Easy Lasagna Soup (One-Pot Comfort Food)

INTRO

Lasagna soup (noun): a tomato-based soup containing meat, pasta, herbs, and cheese, prepared as a single-pot meal.

This easy lasagna soup delivers the principal components of traditional lasagna without layering, baking, or extended preparation. Ground beef is browned with onion and garlic, then combined with tomatoes, broth, seasoning, and broken lasagna noodles. Ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan are added at serving.

The complete process takes approximately 40 minutes. The recipe produces six servings and is suitable for a weekday dinner, batch cooking, or a controlled response to low temperatures.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Recipe

Easy Lasagna Soup

• Servings: 6
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Total time: 40 minutes
• Category: Soup, main course
• Cuisine: Italian-American
• Method: One-pot
• Skill level: Easy

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can, 28 ounces, crushed tomatoes
• 1 can, 14.5 ounces, diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 5 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as required
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 8 dry lasagna noodles, broken into approximately 2-inch pieces

Topping

• ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley

METHOD

1. Prepare the pot. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.

2. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces, until the meat is browned and the onion has softened. Ground beef should reach a minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), measured with a food thermometer.

3. Add the aromatics. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if used. Cook for 1 minute. The tomato paste should darken slightly.

4. Build the soup. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, scraping any browned material from the bottom of the pot.

5. Simmer the base. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes.

6. Cook the noodles. Add the broken lasagna noodles. Stir immediately to separate the pieces. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender.

7. Adjust the consistency. If the soup becomes thicker than required, add ½ to 1 cup of additional broth or water. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

8. Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a spoonful of ricotta, followed by mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil or parsley. Serve immediately.

TIPS

• Use a large pot. The noodles expand during cooking and require space to move through the broth.
• Stir after adding pasta. Broken lasagna pieces can stick together during the first several minutes.
• Do not overcook the noodles. Remove the pot from the heat when the pasta is just tender. It will continue absorbing liquid as the soup stands.
• Season in stages. Low-sodium broth allows the final salt level to be controlled. Regular broth may require less added salt.
• Add cheese separately. Ricotta and shredded cheese are best placed into individual bowls rather than stirred into the whole pot. This maintains a clearer tomato broth and makes leftovers easier to store.
• Use a thermometer. The USDA specifies 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef. See the USDA safe temperature chart for general food-safety information.

VARIATIONS

Sausage

Replace the ground beef with 1 pound of mild or hot Italian sausage. Omit or reduce the added salt because sausage is usually seasoned in advance.

Turkey

Use ground turkey instead of beef and substitute chicken broth for beef broth. The soup will have a lighter flavor and color.

Vegetarian

Omit the meat. Add 1 can of drained cannellini beans and 2 cups of sliced mushrooms. Use vegetable broth. Cook the mushrooms with the onion until softened before adding the tomatoes.

Greens

Add 2 cups of chopped baby spinach during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Kale may also be used, but it requires approximately 5 minutes to soften.

Creamy

Stir ½ cup of heavy cream into the finished soup after removing the pot from the heat. Do not boil after adding the cream.

Spicy

Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or use hot Italian sausage. The heat level should be assessed before adding additional salt.

STORAGE

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. Store the soup in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days. The pasta will continue absorbing broth, so add water or stock when reheating.

Reheat individual portions on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming hot throughout. USDA guidance states that leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C) when reheated. Keep ricotta and other toppings separate until serving.

Freezing is possible, but the noodles may soften after thawing. For improved texture, freeze the soup base without noodles, then add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.

FAQ

Can I use regular lasagna noodles?

Yes. Break the dry noodles into pieces approximately 2 inches long. No-boil lasagna noodles can also be used, but they may cook faster and should be checked early.

Can I prepare lasagna soup in advance?

Yes. Prepare the soup base in advance and refrigerate it. For the best pasta texture, cook the noodles separately and add them when reheating. If the noodles are cooked in the soup in advance, expect a thicker consistency.

Why is my lasagna soup too thick?

The noodles absorb liquid as they cook and continue doing so after cooking. Add warm broth or water in small quantities until the required consistency is restored.

Can I use another type of pasta?

Yes. Mafaldine, broken fettuccine, rotini, shells, or bow-tie pasta can be substituted. Cooking times vary by shape. Follow the package instructions as a guide and test the pasta before removing the pot from the heat.

What can I serve with lasagna soup?

Serve it with a green salad, roasted vegetables, garlic bread, or toasted sourdough. The soup already contains pasta and cheese, so no additional starch is required.

Can I make this recipe without ricotta?

Yes. Use mozzarella and parmesan only, or substitute small spoonfuls of cottage cheese. For a dairy-free version, omit the cheese or use suitable dairy-free alternatives.

SOURCE

This recipe uses standard one-pot soup and pasta methods, with food-safety temperatures based on guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. It is published by harm.com.