Homemade Lasagna Soup Recipe for Busy Weeknights

Lasagna soup gives you all the flavors of a classic baked lasagna in one pot with 45 minutes of work. No layering, no baking dish, no waiting. I make this on weeknights when I want comfort food without a two-hour commitment.

Why This Lasagna Soup Works

Italian sausage and ground beef give the broth that deep, meaty backbone that baked lasagna gets from layering. Browning both meats together builds fond on the bottom of the pot. When the tomatoes go in, that fond lifts into the broth and flavors every bite.

Breaking the lasagna noodles into quarters lets them cook directly in the soup instead of boiling separately. They absorb the tomato broth as they cook and take on the flavor of the sauce rather than tasting like plain pasta.

The three-cheese topping — ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan — goes on each bowl at serving. It melts into the hot soup and creates pockets of creamy cheese in every spoonful, which is the part people come back for.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 0.5 lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 lasagna noodles, broken into quarters
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan

What You Need for Lasagna Soup

Ground Italian sausage — the most important flavor driver. It seasons the broth with fennel, herbs, and spice. Hot sausage adds heat; mild sausage keeps it family-friendly.

Ground beef — adds body and richness. 80/20 ground beef has the most flavor. Lean ground beef works but the soup will be slightly lighter in texture.

Crushed tomatoes — form the base of the broth. San Marzano crushed tomatoes have lower acidity and more natural sweetness than regular crushed tomatoes.

Chicken broth — thins the tomatoes into a soup consistency. Beef broth works for a deeper flavor. Vegetable broth works for a lighter version.

Lasagna noodles — break them into rough quarters before adding. Standard wavy-edge lasagna noodles work best. Oven-ready noodles cook faster but get softer — reduce cooking time to 6 minutes.

Ricotta cheese — the signature topping. Whole-milk ricotta is creamier than part-skim. Add a tablespoon per bowl right before serving.

Mozzarella and Parmesan — shredded fresh mozzarella melts better than pre-shredded. Freshly grated Parmesan has sharper flavor than the shelf-stable variety.

How to Make Lasagna Soup

1. Brown Italian sausage and ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Add diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes until softened.
3. Add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth.
5. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
6. Bring to a boil. Add broken lasagna noodles. Reduce heat to medium-low.
7. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender.
8. Stir in fresh spinach. Cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
9. Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Lasagna Soup Variations

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Brown the meat first on the stove, then transfer to the slow cooker with everything except the noodles and spinach. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Add broken noodles and spinach in the final 30 minutes. Top with cheese when serving.

Vegetarian Lasagna Soup

Skip the sausage and beef. Add 1 diced zucchini, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, and 1 can of white beans with the tomatoes. Use vegetable broth. The mushrooms add an earthy, meaty texture without the meat.

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Brown the meat on Sauté mode. Add all remaining ingredients except noodles and spinach. Seal and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release. Switch back to Sauté and stir in broken noodles. Cook for 8 minutes until tender. Add spinach and serve with cheese.

Creamy Lasagna Soup

After the noodles finish cooking, stir in 0.5 cup of heavy cream. The broth turns rich and pink-orange, similar to a tomato bisque with pasta. Add the ricotta topping as usual for extra creaminess in every bowl.

Tips for the Best Lasagna Soup

• I always drain the fat after browning the meat or the broth gets greasy.
• Break the lasagna noodles into rough quarters — uneven pieces add more visual interest and texture variety.
• Don’t overcook the noodles. Pull the pot off heat when they’re just tender. They continue cooking in the hot broth.
• If freezing, leave the noodles out. Cook fresh noodles when reheating — frozen noodles turn mushy.
• The ricotta topping is non-negotiable. Add it directly to each bowl, not to the whole pot, so it doesn’t break into the soup.
• Taste the broth before serving and adjust salt. Sausage brands vary in sodium — you may not need any added salt.

Make Ahead & Storage

Lasagna soup stores in the fridge for 4 days. The noodles absorb more broth overnight, so add 1 cup of chicken broth when reheating to restore the consistency. I reheat it on the stove over medium heat for 5 minutes.

To freeze, leave the noodles and spinach out. Freeze the meat and tomato broth base for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the base in the fridge overnight, reheat in a pot, add fresh noodles and spinach, and cook until tender. Prepare the ricotta topping fresh.

Common Questions

Can I use a different pasta instead of lasagna noodles?

Yes. Campanelle, farfalle, or rigatoni all hold up well in soup. Use about 2 cups of dry pasta instead of 8 lasagna noodles. Adjust the cooking time based on the pasta package directions.

Why is my lasagna soup too thick?

The noodles absorb liquid as the soup cooks and even more as it sits. Add 1 cup of warm chicken broth to the pot and stir to loosen it. This happens especially with leftovers reheated the next day.

Can I make lasagna soup without meat?

Yes. Use 2 cups of sliced mushrooms and 1 can of white beans in place of the sausage and beef. The mushrooms release savory liquid that gives the broth depth. Add an extra teaspoon of Italian seasoning to make up for the sausage seasoning.

Do I cook the lasagna noodles before adding them?

No. The broken noodles cook directly in the soup broth. Add them when the soup is at a boil and stir frequently so they don’t stick together. They take about 10 minutes to become fully tender.

What goes well with lasagna soup?

Crusty garlic bread is the standard pairing. A simple green salad with Italian dressing balances the richness of the soup. Caesar salad works well too. The soup is filling enough on its own for a weeknight dinner.

This lasagna soup recipe is my go-to when I want something that tastes like it took hours but comes together in under an hour. Save this recipe and tap the link for the full recipe with all the details.