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This easy lasagna soup recipe gives you all the cozy flavors of classic lasagna without the work of layering. Everything cooks in one pot with a rich tomato broth, choice of pasta, and a simple three-cheese topping that melts right into the soup.
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What Is Lasagna Soup?
Lasagna soup is a deconstructed version of traditional lasagna made in one pot. Instead of layering noodles, sauce, and cheese in a baking dish, all the ingredients simmer together in a cozy tomato-based soup, then finished with classic lasagna cheeses on top.
You get the same comforting flavors, but with a lot less effort and cleanup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It delivers all the comfort of lasagna without layering or baking.
- Everything cooks in one pot, which keeps cleanup simple.
- The instructions are easy enough for beginner cooks.
- It travels and reheats well, making it perfect for leftovers and lunches.
Lasagna Soup Ingredients
Soup base: Olive oil is used to sauté the ground beef, onion, and fresh garlic to build flavor. Any neutral oil will work for this recipe.
Protein: Ground beef adds classic lasagna flavor. Any fat content works here, so use what you usually buy.
Tomato broth: Canned tomatoes form the base of the soup. Whole, diced, or crushed all work. Tomato sauce smooths the broth, and tomato paste adds richness and thickness.
Liquid: Broth is the main cooking liquid. Chicken broth is my go-to, but vegetable or beef broth works too. Add water as needed as the pasta absorbs liquid.
Seasoning and pasta: Italian seasoning brings familiar lasagna flavor with no extra steps. Sturdy pasta shapes like bowtie, penne, rigatoni, or macaroni hold their texture best, especially for leftovers.
Toppings: Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan give the soup its classic lasagna finish. Fresh parsley adds color and a little freshness.
Best Pasta for Lasagna Soup
Sturdy pasta shapes like bowtie, penne, rigatoni, or macaroni work exceptionally well in lasagna soup because they hold their shape and reheat well. If you’d like to use lasagna noodles, break them into pieces before adding them to the pot. They soften more as the soup sits, so they’re best enjoyed the same day or added closer to serving time.
How to Make Lasagna Soup
Start by heating a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then cook the ground beef with the onion and garlic until the meat is fully browned and the vegetables are softened. If there’s excess grease in the pot, drain it before moving on.
Next, stir in the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, and Italian seasoning. Give everything a good stir so the tomato paste dissolves and the soup base is smooth and evenly combined.
Add the pasta to the pot and bring the lasagna soup to a gentle boil. Loosely cover, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Add small amounts of water or broth as needed, as the pasta absorbs liquid and thickens the soup.
Once the pasta is cooked, the soup is ready to be served and devoured.
How to Serve Lasagna Soup
Lasagna soup doesn’t need as much cheese as traditional layered lasagna, but it still delivers that classic flavor. You can:
- Stir ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan directly into the pot, or
- Add the cheeses to individual bowls for a more customizable option
Finish with fresh parsley for color and a little brightness. Serve it with homemade French bread or homemade focaccia and a kale salad.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Pasta options: Sturdy shapes like bowtie, macaroni, rigatoni, or penne hold up best for leftovers and reheating. You can also use lasagna noodles broken into pieces, but they soften more quickly, so I recommend enjoying the soup within a day or two.
- Protein swaps: Any ground meat can be substituted for ground beef using the same cooking method.
- Tomato texture: For a thicker tomato soup-style broth, use canned crushed tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.
- Marinara shortcut: If you don’t have the individual canned tomato products on hand, a 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce plus about one cup of water works well as a simple substitute.
- Reheating tips: When reheating, add small amounts of broth or water as needed since the pasta continues to absorb liquid even after the soup has cooled.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Let the lasagna soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Transfer cooled soup to airtight freezer containers and freeze for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze without the cheese toppings.
- Thaw: Move frozen soup to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Avoid thawing at room temperature.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding broth or water as needed to loosen the soup.
More Cozy Soup Recipes to Try
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
- Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
📖 Recipe
Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
This amount yields 12 cups
- 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or preferred oil
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes, don't drain
- 1 (15-ounce can) Tomato Sauce, or tomato puree
- ⅓ cup Tomato Paste, about half of a 6-ounce can
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1-2 cups Water, to adjust consistency
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, or more as needed to adjust flavor
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces Bowtie Pasta (uncooked), or similar sturdy pasta * see footnote
Suggested toppings: You can measure these with your ❤️
- ½ cup Ricotta Cheese
- 2 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved, shredded, or fresh grated
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
See recipe footnotes for pressure cooker instructions
- Heat a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add GROUND BEEF, ONIONS, and GARLIC. Sauté until the beef is cooked through, stirring as needed. Drain excess fat, if needed.
- Stir in TOMATOES (with their juice), TOMATO SAUCE, TOMATO PASTE, BROTH, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, PEPPER, and PASTA NOODLES.
- Increase the heat to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook soup for 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking together.At this point you can add WATER or more broth in small amounts to adjust the soup consistency to your liking.
- Serving options: 1) Add the RICOTTA, MOZZARELLA, and PARMESAN to the whole soup after it cools slightly; or 2) Serve the cheeses on the side and add it to individual servings. Garnish with FRESH PARSLEY.
- To store: Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or up to 90 days in the freezer (or more if vacuum sealed).To reheat: Add more water or broth as desired because the noodles will have absorbed much of the broth.
Recipe Notes
Pressure Cooker Instructions
Select Sauté and heat the olive oil in the cooker. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic, and cook until the beef is browned. Drain excess fat, then deglaze the pot with a small splash of broth and press Cancel. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, seasonings, and pasta. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 1 minute. For al dente pasta, use a quick release. For softer pasta, allow a natural release for about 10 minutes. Open the lid, stir, and adjust the consistency with water if needed. Serve as directed above. Note: If doubling the recipe, use an 8- or 10-quart pressure cooker to safely accommodate the volume.Equipment
- 4.5-quart Dutch oven or stockpot or 6-quart pressure cooker
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
ARLA says
So easy, so good! My family loved it.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Traci says
Awww yay!! I'm so glad your family loved it 🙂 Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to leave feedback. Much appreciated!
Sonja says
As my granddaughter would say "best soup ever". I loved it and it's a keeper in my book.
Traci says
Awwww, love hearing that! Please tell your granddaughter she made my day! I’m so glad it's a keeper for you. Thanks for letting me know! xoxo