in the crockpot, on stovetop or in the microwave.
From thawed state: When ready to serve, reheat the soup in the crockpot or in a large pot on stovetop and add the noodles in (see make ahead instruction above). Top with the cheese and serve!
Serving suggestions
Serve along with a salad (try this Greek cucumber noodle salad or this Spring Mix Salad) and/or crusty garlic bread. Sometimes we’ll even have baked kale chips or roasted veggies on the side!
Recipe variations
- To make low carb: Add zucchini noodles or “zoodles” instead of lasagna noodles.
- Switch up the meat: Use ground turkey, ground chicken or ground sausage instead of beef.
- To make vegetarian: Use lentils or cannellini beans instead of ground beef.
- To make dairy-free: Leave off the cheese or sub in a plant-based cheese alternative.
- To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- Add more veggies: Try adding in diced zucchini, carrots, or spinach.
More similar recipes
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Crockpot Cabbage and Sausage
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Meatball Soup
- Lemon Lentil Soup
- Beef and Barley Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Lazy Lasagna Soup {crockpot}
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red pepper diced
- 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes crushed or diced
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 10 oz lasagna noodles whole wheat or fibre-enriched (about 10 lasagna noodles)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For topping:
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. You can also do this step in the crockpot if it has a saute function.
- Place the ground beef into the crockpot. Add in the diced onion, garlic, red bell pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes, marinara sauce, seasonings and broth. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours.
- Remove the lid. Break the lasagna noodles into bite size pieces over the crockpot and stir them in with the other ingredients.
- Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
- Divide into bowls. Top with a tablespoon of ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- If you want to add even more flavour to the soup, cook the onion, garlic and peppers along with the beef before adding it all to the crockpot (or cook it right in the slow cooker if it has a saute function). This helps to caramelize the vegetables and bring out more natural sweetness.
- The soup thickens up more the longer that it sits. If you make this soup in advance and want it to be more “soupy,” you may wish to stir in some extra broth right before serving.
- I prefer to add the mozzarella and ricotta cheese separately to each bowl right before serving, so that everyone can top their soup with the desired amount of cheese or skip it altogether. You can add the cheese right to the pot, but it may stick to the bottom of the pot, so clean up may be a little more tricky.
- If you plan to make and freeze this soup, I recommend making the noodles fresh. Add in the broken noodles while reheating or pre-cook them ahead of time and add them in right before serving. Also don’t freeze the cheese as it might develop a funny texture. Add it in fresh when the soup has been thawed and reheated.
Very tasty and easy to make!
So happy you enjoyed it!! This one is always a winner in our house too :)