Crockpot Lasagna Soup With Italian Sausage And Cheese

The sausage starts as little browned crumbles in the skillet, and those savory bits give this slow-cooker soup a much deeper start than simply stirring everything together cold. This Crockpot Lasagna Soup With Italian Sausage And Cheese has the tomato-rich comfort of lasagna without layering noodles in a baking dish. The broth stays loose enough to ladle, while the sausage makes each bowl hearty.

I add the broken lasagna noodles near the end instead of leaving them in the slow cooker all day. Pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it cooks, and a long stretch in hot broth can leave it swollen and too soft. Adding it for the final cooking window gives you tender noodle pieces, a brothy tomato base, and a cool, creamy spoonful of cheese on top.

Why This Soup Uses Both Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce

Those two cans aren’t doing the same job. Crushed tomatoes bring a pulpy, gently textured base, while tomato sauce blends in smoothly and gives the broth a more even tomato taste. Together, they create a soup that feels fuller than broth with tomato pieces floating through it, but still stays spoonable once the chicken broth is added.

Using only crushed tomatoes would make the tomato texture more pronounced; using only tomato sauce would give you a smoother, less varied base. The balance here is useful in a slow cooker because the onion and sausage have hours to share their flavor with the liquid. The finished broth tastes rounded rather than like a thin tomato soup, and the noodles have enough liquid around them to cook without turning the pot into a casserole. Choose ordinary canned tomatoes you enjoy eating; there’s no need to spend extra on a specialty brand for this long-cooked base.

The Tomato Base, Sausage, and Cheese Each Have a Different Job

• Bulk Italian sausage — Bulk sausage is easy to break into small crumbles, so you get some in nearly every spoonful. If you have a choice, pick a package with a seasoning level you like; its herbs and spices carry through the broth.
• Yellow onion and garlic — A medium yellow onion softens during the long cook and gives the broth a savory base. Mince the garlic so it disperses through the soup instead of leaving large bites; fresh cloves have a brighter edge, while prepared minced garlic is convenient.
• Crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce — These pantry staples make the tomato base dependable from batch to batch. Standard canned versions work well here, so save the specialty shopping for a recipe where the tomatoes are the main event.
• Low-sodium chicken broth — Low-sodium broth gives you more control over the finished seasoning, since the sausage and cheese also bring salt. Regular broth is usable, but the overall soup will taste saltier with the measured kosher salt still included.
• Lasagna noodles — Break the noodles into bite-size pieces before they go into the slow cooker. Pieces that are too large are awkward to scoop, while smaller pieces are easier to get onto a spoon with the sausage and broth.
• Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan — Ricotta makes the topping soft and creamy, mozzarella gives it a mild, stretchy quality, and Parmesan adds a sharper, salty note. Use cheeses you enjoy on their own; the topping is simple enough that each one is noticeable.

Build the Soup in the Right Order for Tender Noodles

Brown the Sausage Before It Goes in the Cooker

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the sausage for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns. Look for browned edges rather than pale, steamed-looking meat. Drain off the excess fat before moving the sausage to the slow cooker. Leaving a pool of fat behind can make the tomato broth feel oily.

Stir Together the Tomato and Broth Base

Transfer the browned sausage to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper, then stir until the sausage and seasonings are distributed. Scrape the bottom of the skillet only if needed to transfer the sausage; the soup ingredients all go into the slow cooker. The mixture will look quite liquid at this point, which is right for a soup with noodles still to come.

Let the Onion Turn Tender

Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours. The onion should be tender, and the sausage should reach 160°F. Keep the lid on during the slow-cook time so heat and moisture stay in the cooker. Once the onion is soft, the tomato broth is ready for the pasta.

Cook the Noodles and Finish Each Bowl

Stir the broken lasagna noodles into the soup, cover, and cook on HIGH for 30–45 minutes, until the noodles are tender. While they cook, stir the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan together in a medium bowl. Check a noodle piece for tenderness before serving; the edges should be soft, not chewy. Ladle the soup into bowls and add a spoonful of the cheese mixture to each one.

Simple Swaps That Keep the Soup Balanced

Questions That Come Up With Crockpot Lasagna Soup

Crockpot Lasagna Soup With Italian Sausage And Cheese

Crockpot lasagna soup with Italian sausage brings the hearty flavors of lasagna together in a slow cooker, with tender noodles and a rich tomato broth. Finish each bowl with a creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan topping.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 7 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 610

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the soup

• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 6 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz lasagna noodles broken into bite-size pieces

For the cheese topping

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

• 1 large skillet
• 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method

 

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned; drain excess fat.
2. Transfer the sausage to a 6-quart slow cooker and stir in the onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the onion is tender and the sausage reaches 160°F.
4. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles, cover, and cook on HIGH for 30–45 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
5. While the noodles cook, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a medium bowl.
6. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of the cheese mixture.

Notes

For the best texture, cook the noodles just until tender. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezing is possible, though the noodles may soften after thawing. Gluten-free lasagna noodles can be used as a dietary swap.