Slow-Cooker Lasagna Soup

Grace's fourth anniversary. January 14th, a Tuesday, and I woke early again the way I always do on this date, the body keeping its own calendar. Four years. She would have been almost five, just starting to become a full person with opinions and a running commentary and the particular fearlessness of a child who has only ever been loved.

Gary and I went to the cemetery in the morning. It was very cold — single digits, the kind of cold that hurts a little, which felt fitting. We brought sunflowers again. We stood and didn't need to say much because four years has given us a language for this that doesn't require many words.

I cooked all afternoon. This has been the ritual since the first year and I don't plan to change it. Something about the activity of the hands while the mind holds something too large — it's not distraction, it's accompaniment. I made a big lasagna, a batch of cookies, a pot of vegetable soup. The house smelled like love and effort and time.

In the evening Olivia sat with me in the kitchen. She's fifteen now and Grace has always been a presence in her growing up, the sister she never met, the name on the grave they visit twice a year. She asked me this year what Grace was like. I told her the things I tell: that she was quiet and watchful, that she loved to be held, that she had Gary's eyes. Then Olivia said, "I think she would have liked cooking with us." And I said: yes. I think she would have.

The big lasagna I made that afternoon has been part of this day for four years now — something about layering and building and tending to a long, slow process feels right for a day that asks so much of me. This slow-cooker lasagna soup carries that same spirit: all the warmth and depth of a lasagna, made in a way that lets the kitchen do its quiet work while you do yours. It’s the recipe I reach for when I need the house to smell like effort and love, when I need something simmering on the counter the way a presence fills a room.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 6 hrs (low) | Total Time: 6 hrs 20 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 cups beef or chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
8 lasagna noodles, broken into rough pieces
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Brown the meat. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef or sausage with the diced onion until the meat is no longer pink, about 7–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain excess fat.
Build the soup base. Transfer the meat mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours or on high for 2.5–3 hours, until the flavors have melded and the soup is fragrant.
Add the noodles. About 30 minutes before serving, stir the broken lasagna noodles directly into the slow cooker. Replace the lid and cook on high until noodles are tender, 25–30 minutes.
Make the cheese topping. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, and the Parmesan until combined. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of the remaining mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Slow-Cooker Lasagna Soup — The Warmth That Fills a January Kitchen