One Pot Easy Lasagna Soup

When you want the comforting flavors of lasagna but definitely don’t have the time, serve this One Pot Lasagna Soup instead. It includes everything you love about those traditional lasagna layers, but cooked in just 30 minutes, prep time included! With savory ground beef and Italian sausage, tomatoes, herbs, tender noodles, and creamy ricotta, it’s a super family friendly recipe that’s hearty and delicious for any night of the week.

this Recipe

 

Lasagna Soup – The EASY Way!

Tender pasta, creamy ricotta, seasoned beef, and an Italian flavored tomato sauce are the main components of lasagna that we all love. What I don’t love though is the time it takes to cook and assemble all those layers! Which is why I’m thrilled to tell you that you can have ALL of those flavors, and it can be done in just 30 minutes. This one pot lasagna soup is the secret!

Even with prep time included this super delicious, flavorful, and easy lasagna soup is ready for the table in just half an hour. It’s rich, hearty, and even has creamy ricotta cheese to finish it off. The familiar flavors make it such an easy sell to kids too, which means this not just quick but also family friendly. Add this one to your meal plan asap!

Why I LOVE this recipe!

• So EASY! – There are only 4 steps needed to make the whole pot of soup!
• One Pot! – You start building flavors by browning meat in the pot, then everything else is cooked right in with it. It builds big flavor and but is still easy to clean up!
• Traditional Flavors, Fun Twist – It delivers everything you love about lasagna’s traditional flavors, but it’s served in a kid-friendly way that makes dinner fun and new.
• Versatile – If you prefer a spicy Italian sausage, go for it! Want to use ground turkey instead of beef? Absolutely. Swirl the ricotta topping into the entire pot to make a creamy, cheesy lasagna soup, or serve it on the side so everyone can add it to their individual bowls. This recipe can work for your family, no matter your tastes.

What to Serve with One Pot Lasagna Soup

This soup is very hearty and can hold its own without serving anything else with this meal. But if you find yourself wanting to add a little something and wondering what goes with lasagna soup, we do have some GREAT suggestions!

Side Dish Ideas

• Green Salad – Pair mixed greens with sliced red onion, tomatoes, croutons, and sliced mushrooms with a creamy Italian or healthy balsamic vinaigrette to make a light, healthy side.
• Cucumber Tomato Salad – This crisp, refreshing cold salad would be a great side with warm soup.
• Sauteed Mushrooms with Garlic Butter – Tender mushrooms with a flavorful garlic infused butter make a yummy side that pairs well with lasagna flavors.
• Garlic Bread – My recipe for the BEST garlic bread is perfect beside, or even dipped right into lasagna soup.
• Sauteed Green Beans – A quick stove top recipe for a healthy veggie like green beans can be a great side dish any night.
• Garlic Parmesan Broccoli – The garlic and parmesan in this super easy roasted side dish are so yummy with a meal like this one!
• Baked Asparagus – This is a great way to add tender, green healthy veggies to the table.

You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner. 

Recipe Notes

This lasagna soup recipe is as simple as promised! Just one pot and 30 minutes for a family friendly meal.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Ground Beef – I used ground beef to replicate the traditional lasagna flavors. You can also use ground turkey or chicken. I always go for a lean beef option, but just know that if you choose ground beef with a high fat content you may need to get rid of some of the grease after browning.
• Italian Sausage – Ground Italian sausage adds so much flavor. Make sure you choose an uncooked sausage, not pre-cooked links. Italian sausage can come in sweet, mild, or spicy, so make sure you choose one your family will like.
• Onion & Garlic – Use four cloves of fresh garlic and one whole onion. I like how yellow tastes in this recipe, but you can use white onion or shallots if you’d like.
• Tomato Sauce – You’ll need two 15 ounce cans or one large 28.5 ounce can of unflavored tomato sauce. It may also be called tomato puree.
• Diced Tomatoes – One can of diced tomatoes add texture and enhances the lasagna flavor. I prefer Italian seasoned tomatoes but you can use plain. You may need to add more Italian seasoning to the soup if you do. If you can’t find diced, look for chopped or crushed instead.
• Italian Seasonings – You can easily mix up your own Italian seasoning mix from pantry staples, or keep things quick and simple with a store bought Italian herb blend.
• Chicken Broth – I like chicken broth, but chicken stock or veggie broth can also work.
• Ricotta – I recommend using a whole milk ricotta if possible. It adds so much flavor and a wonderful creamy texture to the finished bowls of hot soup. You can use low-fat too if you need to.
• Parmesan – You can shred this yourself or buy pre-grated Parmesan. If you can’t find it, use Romano or Grana Padano instead.
• Basil – A layer of freshly sliced basil is the perfect garnish, but you can leave it off it you want.

Recipe Tips

1. Drain the fat after browning – If you start with leaner ground beef and sausage, this may not be necessary. But, if you have a fattier meat, like 85/15 or 80/20, then you’ll want to drain off some of the extra fat that’s released during cooking. That will help prevent the soup from becoming greasy.
   
   
   Note- you do not have to add olive oil or any cooking oil. The meat should have enough fat to cook well over medium heat without adding anything additional.
   
2. Use ALL the chicken broth – I know it seems like a LOT of chicken broth. The soup will look watery and diluted at first, but I promise it’s going to turn out perfect. We’re cooking the noodles in the tomato/broth mixture so they’ll absorb some of the liquid and release starches into the soup. Both of those things help create a luscious slightly, thickened soup. They’ll also be infused with flavor! If you use less broth, your soup can end up too thick.
   
3. Break the noodles into bite-sized pieces – Long, wavy noodles look gorgeous in the finished soup so if you don’t mind using your spoon to break them up while you eat, go for it! But I recommend breaking the lasagna noodles up into bite-sized pieces before they cook. It’s easier for serving kids and easier to eat.
   
4. Use the ricotta as a topping – If you want to make your full pot of lasagna soup creamy and cheesy you can mix the ricotta mixture right in and let it melt. Personally, I recommend you reserve it as a topping instead. I’ve found that it’s best to let the whole family choose how much cheese they want to add. Some of us like it really cheesy, while others prefer just a slight creaminess. Everyone can customize their bowls to their tastes that way.

Recipe Short Cuts

If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!

• Use marinara sauce– A super quick way to add that classic tomato sauce flavor is by using a good, jarred marinara sauce in place of the tomatoes and Italian seasoning. It will already be pre-seasoned and ready to go. Use the same amount of marinara that you would the 3 cans of tomatoes, so about 44-45 ounces.
  
• Swap in granulated seasonings– I always recommend fresh garlic and onions because they create the best flavor, but when you’re short on time you can skip the chopping. Use granulated garlic and onion to add flavor to the meat as it browns. You’ll need 1 tablespoon of onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
  
• Start with smaller noodles– Part of making lasagna soup is using the traditional noodles, but the actual flavor of the soup won’t be affected if you use a different type of pasta. You can skip the time it takes you to break noodles into the soup and instead use small pasta like elbows, shells, or bowties. Make sure you adjust how long you let them cook according to the package directions, that way they don’t end up mushy.

Recipe Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

• Spicy Lasagna Soup– Use a spicy Italian sausage and add crushed red pepper flakes to your seasonings to make this a spicy soup really easily. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes during the browning of the meat and taste it. If desired, add 1/4 teaspoon more at a time until the meat is spicy, then add in the remaining ingredients and cook as directed.
  
• Spinach Lasagna Soup– Wash and dry 1 pound of fresh spinach or thaw 1 cup of frozen spinach and drain off the water. When the soup is finished cooking, stir in the spinach and let it wilt, then serve.
  
• Veggie Lasagna Soup– Brown the meat and onions as directed. Slice one summer squash or zucchini into 1/2″ thick semi-circles. Then slice 1 cup of baby mushrooms. Add both to the browned ground meat and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then continue with the recipe as directed.
  
• Cheesy Lasagna Soup– This soup recipe can already be more or less cheesy depending on how much of the ricotta mixture you use, but if you want EXTRA cheesy lasagna soup, you can add mozzarella cheese over the top as well to make it extra cheesy and extra delicious!
  
• Creamy Lasagna Soup– Once you stir in the ricotta this soup transforms to a creamy lasagna soup. To give it an extra rich creamy boost, you can also stir in 1-2 cups of heavy cream and a little extra salt to taste. This makes the soup extremely rich, velvety and creamy. If you love creamy comfort food, you will love this version.

Freezer Meal Instructions

Making this easy lasagna soup recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.

1. Brown the ground beef, sausage, and onions.
2. Drain the fat and let the meat cool completely.
3. Mix in the tomatoes, seasonings, and chicken stock.
4. Portion into a freezer safe containers.
5. Freeze.
6. Thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
7. Bring to a simmer and break lasagna noodles into the soup.
8. Make the ricotta mixture fresh and serve with hot soup.

One Pot Lasagna Soup Leftovers

If you have leftovers after making lasagna soup, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

• in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
• in the freezer up to a month

More EASY Soup Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my easy dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.

• Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Easy Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup