IP Slow Cooker Fail: Lasagna Soup Edition - Crunchy Onions but Perfect Noodles!

[tylynn]

I keep trying to give my IP a second chance as a slow cooker. After today I’m giving up lol. I saw a recipe for lasagna soup made in a slow cooker. I decided to try slow cooking it in the IP knowing I could always pressure cook it at the end if necessary. The recipe called for it to slow cook for 4 hours on high (it had raw chopped onions in it). I set it for 6 hours on high. After 6 hours the broth was hot, but the onions were still crunchy

. At that point it was time to add the noodles, I knew they’d never cook, so i pressure cooked it all for 4 minutes and it was perfect!

 

[tylynn]

@easymore thanks! These articles are so frustrating to read with all the pop ups and loading issues. I did basically everything she suggests and it still didn’t cook sufficiently. I have a slow cooker, it’s just not easily accessible and my IP is right on my counter. It really ended up ok with pressure cooking it for 4 minutes once I added the noodles, but still frustrating lol.

 

[markboyd767]

@easymore maybe use sauté mode the onions then proceed with the rest of the recipe? Or chop them finer next time?

 

[tylynn]

@markboyd767 yeah, I should have sautéed them with the ground beef, but I just dumped it in with the other ingredients as directed in the recipe.

 

[markboyd767]

@tylynn if the recipe was a keeper otherwise just try this next time

 

[tylynn]

@markboyd767 I wasn’t expecting much with the recipe, but it was actually delicious! It was already 7 pm when I was ready to add the noodles and given how long it had already cooked, I was not excited to wait much longer for the noodles to slow cook. That’s when I decided to pressure cook it to get the noodles done and be eating before bedtime lol

 

[natsumilam32]

Just as an fyi, the IP recipe for lasagne soup is amazing! I LOVE my homemade lasagne so I was really hesitant to try it but I’m so glad I did! Plus it was a great way to use the broken noodles which I never knew what to do with!
Ps, I can’t stand the slow cooker function either. I don’t care what anyone says. I still will get out old trusty and use her! I have certain appliances that just work better for certain things. IP does other things my crockpot can’t

 

[tylynn]

@natsumilam32 I wasn’t sure what to expect with the recipe I found here on FB, I did make a couple changes, but it was really good! I used the mini Mafalda lasagna noodles.

 

[natsumilam32]

@tylynn I think I found my recipe on Pinterest! Haven’t made it in a while, I’ll have to do it again soon! It’s a great fall/winter food!

 

[andyroush]

After Kay @easymore (thanks, again, KM)posted that same link I was able to download & print the manual for my IP Pro(and later for my cute IP Duo Plus, 3qt) reading manual was SO helpful - I use IP for slow cooking as well as saute n pressure cooking. Rootitoot Cookbook, suggested by another IP fb user is extremely useful..but reading these posts is informative, funny & v entertaining

 

[ladeedee]

4 hours on high is not enough. I’ve been successful with 8 hours on high.

 

[tylynn]

@ladeedee I thought adding two hours (total of 6) would have been sufficient, but guess not

 

[cidneey]

@tylynn you have to take the longest cook time on LOW, and then add 25% time and use high. A recipe that calls for 4 hours on high is typically 6-8 on low so would be in the 9-12 range in the IP on jigh

 

[tylynn]

@cidneey sheesh lol! I’m not an early bird- I’d have to get it started by like 7 am to eat by 6-7 pm. Not gonna happen

 

[ladeedee]

@cidneey I’ve never had to use the IP slow cooker function for that long. Where’d you get that info from? I don’t think it’s correct.

 

[no1jack]

Always bring up to temperature using the saute feature, then switch to slow cook, I use mine a lot never any issues when I build up using saute first

 

[hanspeter]

Why oh why are to torturing yourself? Just pressure cook it for heaven sakes! There is no one who has EVER said anything good about the slow cooker function and your post just adds to the pile. Since pressure cooking works so well, there is no reason no

 

[tylynn]

@hanspeter lol. Just wanted to try and give it the benefit of the doubt. I’ve learned my lesson.

 

[jabs]

@hanspeter I frequently say good things about the slow cook function with my Pro. In fact, I used it today to make some delicious black bean soup. And, there was a very good reason I didn't want to use the pressure cook function. My husband was having an outpatient procedure today that was not scheduled until 2 PM. Since he had not eaten since midnight, I wanted something that was ready the second we walked in the door.

 

[tylynn]

@jabs do you add time to it? Is the Pro a newer model that has improvements?