Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Brown until fully cooked, breaking up chunks with a spatula. Drain excess grease.

In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion for 3–4 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and translucent.

Transfer the browned meats, onion, and garlic to your crock pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Add the broken lasagna noodles and stir gently so the pieces are mostly submerged in the liquid.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, until the noodles are tender but not mushy. (Check at 90 minutes on high to avoid overcooking.)

Turn off the crock pot and stir in the ricotta cheese until it melts through the soup, creating a creamy texture.

Serve into bowls and top each portion with shredded mozzarella so it melts on contact. Garnish with fresh basil or extra black pepper if you like.