Little soothes the soul after a long day as well as lasagna. This sumptuous soup allows you and your family to delight in the zesty Italian seasoning and warmth of the traditional favorite, without you spending an hour or more boiling, layering and baking the dish. While you can use ground beef, the ground turkey called for here provides a leaner, equally protein-rich alternative your clan will love.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium tomato sauce
  
• 1 (32-ounce) carton chicken or vegetable broth
  
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
  
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  
• 1 cup water
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 cup uncooked bow-tie pasta
  
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
  
• Shredded mozzarella cheese, as desired
  

Directions:

1. Over medium-high heat, cook the turkey and onion until the meat is fully brown.
   
2. Drain the liquid from the meat and onion mixture, then place it in your slow cooker.
   
3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, mushrooms, basil, parsley, water, salt and pepper.
   
4. Stir the ingredients together, then cover the pot and set it on low heat to cook for 8 hours.
   
5. Serve the soup topped with shredded cheese.