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Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup is a delicious, convenient way to enjoy the flavors of lasagna without all the work. Start with just 10 minutes of prep, then set it and forget it in the slow cooker.

This easy lasagna soup recipe is a family favorite, and I mean extended family. My cousin, a high school teacher in Georgia, often has his students make this recipe, and I get to see the pictures! It’s great.
I love the recipe because it’s all the best flavors of lasagna but cooked in a slow cooker. It’s cheap, delicious, and easy to make, and that’s exactly what I want out of my cold-weather food these days!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Italian sausage: Ground beef or ground turkey may be substituted for the Italian sausage. If you use lean meat, add olive oil to the pot before cooking it. In a pinch, you could also chop up Italian sausage links.
- Mushrooms: Unless it’s a Stuffed Mushrooms recipe, I feel like mushrooms are always optional (people either love them or hate them). Don’t put them in if it will take away your joy. It’s as simple as that.
- Italian herbs: To make your own homemade Italian seasoning, combine equal parts of dried basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Store extra seasoning covered in the pantry for up to 6 months.
- Lasagna noodles: Put those leftover lasagna noodles from your pantry to work in this Lasagna Soup (the regular lasagna noodles, not no-bake). Just break the dry noodles into bite-sized pieces. Or, substitute any other small pasta (radiatori and rotini are my favorites here).
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat, combine sausage, onions, carrots, and garlic. Saute until the sausage has browned, breaking up clumps into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain if desired.

- Meanwhile, to the slow cooker, add diced tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, basil, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Stir in water and sausage mixture.

- Cover and heat on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, stir in the pasta, cover, and continue to cook until softened.

- Serve in bowls with mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, or even a spoonful of ricotta cheese and fresh parsley or basil if desired.

Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Crockpot Lasagna Soup recipe makes about 12 cups of soup, enough for 6 servings, 2 cups each.
- Storage: Store lasagna soup covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This is a great soup to freeze! For best results, omit the pasta before freezing. When it’s time to reheat the soup, boil the noodles separately and add them to the pot (or just stir them into the soup, but be mindful that they will soak up some of the liquid).
- Classic lasagna: My absolute favorite lasagna recipe is Make-ahead Lasagna. The noodles go in dry (uncooked) and you let the whole thing sit for a few hours. In that time, the noodles soften. It’s fabulous, and I think you’ll love it.
- Zucchini lasagna: Whether you’re cutting carbs or just trying to eat more veggies, Zucchini Lasagna is a delicious, hearty entree any time of year. Grilled ribbons of zucchini stand in for lasagna noodles, and with layers of ricotta and marinara-coated ground beef, you won’t even realize this is a low-carb casserole.
- Vegetable lasagna: Filled with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, and an easy homemade tomato sauce, even carnivores will devour this Vegetable Lasagna recipe.
- Dessert lasagna: This easy no-bake Chocolate Lasagna recipe has an OREO cookie crust topped with sweetened cream cheese and chocolate pudding. Every bite is chocolatey, light, and absolutely fabulous.
- Stove Top Lasagna Soup: Ready in 30 minutes, my stovetop lasagna soup comes together for a quick family dinner.
- Bring 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil. Add 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles (broken into pieces) and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.
- Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 pound ground Italian sausage, 1 large onion (chopped), 3 carrots (peeled and diced), and 4 cloves garlic (minced). Cook until the sausage has browned and the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain if desired.
- Add 4 cups water, 28 ounces Italian-style diced tomatoes and their juice, 14 ounces tomato sauce, 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced), 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until flavors have blended, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in drained pasta until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to make gluten-free lasagna soup. First, make sure your ground sausage is gluten-free. Then, substitute your favorite gluten-free noodles. I’ve really like the Barilla gluten-free noodles. They taste legit!
Shredded mozzarella cheese is a great topping for lasagna soup. I also love a dollop of ricotta, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and fresh herbs like basil and parsley.
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Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (see note 1)
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 carrots peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed and sliced, optional (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (see note 3)
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles broken into bite-sized pieces (see note 4)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
- Fresh basil or freshly minced parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine sausage, onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the sausage has browned and the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain if desired.
- Meanwhile, to the slow cooker, add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, basil, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Stir in water and sausage mixture.
- Cover and heat on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, stir in the pasta, cover, and continue to cook until softened. Serve with mozzarella cheese and fresh herbs if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Italian sausage: Ground beef may be substituted for the Italian sausage. In a pinch, you could also chop up Italian sausage links.
- Mushrooms: Unless it’s a Stuffed Mushrooms recipe, I feel like mushrooms are always optional (people either love them or hate them). Don’t put them in if it will take away your joy. It’s as simple as that.
- Italian seasoning: To make your own Italian Seasoning, in a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. of dried basil, 2 Tbsp. of dried oregano, 2 Tbsp. of dried rosemary, 2 Tbsp. of dried thyme, and 2 Tbsp. of dried marjoram. Store extra in an airtight container.
- Lasagna noodles: Put those leftover lasagna noodles from your pantry to work in this Lasagna Soup. Just break the dry noodles into bite-sized pieces. Or, substitute any other small pasta (radiatori and rotini are my favorites here).
- Yield: This Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup recipe makes about 12 cups of soup, enough for 6 servings, 2 cups each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What size slow cooker did this go into?
I have a 6 1/2 quart slow cooker. However, there was a lot of room left at the top (not sure if you can see it in the overhead shot). I’d say a 5-quart slow cooker would work, possibly even smaller but I’m not sure.
Made this soup for dinner last week on Thursday which is a busy day for me at work, it was delicious my boys loved it too. From now on it would be one of my slow cooker recipes to count on. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
Can you use ground turkey in this recipe instead?
You sure can! Just do a 1-for-1 swap. Great idea, I love ground turkey too!
Is there a good substitute for fennel seeds you might recommend? I never buy them and I hate to just for one recipe…..thanks!
Hi Amanda! Just leave them out. I can’t say I use fennel seeds for much either, pretty much just this, my regular lasagna, and my meat sauce. They just boost the “sausage” flavor but the soup is still great without them! Thanks. If I can help with anything else, please let me know!
Amanda, I buy fennel seed in the bulk section. Grab a tiny bag and just buy several teaspoons.
Cherie you are such a gem! Thanks for sharing your tip. -Meggan
Do you know how many servings this recipe holds? Thanks!
I made the Lasagna Soup twice for work and home, it was awesome, One of my favorites
Hooray Shineka! I am so happy to hear that! I love it too. I can’t wait to make it again.
Making it AGAIN for a cold/snowy/rainy night here in Atlanta. Perfect dish for everyone. A little southern twist serving it with corn bread….
Corn bread sounds PERFECT!!! Thanks so much for making the recipe and for telling me you did. Much love to you and the fam! xoxo
The recipe calls for two cans of water… is that equivalent to two cups? I don’t know how much water to use lol.
Worst measurement ever: Cans. Sorry. I am going to be fixing all my recipes so they don’t EVER say cans again. That’s just awful. A can is about 14 or 15 ounces, so 2 cans is just shy of 4 cups. Call it 3 1/2 cups. Sorry about that.
A huge batch of this is simmering on the stove as I type! So excited to try it!
Does the pasta cook in the soup or should it be precooked before adding?
Hi Carol, sorry this isn’t more clear. The pasta goes into the soup dry. Depending on your pasta choice, it will take around 10 – 15 minutes to cook through. Thanks for your question!