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Lasagna Soup Recipe

Lasagna Soup

Steven
This lasagna soup recipe captures everything you love about classic lasagna—the hearty meat, fragrant tomato broth, tender pasta, and that irresistible three-cheese finish—all simmered together in one pot in under an hour. It's the ultimate weeknight comfort food with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot - at least 6-quart capacity
  • Large separate pot - for boiling noodles
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp chef's knife
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Ladle
  • Colander or strainer - for draining noodles
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Box grater - for Parmesan
  • Immersion Blender - optional, for slightly smoother broth

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil - 15 ml
  • 1 lb ground beef - 450g, 80/20 fat content works best
  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage - 450g, casings removed
  • 1 large yellow onion - diced
  • 5 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes - 2.5g, optional, adjust to taste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste - 30g
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes - 793g, 1 can
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes - 411g, 1 can
  • 4 cups chicken broth - 960 ml, low-sodium preferred
  • 1 tsp dried oregano - 3g
  • 1 tsp dried basil - 3g
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning - 1.5g
  • 1/2 tsp salt - 3g, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper - 0.5g
  • 8 lasagna noodles - regular or no-boil, broken into roughly 2-inch pieces

For the Cheese Topping

  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese - 250g
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese - 170g, divided
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese - 50g, divided

For Garnish

  • fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil - chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Dice onion, mince garlic, remove sausage from casings, break lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces, and measure all seasonings.
  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef and Italian sausage for 7-10 minutes, breaking into crumbles, until no pink remains. Remove excess fat if needed.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  • Push meat to the sides, add tomato paste to the center, and cook 60-90 seconds until darkened. Stir to coat everything evenly.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir and scrape up browned bits from the bottom.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
  • While soup simmers, boil lasagna noodles in salted water for 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
  • In a small bowl, combine ricotta, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Add cooked noodles to the simmering soup and stir gently. Simmer 2-3 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Ladle into bowls, top with a generous dollop of the cheese mixture, sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Make ahead: Prepare the soup base (without noodles) up to 4 days ahead. Cook fresh noodles when ready to serve for the best texture.
  • Freezing: Freeze the soup base (without noodles or cheese topping) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat, then add freshly cooked noodles.
  • No-boil noodles: Add an extra 1-2 cups of broth if using no-boil noodles, as they absorb more liquid. Start checking texture around the 8-minute mark.
  • Different pasta: Bowtie, rotini, or rigatoni work well and hold their shape better in leftovers than broken lasagna noodles.
  • Vegetarian version: Omit meat and add diced zucchini, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Spicy variation: Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild, or increase red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon for extra heat.
  • Creamy version: Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream during the last few minutes of simmering for a richer, pink broth.
  • Storage: Store soup base and noodles separately in the refrigerator for best results. The soup base keeps for 4 days; noodles keep for 3 days.
  • Reheating: Reheat soup base on the stovetop with a splash of extra broth if needed. Add noodles to individual bowls before ladling hot soup over.
  • Thicker or thinner soup: Simmer uncovered longer for a thicker soup, or stir in extra broth a half cup at a time for a thinner consistency.
Keyword comfort food, Italian soup, lasagna soup, one pot pasta, weeknight dinner