Lasagna Soup

At a glance

What stands out: If you love lasagna but hate making all those layers, you’re going to love this stress-free lasagna soup recipe. It has all the elements of lasagna in a straightforward soup format. A one pan dinner winner!

How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Dutch oven or large pan
Servings: 6

Lasagna Shortcut (Lazy Lasagna)

Let’s talk about this lasagna soup for a minute. One of the reasons we love it is because we don’t like making actual lasagna. We're told people exist who actually like making lasagna?! That seems strange to us. All the layers, all the steps, all the messiness and dirty dishes. It’s stressful!

We think it’s the type A in us. We can never get that ricotta spread just the way it should be and it’s just so MESSY. Admittedly, the end result is rich, so if we can have our lasagna without all of the fuss in a straightforward to mix lasagna soup, we consider it a win.

We have a few more “lazy lasagna” shortcuts up our sleeve. Along the same lines as this soup, our skillet lasagna is also a one pot pasta recipe. Zucchini lasagna boats are gluten-free because zucchini stands in for the noodles. They’re cool, too, and a great way to use up extra zucchini in the summer.

Straightforward Lasagna Soup

No extra steps. With classic lasagna, you have to cook the meat and then make the sauce. Then you have to boil the noodles, prep the ricotta cheese layer, and grate the mozzarella. You end up with lots of pans and dishes to wash, and you still have to layer it all in a baking pan yet. Ugh!

A one pan meal. Lasagna soup is made in one pan, noodles and all. It includes all the familiar elements: Italian sausage, tomatoes, noodles, and cheesy goodness. It’s flavorful and satisfying.

Not as heavy as baked lasagna. This soup recipe is a little easier on the waistline than traditional lasagna. With less cheese, less pasta, and more vegetables, it’s a better choice if you’re watching what you eat and we guarantee that you won’t feel like you’re sacrificing anything.

What goes in

• Sweet Italian Sausage: Look for uncooked sausage, either in links or bulk. If the sausage is in links, squeeze it out of the casing before browning it. Either pork or turkey sausage is fine, or if you prefer, use ground beef or ground turkey.
• Onion, Mushrooms, and Spinach: This trio provides nutrition and flavor to the soup. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms or spinach, you can omit them.
• Garlic: The recipe calls for one clove of garlic but feel free to increase that amount if you love garlic.
• Diced Tomatoes: Look for no salt added tomatoes. It may surprise you how much sodium is added to canned tomatoes. In a popular brand, the no salt added diced tomatoes had 15 mg sodium per ½ cup serving; the regular diced tomatoes had 200 mg. Canned tomatoes are so handy to have in the pantry. Check out our collection of recipes for stew and soup using canned tomatoes.
• Tomato Paste: The concentrated tomato flavor adds richness and depth to the broth. You’ll only need 2 tablespoons; freeze the remainder for future meals.
• Beef Broth: Like the tomatoes, you’ll want to look for low sodium broth. You’ll need one carton, or about 4 cups. If you’re using turkey sausage, you can substitute chicken broth.
• Dried Oregano, Parsley, and Basil: Using pantry items like dried herbs simplifies the recipe. If you happen to have or prefer fresh herbs, feel free to substitute them.
• Lasagna Noodles: Look for regular lasagna noodles, not the no-boil variety.
• Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella Cheese: What’s lasagna without the cheese? Instead of layering the cheese, it’s combined to make a creamy topping that’s added when you serve the soup. Hint: You may want to make extra of the cheese mixture because it’s hard to resist!

How it comes together

You’ll need a nice big pot or pan to make this soup, and about forty-five minutes.

Brown the sausage. Begin by browning the sausage, breaking up any large chunks. Go ahead and add the chopped onions to the pan, too. The onions will soften up nicely as the meat browns.

Add the mushrooms. Once the meat is cooked, add the sliced mushrooms, stirring them occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid has been released, about 10 minutes.

Add spinach and garlic. Add the spinach and garlic, cooking and stirring until the spinach is wilted, just a couple of minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the tomato paste, allowing it to coat the meat and veggies. Add the canned tomatoes, broth, and seasonings, and bring everything to a hearty simmer.

Break the lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces. Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t all the same size. They just need to be small enough to capture with a spoon. Add the noodles to the soup and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the noodles are tender.

If you feel that the soup is getting too thick, add a bit more broth or water. Dried pasta absorbs a lot of liquid when it’s cooking. In addition, starch is released from the pasta which gives the soup a velvety texture.

Make topping. While the soup is cooking, stir together the three cheeses. Add a bit of dried parsley for a little visual appeal.

Serve. When the noodles are tender, the soup is ready to serve! Scoop it into soup bowls and top with a nice dollop of cheese. A garnish of fresh basil is lovely, too. Serve the soup with bakery bread and restaurant -style bread dipping oil. A simple green salad with from-scratch Italian dressing and crisp from-scratch croutons goes great with soup, too.

Ways to change it

• Sub in a different meat. Use ground beef or ground turkey instead of Italian sausage.
• Omit the mushrooms. Not a fan of mushrooms? No problem, just leave them out!
• Try different types of pasta. Try whole wheat lasagna noodles to add more fiber. Substitute penne, farfalle, shells, rotini, or even macaroni for the lasagna noodles if that’s what you have on hand.
• Make it vegetarian. Omit the sausage, use vegetable broth, and double up on the mushrooms and spinach. Honestly, we haven’t tested this alternative because we love this creamy vegetarian lasagna soup recipe. It’s packed with loads of veggies: mushrooms, spinach, carrots, zucchini, summer squash, and onions, with a creamy base. So good!

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: If you have leftover soup, refrigerate the soup separately from the cheese mixture. It will keep for a few days.

Freeze: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. The cheese mixture should be frozen separately. It tends to separate when it’s thawed so give it a good stir before using. Thaw both the soup and the cheese overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: To reheat, warm the soup gently in a saucepan on the stove. Noodles tend to absorb liquid even during refrigeration so if necessary, add a bit more broth or water. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this soup recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #19 or Meal Plan #83. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.

Browse Meal Plans

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ¼ pounds sweet Italian sausage links (pork or turkey), uncooked, removed from casings
• ½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 3 ounces baby spinach
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (no salt added)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley, divided
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 4 cups beef broth (low sodium)
• 10 lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces), broken into bite-sized pieces (NOT the no-boil kind!)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil to garnish, optional

Method

1. In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onions. Cook, breaking up sausage, until onions are translucent and sausage is mostly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until browned.
2. Add spinach and garlic. Cook until spinach is wilted and garlic is fragrant.
3. Stir in tomato paste until combined. Add tomatoes, oregano, 1 teaspoon parsley, basil, and broth. Bring to a boil, stir in pasta, and reduce to a simmer.
4. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Add more water or broth as needed for desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
5. While the pasta is cooking, mix together ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon dried parsley in a small bowl.
6. To serve, top individual bowls of soup with a spoonful of cheese mixture immediately prior to serving. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Notes

Pasta choices: Whole wheat lasagna noodles can be substituted, if desired. You can also use a different type of pasta.

Lower sodium: To keep sodium content lower, use no-salt-added beef broth and no-salt-added canned tomatoes.