SLOW COOKER LASAGNA SOUP

MANDY

Ingredients

1 LB 95% LEAN GROUND BEEF
1 ONION, DICED
6 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
28 OUNCES CANNED CRUSHED TOMATOES
16 OUNCES MARINARA SAUCE
3 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
2 TSP ITALIAN SEASONING
10 WHOLE WHEAT LASAGNA NOODLES
1 ZUCCHINI, CHOPPED
6 OUNCES FRESH SPINACH
1/2 CUP PARMESAN CHEESE
SALT AND PEPPER

Instructions

Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic to a skillet. Brown for 5-7 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. You can also do this directly in the slow cooker if you have a sauté feature. Season with salt and pepper.
Add this to the slow cooker along with the crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Cook on low for 4 hours (you can cook it up to 8 hours as well).
Open the slow cooker and add the noodles, zucchini, and spinach. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the lasagna noodles are tender.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

This soup is low calorie compared to other homemade soups. It has great flavor and is filling! The whole wheat lasagna noodles were hard to find, so I used whole wheat penne and it was fine! I added the whole box, which soaked up some of the fluid, so mine turned out thicker than soup, but I really liked it like that! The zucchini was a nice touch! I did need some salt and pepper, as it was a tad bland. If I made it again, I would use Chicken Stock and a tomato sauce with more flavor - I used traditional and it wasn't enough.