This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.
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
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.
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 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.
Janet says
This is really, really good! And best of all, it uses ingredients that I have on hand 99% of the time. I was a little uncertain if I was supposed to use chicken or beef broth. The ingredient list calls for chicken broth but in the recipe instructions it says beef broth. I used chicken broth and it was great. I did add some red chili flakes and once I opened the pot I stirred in some cottage cheese and parsley flakes. This recipe is definitely a keeper and will be in our regular rotation. Thanks so much!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome Janet! So glad you enjoyed it and customized too! Yes the recipe card says chicken broth and the notes say any broth. It's totally up to the person. Thanks so much for taking the time to review. Much appreciated!
Vickie says
This looks amazing! Would the cooking time be the same for GF pasta?
The Kitchen Girl says
Thank you! If you have a GF pasta that you've successfully subbed into other recipes without altering cooking instructions and it doesn't get mushy, I would think you're good to go with the same cook time. Enjoy!!
Caz says
I haven't tried your recipe but looks very good!! Thought I'd mention that a vegetarian alternative (instead of just omitting the meat) could be to use tinned lentils. My boys love lentils in pasta.
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks Caz 🙂 We love lentils too and that sounds great! Hope you can give this recipe a try with that substitute. Enjoy!
Rosanna Meyerson says
Delicious! Made this in the instant pot and will make it again.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Rosanna! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 We do love this lasagna soup in the IP 🙂 Thanks!
Ro says
I am going to make this recipe. It sounds delicious. However, I am thinking of cooking the pasta separately and then put it in. Well that makes a difference in how the soup turns out
The Kitchen Girl says
Hiya, no problem at all! You might reduce the liquid amount at first since you're cooking the pasta separately. You can always add more liquid in later. I hope that answers your question...let me know 😉
Donna says
I made this and it was delicious. Did not have ricotta cheese so substituted cottage cheese.
My husband and I loved it.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Donna! Yes, cottage cheese would totally work in lasagna soup. So glad you both enjoyed and thanks for letting me know
John says
I made this last night. Swapped out the tomato diced/paste/sauce and used Rao's Marinara sauce that we picked up at Costco. It was delicious! We have a professional chef in the house who was very impressed and we both had leftovers for lunch today.
Also, props for specifying to wait until Sauté is "HOT" on the display. I've had the IP for years now but didn't realize the Sauté feature briefly preheats as well; I'd always just thrown the meat in as soon as I hit the saute button.
The Kitchen Girl says
John, I'm soooo glad you're enjoying this recipe and truly appreciate the detailed review! Thank you so much and keep on enjoying 🙂
Lisa says
Hi did you mean NPR for 10 minutes for softer pasta and QPR for more al dente pasta?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Lisa, it really depends on your pasta, but you could try that. If it's too al dente, I would put the lid back on and let it sit a few minutes until it reaches the consistency you want.
Barbara says
I made the Lasagne soup in the Instant Pot last week. Used broken whole wheat lasagne pasta. We absolutely loved it! We had left overs a few days later and this recipe is a winner!
Thank you
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Barbara! So glad to hear this and I love whole wheat pasta too! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know...much appreciated 🙂
CATHERINE LEE says
First time I saw this recipe at first glance I thought the pasta was ravioli, so I went with using ravioli instead the second time and hubby and I both declared that as a major flavor winner and so hearty! Love it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Woot! So glad to hear it, Catherine I would love lasagna soup made with ravioli, just haven't tried it yet, but 100% yes! Glad you're both enjoying it...thanks for the review
BG says
Saw this recipe yesterday and made it for my lasagna loving husband. He and I loved it. Thank you
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh awesome, BG! I'm so glad to hear it! This lasagna soup recipe has definitely made many spouses happy Glad you both enjoyed it...thanks for letting me know
Jeff says
Love this every time I make it. In fact, lasagna soup is now "my job" to make b/c it's foolproof for guys like me who don't cook much. Another winner TKG!
Paul says
Made this tonight for dinner and it turned out so good!! I wish I would have made a double batch as we ate all of it! 🙂
Traci Antonovich says
Haha awesome, Paul! So glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for swinging back by to let me know
Jessica says
Do you think I could substitute the diced tomatoes with another can of tomato sauce? My husband doesn’t like tomatoes.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Jessica, yep, sure can! Just use equal amounts. If you happen to have diced tomatoes on hand and not tomato sauce, you can always puree them into sauce. Hope that helps...enjoy the recipe! 🙂
SandeeH says
What do you mean by high pressure setting of +1 or +2? I don't think this means minutes as the pasta wouid need to cook longer than that, wouldn't it?
Recipe sounds very good.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Sandee...thanks for your question. Most types of pasta noodles will soften perfectly in a soup like this with a +1 high pressure-cook cycle. If you want extra soft pasta, you can use +2, but you might risk it becoming mushy, esp upon reheat. Let me know if I need to clarify further 🙂 Hope you love this one!
Jenna says
Traci - I made this in the IP and my husband and kids loved it. So comforting, but easier than lasagna.
Traci Antonovich says
Yay thanks, Jenna! So glad to hear you loved it as much as we do 🙂 It IS so easy...we're probably never making layered lasagna again LOL
Haley D Williams says
I want to warm up to a bowl of this! It looks so good! I could eat soup all year long!
Traci Antonovich says
Haha thanks, Haley...meeeee too! Instant pot soup recipes make it especially easy 🙂
Kushigalu says
Such delicious and flavorful soup recipe. Perfect for the weather !
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks, Kushigalu! Yes, lasagna soup is one of our top three fav winter soups, hands down 🙂
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
Lasagna soup is one of my favorites but I've never adapted it for the Instant Pot. I love using the IP for quick weeknight dinners and can't wait to give this a try.
Traci Antonovich says
Awesome, Karen! You'll love Lasagna Soup in the Instant Pot...SO easy and hands-free!
Monica says
I am loving this soup for cold winter nights! This and a little Texas Toast and my family is all set! Love the Instant Pot option, as well. So convenient.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Monica! Perfect for winter...and we'd eat lasagna soup in the summer too LOL.
Emily Liao says
This recipe is perfect for the colder days! Plus it's a great way to switch up from your traditional lasagna. A family favorite!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks, Emily...family fav indeed! So glad you think so 🙂
Sapana says
Absolutely loved this! So much quicker and convenient than making lasagna.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks, Sapana! So glad to hear it..we may never make lasagna again LOL 🙂
Mirlene says
I don't even remember when was the last time that I made lasagna soup, so I am really excited to find this recipe - it looks simple an so delicious!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks, Mirlene! Well, I created this recipe 3 years ago when I got the IP...and finally publishing it LOL. Yay us! 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
This looks absolutely delicious and such a comforting dish! Definitely going to give it a go in my Instant Pot.
Traci Antonovich says
Awesome, Bintu! Glad you can enjoy this one. We love to make lasagna soup in the IP!
Jessica Robinson says
This was such a great recipe! Lasagna soup is so good for winter! Pinned for later!
Traci Antonovich says
So glad you enjoyed it, Jessica...we lovvvve lasagna soup! Thanks! 🙂