Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
1 pound of ground beef
4 cups of beef broth
12 ounces of lasagna noodles
1/2 an onion and 1 bell pepper
28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces
For the Cheese Mixture:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped optional
Instructions:
Brown the Meat: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef or sausage with the diced onion until browned. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Drain any excess grease and transfer the mixture to your slow cooker.
Add Soup Ingredients: To the slow cooker, add broth, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Cook the Soup: Cover and cook on LOW for 67 hours or on HIGH for 34 hours.
Add the Noodles: About 30 minutes before serving, add the broken lasagna noodles to the slow cooker. Stir well and cook on HIGH until the noodles are tender, approximately 2030 minutes.
Prepare the Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, and chopped fresh parsley if using. Mix until smooth and set aside.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous dollop of the cheese mixture. Enjoy!