Lasagna Soup (Easy, 45 Minutes)

Lasagna soup is the one pot dinner that gives you all the flavor of lasagna with a fraction of the work. Broken pasta, rich tomato beef sauce, and dollops of ricotta simmer together in one pot, and lasagna soup is on the table in 45 minutes. You need one pot, one spoon, and no layering at all.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes | Servings: 6 | Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients at a glance: ground beef, Italian sausage, lasagna sheets, tomatoes, broth, onion, garlic, ricotta, parmesan, and basil.

Quick steps: 1. Brown the beef and sausage. 2. Add tomatoes and broth. 3. Simmer with broken pasta. 4. Stir in the pasta and cheese, then serve your lasagna soup with ricotta and basil.

Why Lasagna Soup Works So Well

The trick is the broken pasta. Lasagna sheets snapped into pieces cook right in the sauce, so lasagna soup tastes like the real thing without the oven time. The pasta soaks up the tomato beef sauce as it cooks, and the ricotta melts in at the end for that creamy lasagna finish.

It also fits nights when you want comfort food with almost no effort. Everything simmers in one pot, the pasta cooks in the sauce, and lasagna soup is ready in 45 minutes with about 15 minutes of hands on work. That is why it works for cold nights and family dinners alike: the pot does the cooking while you set the table.

One pot also means one thing to wash, which is half the reason this recipe exists. The classic lasagna needs a baking dish, a pan for the sauce, and a pot for the pasta, while this version needs a single pot and a spoon. That is the whole appeal: the same comfort, with far less cleanup.

Ingredients for Lasagna Soup

For the soup, you need 300 g of ground beef, 300 g of Italian sausage, 1 diced onion, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 800 g of crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 liter of beef broth, and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.

For serving, you need 8 lasagna sheets, broken into pieces, 1 cup of ricotta, half a cup of grated parmesan, and fresh basil. The cheese for lasagna soup needs nothing fancy, so keep it simple and let the sauce shine.

How to Make Lasagna Soup

Cook the beef and sausage in a large pot over medium high heat until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes until soft.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and Italian seasoning, then bring to a simmer. Add the broken lasagna sheets and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the pasta is tender, stirring often so nothing sticks.

Stir the pasta often as it cooks, since the sheets like to stick together in the hot sauce. A wooden spoon works well, and a gentle stir every few minutes is enough. If the soup ever feels too thick, add a splash of broth until it loosens.

Stir in the parmesan and half the basil, then ladle into bowls and top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Serve right away with extra parmesan and basil. That is the whole method, and lasagna soup tastes best eaten hot while the pasta is still tender.

Toppings and Variations

Swap the beef for turkey or Italian sausage only, add spinach or mushrooms, or use vegetable broth and skip the meat for a lighter bowl. For more heat, add chili flakes or a pinch of red pepper.

For the cheese topping, ricotta is the classic pick, but a spoonful of mascarpone or a handful of shredded mozzarella also works. Keep the cheese cold until serving so it melts slowly into the hot soup instead of disappearing right away.

If you love the classic version, try our easy homemade lasagna next for the full baked layers. Lasagna soup is the same flavors in a bowl, cooked in one pot with no oven and no layering, which is why it works so well on busy nights. Our classic spaghetti bolognese is another way to use the same rich tomato beef sauce.

For sides, garlic bread and a green salad are all you need, and a bowl of our creamy bacon one pot pasta shows how the same one pot idea works with pasta and cream. Keep it simple and let the soup be the star.

How to Store Lasagna Soup

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and keep the ricotta separate. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth, since the pasta keeps soaking up liquid. Lasagna soup thickens as it sits, so add a little broth when you reheat.

For safe leftovers, follow the USDA guidance on leftovers and food safety: refrigerate cooked beef and pasta within 2 hours and reheat until steaming throughout. Freeze portions of lasagna soup for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other pasta? Yes. Mafalda, penne, or broken spaghetti all work, though lasagna soup tastes most like lasagna with broken lasagna sheets. Cook any shape until just tender, since it keeps cooking in the hot soup.

Can I make it vegetarian? Yes. Skip the beef and sausage, use vegetable broth, and add mushrooms and lentils for heartiness. Lasagna soup still tastes rich, since the tomato sauce and ricotta do most of the work.

Can I make it ahead? Yes. Cook the soup without the pasta, then add the pasta when you reheat. The pasta stays tender this way, and the soup tastes even better the next day.

How many people does this serve? This recipe serves 6 people. Double everything for 12, use a larger pot, and add a little extra broth so the pasta has room to cook. A batch of the soup also freezes well for busy weeks.