If you love lasagna but don’t have the time or energy to whip one up, lasagna soup is the answer. Filled with all the classic elements of lasagna—there’s spiced ground beef, saucy tomatoes, ricotta, and even lasagna noodles—this soup is the perfect low-key alternative without all the fuss.
Make It Your Own
Just like a tray of lasagna, there’s endless ways to make this dish your own. If you’re looking for an alternative to ground beef, try ground turkey or chicken. You can also use a combination of ground beef and hot Italian sausage for an extra kick.
What Tomatoes to Use
I love the texture of crushing the whole tomatoes in the soup, but you could also use tomato puree or even jarred tomato sauce in a pinch. To me, the best part of lasagna soup is the topping. Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan are mixed together before being dolloped on top of a piping hot bowl of soup, which gently melts throughout as you eat it.
How to Make Lasagna Soup Ahead
In order to cut down on dishes and make this a true one-pot meal, the noodles get added straight to the soup to cook. If you’re looking to make this dish ahead of time, follow the recipe up until the noodles get added and store the soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days or three months in the freezer. Once you’re ready for dinner, simply bring the soup back to a boil, add the noodles, and simmer until the noodles are tender.
“This is a quick dinner option that deserves to be added to your regular fall-winter meal rotation. The cheese mixture complements the flavors, making the soup creamy and hearty. I loved that it’s a versatile recipe that can be easily tweaked using extra ingredients like spinach or other vegetables.” —Diana Chistruga
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 large yellow onion, diced
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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1/4 cup tomato paste
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1 pound ground beef
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3/4 teaspoon fine salt
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3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
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1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
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6 cups chicken stock
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8 ounces lasagna noodles, roughly broken
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8 ounces whole milk ricotta
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1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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1/2 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
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1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, to serve
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste turns a brick red color, about 2 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, and rosemary, and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Use your hands to crush the tomatoes and add them to the pot along with the tomato juice from the can.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the chicken stock and bring the soup to a low boil, stirring to combine.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente according to package instructions.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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While the noodles are cooking, add the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella to a small bowl and stir to combine.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Ladle the lasagna soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the ricotta mixture and a few basil leaves.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Recipe Variations
- As an alternative to beef, try using ground turkey or chicken for an equally hearty soup.
- If you’re looking for a little more heat, try a mixture of Hot Italian sausage mixed with ground beef.
- Whole tomatoes add great texture, but a 28-ounce can of tomato puree or sauce will work too.
How to Store and Freeze
- Lasagna soup can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, prepare the soup without the lasagna noodles. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve the soup, bring it to a simmer, then add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente.
Make Ahead
You can make the base of the soup ahead of time, just hold off on adding the noodles until you’re ready to serve. If you add the noodles and then reheat them, the noodles will become too soggy. Instead, bring the soup back to a boil and add the noodles right before serving, cooking to al dente according to package instructions.
