It tastes just like lasagna, but it’s a soup! The hearty meat, the chewy pasta, the delicious tomato sauce and allllll the cheese…it’s all there in this outrageous lasagna soup!
A few years back my husband and I were able to travel to New York and do two episodes for Paula Deen’s show, Paula’s Party. It was seriously so much fun. We got to see a bunch of fun people on the show like, Carson Kressley, Cheri Oteri, Jason Priestly and more. It’s probably one of our favorite memories.
On one episode, Paula made Tastes Like Lasagna Soup and oh my goodness it smelled amazing. We were so bummed we didn’t get to taste it! When we got back we hurried and recreated a similar recipe with our own spin on it. It has become one of our favorites.
What is it about lasagna and especially lasagna soup that feels like home? I mean, I know it’s all saucy and delicious, but it’s not like I’m Italian, or even have an ounce of Italian (or I-talian like my dad says. Gah, I hate that. It’s like saying, law-yur) in me, but it totally feels like home to me. It’s pure comfort food!
Ingredients for Lasagna Soup
This soup recipe is a cross between a creamy soup and broth soup due to the addition of a little ricotta. It’s hearty, beefy, and delicious. In other words, perfection. Here is what you will need:
- Olive Oil: helps with sauteing the veggies
- Minced Vegetables: red onions, garlic and bell peppers
- Fresh Herbs: oregano, parsley and basil – this trio is a classic Italian blend
- Ground Beef: I like to use 80/20 for maximum flavor.
- Beef Broth: becomes the base of the soup
- Ricotta: add flavor and creaminess to the soup
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: I’m obsessed with fire roasted tomatoes lately. They add so much flavor and the perfect amount of heat.
- Marinara Sauce: Rao’s is our favorite. It is a little pricey so I like to wait until it’s on sale at Costco and then load up.
- Parmesan Rind: I toss it in the soup as it simmers to add more flavor and then remove it before serving.
- Lasagna Noodles: I seem to always have some broken lasagna noodles in the bottom of the box, so this is pretty much the perfect solution so that you don’t waste them, but I’m also totally willing to break up new lasagna noodles to be able to eat this.
- Mozzarella Cheese: perfect for melting and being all gooey delicious
- Garlic Bread: This is totally optional but there is nothing better than dipping a crusty piece of garlic bread in this soup!
This list just provides an overview of each ingredients and some helpful information about its use in this recipe. Scroll to the end of the post to the recipe card to see all the measurements and details.
How to Make Lasagna Soup
This recipe comes together so quickly and the steps are super easy. Here are the basic steps:
- Sauté the vegetables until tender and then add the herbs and seasonings.
- Brown the beef and drain any excess grease.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except the pasta and cheese) and let simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to all day.
- Add the pasta.
- Top with cheese and broil.
The full list of instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Tips for Success
- You will want to be careful, the noodles will slowly soak up more and more broth, so I never add them until the last 15 minutes before serving and if I’m freezing the soup or making a bigger batch in order to have leftovers I save the noodles until I’m ready to eat it.
- You can make this soup in the morning and let it simmer all day until you’re ready to serve. Bonus…your house will smell like a dream!
- Don’t have fresh herbs? No worries, I tend to use a lot of Gourmet Garden herbs. They are in tubes in the produce section. You can also used dried herbs but decrease the amount by half.
- Keep those parmesan rinds! I love adding the rind to the soup as it simmers for the delicious flavor it adds. I do the same thing for our homemade pizza sauce.
- My absolute favorite, favorite, favorite part is all of that baked cheese on top. Oh my heavens. It really is wonderful, and while you may be tempted to skip out on the bread, don’t!! Really, dipping pieces of crusty garlic bread in the soup is essential to your happiness.
Variations for Lasagna Soup
You can make this soup vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and by substituting vegetable broth for the beef broth.
If you don’t have lasagna noodles, try using a different type of pasta. Bow tie pasta works great. Mafalda pasta is really fun because it looks like mini lasagna noodles. It can be difficult to find though.
Change up the protein. You could do half ground beef and half Italian sausage. Ground turkey or chicken also work great if you want to reduce the fat a little.
