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Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Dollops (Best No-Boil Recipe)

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This Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Dollops delivers all the rich, savory flavors of classic lasagna without the layering, boiling, or scrubbing. Just dump everything in the slow cooker, walk away, and come back to a deeply comforting, tomatoey soup topped with creamy ricotta dollops.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8–10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces (about 8 oz)
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional)
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Extra Parmesan for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat (optional but recommended). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef or Italian sausage (if using links, remove the casings first). Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned—about 6-8 minutes. Don’t drain all the fat; a little adds flavor.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Push the meat to one side of the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of broth or olive oil.
  3. Transfer to the slow cooker. Spoon the meat and onion mixture into your slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir everything together until well combined.
  4. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The flavors will meld and deepen beautifully. If you’re home, give it a stir once or twice—it’s not necessary, but it makes you feel involved.
  5. Add the noodles. About 30-40 minutes before serving, stir in the broken lasagna noodles. Make sure they’re fully submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but not mushy. Check at the 25-minute mark—different brands cook at different speeds.
  6. Make the ricotta dollops. While the noodles cook, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and lemon zest (if using) in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning—you want it creamy and slightly tangy.
  7. Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture—about 2 tablespoons per serving. Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

If the soup thickens too much after adding the noodles, stir in an extra 1/2 cup of broth or water when reheating. For best results, brown the meat for deeper flavor. Season the ricotta dollops with lemon zest and Parmesan for extra brightness. Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes after cooking to allow flavors to settle.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker lasagna soup, lasagna soup, no-boil lasagna soup, easy lasagna soup, ricotta dollops, slow cooker soup, comfort food, Italian soup

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