Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) 90% lean ground beef
• 450 g (1 lb, about 4) ripe Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (410 g / 14.5 oz) no-salt-added fire-roasted tomatoes
• 30 g (2 tbsp) no-salt-added tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 720 ml (3 cups) unsalted vegetable broth
• 240 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk
• 225 g (8 oz) whole-grain lasagna noodles
• 60 g (1/4 cup) fat-free ricotta
• 28 g (1/4 cup) part-skim mozzarella, grated
• Chopped fresh basil, to garnish
• For the topping: 60 g (1/4 cup) fat-free ricotta, 28 g (1/4 cup) part-skim mozzarella, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Method

1. Brown the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain away excess fat and transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
2. Pulse the fresh Roma tomatoes in a blender until chunky, then add them to the cooker with the onion, bell pepper, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper and optional red pepper flakes. Pour in the broth and stir.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Break the lasagna noodles into bite-size pieces and stir them into the soup. Cook on High for another 30 to 45 minutes, until tender.
5. Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, pepper and garlic powder for the topping. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each with about 1 tbsp topping and basil.