Lasagna Soup in the Crock Pot and Instant Pot
This soup does great in both the crock pot and the Instant Pot. Depending on your schedule you can choose which method works best for you.
Crock Pot
Follow the instructions through step 7 on the stove top. Then add everything to the crock pot and cook it on low for 6-8 hours. Add the pasta 15 minutes before serving and add the cheese to the top and broil in oven safe bowls if desired.
Instant Pot
Follow the instructions in the recipe card through step 5 using the sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Once everything is cooked, continue the instructions through step 10. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick release and then add the cheese to the top. Place the lid back on so the cheese will melt. If you want the broiled cheese, you’ll have to put the soup into oven safe bowls in broil them with the cheese on top.
How to Serve Lasagna Soup
I hope I’ve convinced you of making the garlic bread as a side dish, or at least some sort of delicious crusty bread. Baguettes would work great too, or our no knead artisan bread.
I also love to serve a bright, fresh salad alongside it. A Caesar salad is great!
Storing, Freezing and Reheating Lasagna Soup
Properly stored, lasagna soup will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It should be stored in an airtight container.
If you want to double the recipe and freeze some of it, do not add the pasta or cheese. Let the soup cool completely and freeze it in a ziploc bag or a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 6 months.
To reheat refrigerated soup, just zap it in the microwave until warmed through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop. To reheat frozen soup, let the soup thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then place it in a pan and heat until boiling. Then add the noodles and let simmer until the noodles are cooked. Top with cheese if desired.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This whole recipe can be made in one bowl, which makes prepping, cooking and cleanup such a cinch.
Speaking of cleanup, making a traditional lasagna takes all sorts of pots and pans and mountains of dishes. It really is just a mess afterward (but totally worth it because lasagna is so dang good). With this soup, you get all the same flavors without the mess.
You can start this recipe anytime during the day and just let it simmer according to your schedule. If the evening are busy like mine always are, start it in the morning and then it’s ready whenever you can squeeze dinner in.
Lasagna soup is so hearty and so comforting! It makes a great dinner for guests or to take to a neighbor. It really is loved by all, even my picky eaters!
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- French Onion Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
The Best Lasagna Soup Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, small, minced
- 1 Red Onion, minced *see note
- 1 Bell Pepper, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Oregano, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Basil, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 32 oz Beef Broth
- 1/2 Cup Ricotta
- 32 oz Marinara Sauce, *Rao's is our favorite
- 14 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- 1" Parmesan Rind
- 2 Cups Lasagna Noodles, broken
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- Garlic Bread, for dipping
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil until it just starts to shimmer.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Add the garlic and onion, stirring as you add it and cook for 3-5 minutes, until translucent.4 cloves Garlic, 1 Red Onion
- Add the bell pepper, oregano, parsley and basil and season with a little salt and pepper.1 Bell Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Oregano, 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Basil, 1/2 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- Stir to combine and let cook for one minute.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned and no longer raw. Drain off any grease.1 lb Ground Beef
- I've decided it's easiest to add the ricotta in at this point as it will melt into the meat, but you'll notice I add it in the next step in the video. Either will work.1/2 Cup Ricotta
- Add the beef broth, marinara, diced tomatoes and parmesan rind.32 oz Beef Broth, 14 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 32 oz Marinara Sauce, 1" Parmesan Rind
- Let simmer all day for maximum flavor or at least 30 minutes.
- The last 15 minutes add the broken lasagna noodles and cook until tender.2 Cups Lasagna Noodles
- Remove parmesan rind.
- Place the soup in oven safe bowls or soup mugs and top with a little cheese. You can add another dollop of ricotta here as well if you'd like.1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- Heat the broiler to high heat and place the soup in the oven.
- Once the cheese is golden and melted remove from the oven and serve with our favorite garlic bread.Garlic Bread
Notes
- You can use 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 Italian Sausage for more flavor
- You can use any onion you’d like, but I tend to use red like our bolognese sauce
- If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, you can substitute half the amount of dry herbs.
- You can freeze this soup for up to 6 months, but never with the lasagna noodles or they will absorb liquid. Cool completely and freeze in heavy duty freezer bag or in a covered freezer container.
Kat
I know this recipe is years old, and I actually first made it 5 years ago. I remember loving it then, but I tend to be a person that has to always be trying new recipes so I had it saved in my big recipe stash that barely gets touched as I browse for new things to make.
Anyways I randomly remembered it today and had a huge craving for it, so made it again. It’s even better than I remember, and my husband (the true critic) loved it so much he had 3 helpings…and he’s not even much of a soup person! This is definitely going into my regular meal rotation.
Sweet Basil
That’s so great to hear!! We are totally the same with how we make recipes and we haven’t had this one in a while so I had it planned for Saturday and your comment sealed the deal!
Chefshell
Small tid bit, you should always add your onions to oil before your garlic, as garlic alone has a tendency to burn quickly and therefore become bitter. Adding your onion first lowers the temp of your pan and allows for a base of sorts for the garlic to cook with.
Karen
Great recipe! Found by way of a Cottage Life email blast this morning. Perfect recipe for a day like today (not eating turkey in Canada!). Really tasty soup, although mine ended up more like a lasagna chili. 🙂 Nice to have another use for my rarely used french onion soup bowls. Willbe made again and again. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sweet Basil
And I still need to get french onion soup bowls so thank you for the reminder!
Nicki
How many “good eaters” does this serve? 🙂
iselin juhls
This soup looks amaazing! And your blog is pretty amazing too! I just want to make everything! 🙂 Can I ask you where you have bought your soup-mugs from? thank you! xo Iselin 🙂
Sweet Basil
Just our regular grocery store. 🙂
Cynthia
I’ve got all my ingredients set and ready to go! The photos are mouth-watering. I am using dried herbs for my trial run since I have them on hand. Will the measurements be the same? I look forward to trying it later with the fresh herbs.
Valarie
I just cooked this soup tonight, and it was absolutely wonderful…I made it exactly like your recipe with a couple exceptions…just threw a bit of sharp cheddar on top along with the mozzarella because that’s how I make my lasagna…and used bow tie noodles because I had some in the pantry 🙂 Came out perfect…thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Sweet Basil
I’m so thrilled! And now I am totally craving it. Time for more soup!
Jennifer Williams
OH my!!! Made this yesterday and it is the Best! soup I have ever had. I put mine in the slow cooker on low all day and the flavor was phenomenal. I also made the Taco stew last week and it was great too. So glad I found your website 🙂
Sweet Basil
Yay!!! I love that you loved it! Woohoo! Thank you for totally making my day!
J Stone
I wanted to share your recipe, but I couldn’t find a way to share it on facebook. Is it just my computer skills, or
are you not set up to do it ?? (I am terrible with a computer, lol)
Sweet Basil
Oh darn, you should be able to scroll to the bottom of the post and just click the facebook button to share. Or copy the url and paste it in your facebook update. 🙂
J Stone
Ok, will try again. I definitely want to share this.
J Stone
I am making it now. I have to leave out the cheese, my kids will be in the bathroom all night, no milk products for them. I am hoping that this recipe will give me and the hubby our ‘lasagna fix’ since I can’t make it anymore due to the kids. He and I can add cheese to just our bowls.
If you like this type of recipe, you should try stuffed pepper soup. It is similar and very hearty too.
Sweet Basil
We love this soup and yes, I love that you can make yours with cheese and their’s without. I’ll have to search for the stuffed pepper! I’ve never heard of it!
J Stone
Soup was soooo good. I used fettuccini noodles broken into pieces and deer meat. My hubby loved it.
Stuffed pepper soup has the same type of base that your soup has. It just has more peppers/onions and rice instead of noodles.
Thanks for the recipe, it was excellent!
Sweet Basil
Ok, totally sold on the stuffed pepper soup, and I have everything I need to make it!!
J Stone
New one for you to try…..Stuffed cabbage soup. Cabbage, tomatoes, onions, ground meat, rice.
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Sweet Basil
ohhh, I’ll have to look into that!
