Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

This easy Lasagna Soup recipe has all the ooey-gooey cheesiness and meaty richness of traditional lasagna in one big bowl! It's a hearty soup that can be made in just 30 minutes for when you are craving lasagna but don't have the time for layering and baking one. Serve with breadsticks and a copycat Olive Garden salad and you've got a delicious and satisfying meal!

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (1)

I love soup. And I love lasagna. So this one pot lasagna soup is the ultimate, in my opinion.

Lasagna is incredible when it comes out of the oven all hot and bubbling, but it usually involves dirtying a lot of dishes and at least an hour or more to create those craveable layers of pasta, meaty sauce, and melted cheese.

Which, don't get me wrong, is totally worth it. Sometimes. Other times, it's cold and blustery out and I find myself craving lasagna without all the work that goes into it. Enter this one pot lasagna soup.

If it's chilly where you live and you are craving a big bowl of comforting soup, be sure to also try our Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Homemade Tomato Basil Soup, and Cheeseburger Soup next.

Why This Recipe Works

  • You get all the flavor and texture of lasagna with way less work, fewer dishes, and a lot less time.
  • Although the ingredient list is long, it's mostly pantry staples utilizing dried herbs to develop the flavor of the broth.
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (3)

Ingredient Notes

This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you'll need for this lasagna soup recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Meat: I like to use a combination of mild Italian sausage and lean ground beef in this lasagna soup recipe. It makes for a substantial, satisfying meal with tons of hearty flavor.
  • Lasagna noodles: Broken up dried lasagna noodles are added to really get across that classic lasagna taste and texture in soup form. But other pasta shapes like farfalle, mafalda (they look like mini lasagna noodles!), or even shells will work here.
  • Vegetables: We pack in the vegetables in the form of onion, carrots, and zucchini, plus plenty of diced and crushed tomatoes for flavor and texture.
  • Herbs & spices: Don't be overwhelmed by the length of the list of recipe ingredients as most of them are just plenty of Italian herbs and spices like dried basil, oregano, rosemary, fennel, thyme. They create that classic lasagna taste that everybody loves.
  • Cheese: Mozzarella and parmesan are added to the soup base, then ricotta is dolloped over individual servings for melty, cheesy goodness, just like a plate of lasagna.
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (4)

How to Make Lasagna Soup

Start by browning ground beef, Italian sausage, and chopped onion in a large dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot. Break up the meat as it cooks so you don't end up with any large chunks.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (5)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (6)

Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste to the pot, then pour in half of the chicken broth. The different types of tomatoes provide depth of flavor and different texture, but you could get away with all crushed or all diced tomatoes if that's what you have on hand.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (7)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (8)

Add the chopped vegetables and herbs, then stir together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (9)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (10)

At this point, you may want to portion out some of the soup for eating later, rather than adding the noodles all at once. Otherwise they will continue to absorb the broth after the soup is done and you will end up with mushy lasagna noodles when you reheat leftovers.

Add the broken up lasagna noodles to the soup, along with the remaining chicken broth and continue to cook just until the noodles are al dente.

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Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (12)

Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese into the soup and stir so it gets all melty and gooey. Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (13)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (14)

Once the soup is done, serve it with dollops of ricotta cheese on top and a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil or parsley and some additional parmesan cheese.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (15)

Recipe FAQ's

Can I make lasagna soup in the crock pot?

Sure! You will need to brown the meat and onions first in a skillet. Then transfer this to a slow cooker and add the tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs, and spices. Cook on LOW for up to 8 hours. During the last 20-30 minutes, stir in the lasagna noodles and cook until they are al dente. Stir in the cheese just before serving.

Can I make lasagna soup in the Instant Pot?

To make this recipe with an electric pressure cooker, use the SAUTE feature to brown the meat and onions. Then press cancel and add the tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs, and spices. Cover with the lid and seal, the press SOUP and cook for 15 minutes. Press CANCEL then do a quick release and add the pasta, pushing it down into the soup. Cover with the lid and seal again, then press SOUP and cook for another 8 minutes. Press CANCEL and do another quick release. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, then serve with the ricotta cheese dollops on top.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (16)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (17)

Storage & Reheating

If you think you might have leftovers, I have two recommendations for storing and reheating so you don't end up with mushy lasagna noodles.

The first is to cook the noodles separately in a pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, then add them to individual bowls and ladling the soup over the top of the noodles. This way you can store the cooked noodles and soup separately for easy reheating later in the week. They will both keep in the fridge for about 5-7 days.

The second approach is to separate out the soup that you think will not be eaten right away and store this in the fridge or freezer until you want to eat it. This is best done after adding the vegetables but before adding the noodles. Store the unfinished soup in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to eat the leftover soup, just reheat it to boiling on the stove over medium to medium-high heat and add the noodles to cook until al dente.

Freezing

This soup freezes really well without the noodles. Just let it cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container leaving an inch of space at the top and freeze.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (18)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (19)

Tips & Variations

  • Lightened-up version: If you want to cut back on calories a bit with this lasagna soup, you could easily sub in ground turkey and cut back on the cheese. It won't be quite as lasagna-y, but it's still a phenomenal (and much lighter) soup that way.
  • Look for loose Italian sausage so you don't have to remove it from its casings to make things easier.
  • If you leftover ricotta cheese, whip up some Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for breakfast the next day!
  • Italian seasoning: If you want to save time or are missing any of the herbs, you could simply use 2-3 Tablespoons of Italian seasoning blend in place of the dried herbs.
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (20)
Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (21)

More Soup Recipes to Try

  • Easy Cheesy Taco Soup
  • Easy Minestrone Soup
  • San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew
  • Zuppa Toscana (Crock Pot or Stove Top)

Fish & Seafood

Authentic San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew (Italian Seafood Stew)

Soup Recipes

The Best Recipe for White Chicken Chili

Soup Recipes

The BEST Smoked Salmon Chowder with Bacon

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (25)

PrintPinRate

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe

5 from 19 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

One pot lasagna soup has all the wonderful cheesy, meaty richness of a lasagna, but in soup form! It's easy and a perfect, hearty soup for a cold day!

Ingredients

  • ½ pound mild Italian sausage,, loose or casings removed
  • ½ pound lean ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8-10 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 14.5 ounces fire-roasted or diced tomatoes
  • 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds,, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8-10 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (about 8 ounces pasta)
  • 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 ounces Ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced for garnish

Instructions

  • In a dutch oven or large pot, combine the Italian sausage, ground beef and onions and brown over medium heat, breaking up the meat into small chunks while it cooks, until meat is no longer pink. Add the minced garlic right at the end and stir into the meat and onions, cooking for another 30-60 seconds and drain any excess fat from the pan.

  • Add 6 cups of the chicken broth, along with the crushed and diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped carrot and zucchini, and all the herbs and spices. Stir, then bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

  • Add the broken lasagna noodles to the soup (see note about setting aside some of the soup first if you don't plan to have leftovers) and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is al dente (about 8-12 minutes).

  • Discard bay leaf and stir in the remaining 2-4 cups of chicken broth until the soup is the consistency you like it.

  • Remove from the heat and sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top. Stir the cheese into the soup for a minute or two until it has had a chance to melt, then divide the soup into bowls.

  • Drop small dollops of Ricotta cheese over the top of each serving and sprinkle with a few strips of basil and additional parmesan cheese to serve.

Notes

  • Storage & reheating Option 1: Cook the noodles separately in a pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, then add them to individual bowls and ladling the soup over the top of the noodles. This way you can store the cooked noodles and soup separately for easy reheating later in the week. They will both keep in the fridge for about 5-7 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Storage & reheating Option 2: Separate out the soup that you think will not be eaten right away and store this in the fridge or freezer until you want to eat it. This is best done after adding the vegetables but before adding the noodles. Store the unfinished soup in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat the leftover soup, just reheat it to boiling on the stove over medium to medium-high heat and add the noodles to cook until al dente.
  • Crockpot Instructions: Brown the meat and onions first in a skillet. Then transfer this to a slow cooker and add the tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs, and spices. Cook on LOW for up to 8 hours. During the last 20-30 minutes, stir in the lasagna noodles and cook until they are al dente. Stir in the cheese just before serving.
  • Instant Pot Instructions: To make this recipe with an electric pressure cooker, use the SAUTE feature to brown the meat and onions. Then press cancel and add the tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs, and spices. Cover with the lid and seal, the press SOUP and cook for 15 minutes. Press CANCEL then do a quick release and add the pasta, pushing it down into the soup. Cover with the lid and seal again, then press SOUP and cook for another 8 minutes. Press CANCEL and do another quick release. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, then serve with the ricotta cheese dollops on top.
  • Lightened-up version: If you want to cut back on calories a bit with this lasagna soup, you could easily sub in ground turkey and cut back on the cheese. It won't be quite as lasagna-y, but it's still a phenomenal (and much lighter) soup that way.
  • Look for loose Italian sausage so you don't have to remove it from its casings to make things easier.
  • If you leftover ricotta cheese, whip up some Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for breakfast the next day!
  • Italian seasoning: If you want to save time or are missing any of the herbs, you could simply use 2-3 Tablespoons of Italian seasoning blend in place of the dried herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1886mg | Potassium: 1059mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2381IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 5mg

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

This post was originally published in October, 2016. The photos and content were updated in January, 2022.

