Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound 80/20 ratio ground beef
- 1 pound Italian bulk sausage (not in casings, hot or mild)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced (½ of one large onion)
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- 3 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 10–12 lasagna noodles, broken into small bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage until browned, then season with salt and pepper. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pan, add olive oil and reduce to medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add chopped green pepper and cook until softened (about 2 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- In a 6-7 qt crockpot, add the cooked meat mixture, then top with the cooked onions, pepper, and garlic.
- Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to the crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
- After cooking, add lasagna pasta pieces to the crockpot and stir. Cover and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes on high, stirring often.
- While pasta cooks, make the cheese topping by mixing ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Serve warm in a bowl with a scoop of the cheese mixture on top. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- Break lasagna noodles into smaller pieces than you think you need—they expand when cooked.
- Stir pasta often while cooking to prevent sticking.
- For a thicker soup, simmer uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Lactose
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg