Oh my goodness. If you like lasagna – you must try this recipe for Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup. It is creamy, rich, cheesy and just like a homemade lasagna – without all the layering and work that comes with making a lasagna. Not that I’ve ever made a lasagna before, I should confess to that. But now that I’ve made lasagna soup – in my slow cooker of all things – I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to make a labor intensive lasagna! Why bother! I think this would be a perfect meal to make on a Sunday and invite all your family over for dinner. They’ll be super impressed and you’ll be happy because you spent so little time in the kitchen.
Okay, I’ll stop raving about it now and just get right into the recipe.
- 19 ounces italian sausage links, cut into bite-size pieces - This is the typical size for the Johnsonville italian sausage packages. If you have more, or less, it won’t matter much. Just add what you have or however much you want.
- 1 onion diced finely - My husband could live without this all together. They still have a bit of crunch even after 8 hours in the crockpot. Your call.
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- One (1) 6 oz can of tomato paste
- Two (2) 14 oz cans diced tomatoes - I used oregano, basil flavored tomatoes. Most recipes call for a 28-oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes, but I didn’t have this on hand. So I added a 4-oz can of fire-roasted chilies for that smokey flavor. If you use the fire-roasted tomatoes, you could probably leave out the 4 ounces of chilies.
- One (1) 4 oz can of fire-roasted green chilies
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 Cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10-12 ounces uncooked pasta - I used shells, but you could use whatever kind you have on hand!
- Ricotta and shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
- In a large slow cooker (6 quart or larger probably) combine all the ingredients except pasta and cheeses. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
- For the last 30 minutes of cooking, add in your uncooked pasta.
- When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and add a dollop of ricotta and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. If you want to get fancy you can put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to brown. I admit – I tried this and nearly burned my cheese and the bowl was so hot, it was difficult to manage. I recommend just adding the cheese and stirring it in to melt. It won’t look as pretty, but it’s a lot less work.
You can also serve with garlic bread. I burned mine, so the chickens are eating it now. ?
Thanks to Back to Her Roots for the inspiration for this recipe!
Come back and tell me what you think about it! I hope you like it as much as we did!
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