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About the author

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (30)

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Best Lasagna Soup Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

FAQs

What to add to lasagna to make it taste better? ›

Onion and garlic: An onion and two cloves of garlic are cooked with the meat to add tons of flavor. Tomato products: You'll need a can of crushed tomatoes, two cans of tomato sauce, and two cans of tomato paste. Sugar: Two tablespoons of white sugar add subtle sweetness and enhance the flavor of the sauce.

How to thicken up soupy lasagna? ›

Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna. Cornstarch is a classic binding ingredient that won't affect the sauce's flavor and is much more effective than flour.

How many pans of lasagna for 50 people? ›

Assemble ingredients as follows: In steamtable pans (12" x 20" x 2 ½") which have been lightly coated with pan release spray. For 50 servings, use 2 pans. For 100 servings, use 4 pans.

How do you make lasagne sauce thicker? ›

A general ratio to work with is 2 tablespoons flour for every cup of liquid. Start by adding a little bit, then cook, stirring, for a few minutes to allow the sauce time to thicken and cook off the raw flour taste; if the results are minimal, add more.

What not to do when making lasagna? ›

In the spirit of learning and lasagna, here are the top mistakes everyone makes with lasagna.
  1. Overcooking the noodles. ...
  2. Boiling noodles without oil and salt. ...
  3. Letting your lasagna get too soupy. ...
  4. Using the wrong protein. ...
  5. Overloading the layers. ...
  6. Substituting cottage cheese for ricotta. ...
  7. Using preshredded cheese.
Aug 30, 2022

What makes lasagna soupy? ›

Several factors can contribute to a lasagna recipe turning out excessively wet. These include noodles that haven't been dried enough, watery vegetables or sloppy meat sauce, and the often-overlooked culprit — ricotta cheese.

How to stop lasagne from going sloppy? ›

Don't use no-boil lasagna noodles. They require the sauce to have extra water in it to rehydrate the noodles. Between how many noodles and how much to dilute the sauce, it is a guessing game how it will turn out. Cook the noodles very al dente before assembling the lasagna, so you can use thick sauce.

How to prevent lasagna from being watery? ›

Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna. Cornstarch is a classic binding ingredient that won't affect the sauce's flavor and is much more effective than flour.

Can you put too much sauce in lasagna? ›

The key is to have a nice, thick sauce that won't seep too much into the pasta, but rather, get absorbed into it, making it more flavorful. So, to achieve the perfect lasagna, the consistency of the sauce is absolutely essential.

How many adults will a 9x13 lasagna feed? ›

As a general rule of thumb, one 13x9 pan will yield 8 medium-sized portions. You can adjust the serving sizes to your family's appetite: if they have larger appetites, you cut the pan into 6 large portions, and if they have smaller appetites, you can cut the pan into 10 smaller portions.

How many people will 6 lbs of lasagna feed? ›

Stouffer's 6 lb Lasagna with Meat Sauce, serves 12.

Why add tomato paste to lasagna? ›

A good tomato paste helps to thicken but also adds a sweet and savory umami flavor. Lean Ground Beef: Lean beef adds a robust and hearty meatiness that's essential in a classic lasagna recipe.

Is it better to thicken stew with flour or cornstarch? ›

Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. When a gravy, sauce, soup or stew recipe calls for flour, use half as much cornstarch to thicken. To thicken hot liquids, first mix cornstarch with a little cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into hot liquid until blended.

Should you add sugar to lasagna sauce? ›

Adjust to your tastes.

Depending on your preference and on the tomatoes used, it might taste unbalanced: bitter, or acidic. If so, add 1 tbsp of the light brown sugar. You can add more or less: the amount I add varies with almost every batch I make.

How do you spice up bland lasagna? ›

Use vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery for flavor plus lots of garlic and herbs. If making a meat sauce, brown and season the ground meat before adding the tomatoes.

How to enhance store-bought lasagna? ›

At that point you can add spices, add additional meat to the filling (e. g. browned ground beef or pork) grate some fresh mozzarella over the top, and put it back into the oven, uncovered, to finish it off. Put some olives, onions, and chopped tomatoes on top under another layer of cheese.

Why does my lasagne taste bland? ›

Use fresh, high-quality ingredients such as fresh pasta, high-quality meat, fresh vegetables, and high-quality cheese. Cook the sauce slowly: Lasagna sauce should be cooked slowly over low heat for a long period of time. This allows the flavors to develop and creates a rich, flavorful sauce.

Why do you put milk in lasagna? ›

Milk. It tenderises the meat, to leave you with the most tender ragù.

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