A girl, a crock pot and a blow torch! Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

A girl, a crock pot and a blow torch! This is great recipe to make lasagna soup in the slow cooker. Then torch the top of it to melt the cheese.

Okay folks,

let's just start with this...

it says blow TORCH.

Glad we cleared that up!

And yes I actually did use a blow torch.

Cuz I'm cool like that.

And a little crazy like that!

I did a "normal" version of Lasagna Soup not long ago. It was adapted from a Paula Deen recipe. It was so freaking good I just had to try it again. This time I wanted to make it in the slow cooker. I know so many moms are busy and like using them during the week when they work. So it's a pretty similar recipe, just spiced up a bit and cooked a different way.

Then torched.

As all good recipes are.

Yah!

I put the slow cooker on in the morning. Hubs must have asked every hour when it was going to be ready. I finally went out in the garage around dinner time and this is our conversation:

Hubs: Dinner ready?

Lunie: Um, not quite. We have a blow torch right. Like a big one?

Hubs: You have that little one.

Lunie: Ya I know, I want the big one.

Hubs: Ya, we have one.

Lunie: Can I have it?

Hubs: What are you doing with it?

Lunie: Stuff.

Hubs: K I'll bring it inside in a minute.

Lunie: K.

A few minutes later hubs walks in with the blow torch.

Hubs: So what are you doing with it?

Lunie: Um, nothing. I might need you take pictures though.

Hubs: K.

And he hands me the blow torch like this is totally normal in our world. Sadly, this is pretty par for the course around here. I get crazy ideas and after being charged as an accomplice enough times he's learned it's better not to ask questions. That way the word "premeditated" doesn't get tossed around later.

Now that's true love. Handing your wife a blow torch while she hands you a camera, no questions asked. Take notes youngsters, this is the key to a long, twisted marriage. It's the stuff of legends, I tell ya. One day they'll make a movie about us. I fear for the genre we'll be in but you know, beggars can't be choosers and all that jazz.

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4.75 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

This is great recipe to make lasagna soup in the slow cooker. Then torch the top of it to melt the cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Author Cravings of a Lunatic

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ground beef
• ½ vidalia onion diced
• 1 green pepper diced
• 6 to 8 cloves of garlic pressed (use less or more if you like)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 can 796 ml of San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 jars 640 ml of pasta sauce, the spicier the better
• 4 cups of beef broth I used better than bouillon to make mine
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried oregano
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried basil
• Dash of chili powder
• Dash of onion powder
• Dash of garlic powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 package of lasagna noodles broken into pieces
• 4 to 6 cups of mozzarella more or less if you like

Instructions

• Brown your ground beef and onions in a pan.
• Transfer this to your slow cooker.
• Add the green pepper, garlic, sugar, broth, tomatoes, pasta sauce, spices and salt. Mix it all up and turn the slow cooker on low. Cook for about 4 to 5 hours. Stir it occasionally if you're around to do that.
• Toss in your parmesan cheese and stir.
• Now here is where you have 2 options:

Option 1 is to just toss the noodles into the slow cooker. If you do it this way it will take about an hour for them to soften. They will also be a bit starchy and not quite the same taste as cooking them in plain water. This is a personal decision. I've done mine this way and to be totally honest it's easy but I like the taste of cooking them in water separately better. If you do it this way you will need to add an EXTRA 2 CUPS OF WATER OR BROTH because the noodles will soak up a ton of moisture. So add the 2 cups when you add the parmesan.

Option 2 is to cook the noodles in water in a pot on the stove. This is my preference when I have time. I like the texture and taste better of the noodles when done this way.

Putting it together to eat:

• Now use a ladle and pour the soup into french onion dishes or small ramekins. Top with a ton of cheese.
• Carefully start your blow torch.
• Go nuts on the cheese till it bubbles up and you can't wait another minute to dive head first into the bowl. Then you know it's done.
• For those "boring" folks who are slipping this in the microwave just cook long enough for the cheese to melt. About 3 to 5 minutes depending on how many bowls you are cooking up at once.
• For those "boring" folks who are slipping this in the toaster oven just cook long enough for the cheese to melt. I'd say about 5 to 8 minutes depending on how many bowls you pop in and how big they are.
• Serve with a big old "I love adventure" smile!
• Unless you used the microwave or toaster oven. There's no hope for you folks.

For those less adventurous types you can just pop the dish in microwave to melt the cheese. This will label you "boring" for all eternity and you'll have to live with the knowledge you could have walked on the edge but were too chicken to try.

Also for all you "boring" folks out there the cheese can also be melted in the toaster oven. Gawd, you are boring me to tears right now. I can't even look at you.

Enjoy and please feel free to send me photos of you torching your soup. I'd be happy to post them on the blog.

Just remember to wear safety goggles and have a fire extinguisher handy at all time. I keep one strapped to my leg. Cuz you just never know when you're going to need it.

For those "boring" folks who just want to know how to make the quick and easy non slow cooker version just click on the photo below and it will lead you to my "boring" recipe. Honestly people, live on the edge a little.

Lasagna Soup

Toodles and smoochies! xx