Sheila in MD
I have this simmering on the stove…my ricotta curdled when I added it even though I added it at the same time as the beef broth…the soup tastes fine (great in fact!) but is now a bit ugly with tiny flecks of white floating around:-). Is this normal? I had suspected it would do that but tried it anyway:-). Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Darnit! I had it curdle once as well but the other times it was fine. I still have no clue as the temp was the same and everything. MAybe we should temper the ricotta first next time
Brandie
Just wonder how big of a box of beef broth you used. This sounds WONDERFUL and can’t wait to make it!!!!!
Sweet Basil
Hey Brandie, It was a 32 oz box. Phew, I totally forgot to add that, but I’ll go now!
Marie
Absolutley love this idea! Never thought of it before but my family loves lasagna and now that my husband can’t eat chili much because of an allergy to all peppers, I could use this soup instead when I have a hankering for chili.
Sweet Basil
Yay! It will be perfect and it’s seriously one of our favorite soups ever.
Devin
I just made this soup, double recipe I added a little more beef and twice as much ricotta 🙂 let it simmer for 5 hours (house smelled WONDERFUL! ). I as well used fresh herbs (strongly suggested you do that!). If you are planning to make this soup to keep don’t put in the noodles until you are ready to eat. I take the amount of soup I want to eat and then break up some lasagna noodles and add it to the pot warm up soup on med high for about 10-15 minutes perfect!!!! Top with mozzarella ……. The reason for only adding lasagna noodle when you are ready to eat is noodles become mushy and don’t stay very well
Sweet Basil
Devin, I’m totally with you, fresh herbs are waaaaay better! So glad you agree. So many of my emails are, “I will only use dried…” So I’ve hung back a little on posting the fresh herbs measurements. I’m totally going to do it again knowing that there are people out there that are like me! Oh, and yes, always add the noodles before serving. I hate how much liquid they absorb.
Rach
Hi, This soup looks incredible! I’m just wondering how much this makes? =)
Sweet Basil
We got 6 servings out of ours.
Peggy
This soup sounds amazing! Comfort in a bowl =)
Deborah
I have never had a lasagna soup – definitely want to try this one!!
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness
This soup sounds awesome! Warm, comforting and meaty! Gotta try it someday! Thank you so much for sharing.
Sweet Basil
Thank you! I hope you give it a go!
Anita
This looks wonderful,what size can of tomato sauce do you use?
I assume the tomatoes are 28oz?
I’ll be making this as soon as I get the ricotta.
Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Anita! I kept forgetting to add that, so thank you so much for commenting. Ok, the tomatoes were 28 oz, but I’ve totally had to use only 14 oz before and it was still yummy. TOmato sauce was 8ox can. I hope you give it a go. I seriously ate waaaay too much of it.
sally @ sallys baking addiction
I simply adore the idea of having lasagna as soup! I’ve seen a recipe like this before and keep telling myself that I need to make it. Now, you have me convinced. 🙂 It looks amazing! And perfect for this time of year.
Sweet Basil
Thanks, Sally! Growing up I hated lasagna-what the heck was I thinking?!!
ashley – baker by nature
Loving your blog!!! And this soup looks INCREDIBLE!!!
Sweet Basil
You’re so sweet! Thank you so much!!!
Amanda
Love the idea of adding ricotta to the soup. Yum!
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Yum, this sounds absolutely delicious – like the perfect winter comfort food!
Katie
Oh wow this soup looks oh-so comforting. I too love Gourmet Garden Herbs!
Amanda
Wonderful comfort food!
Sweet Basil
Hi Amanda!! Thank you! Wish we had EVO to get together again 🙁
Jen @ Savory Simple
What a brilliant idea for a soup. I’m half asleep at my computer and I still want to go downstairs and make it right now.
Sweet Basil
Boy, and it’s crazy snowy here today, so I feel even more tired!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
This sounds so comforting and down right delicious!
Mere
HI Carrian! OMG. This looks so delicious. I want to make this immediately. It was such a pleasure to meet you at ALT! Love, Love, Love your site!
Sweet Basil
You’re so sweet! Thank you!!
Caroline @ chocolate & carrots
Haha…I love the name. 😉 It’s definitely one that I would want my mama to make and pass down the recipe to me. It looks incredible! Oh, and those cups are great!
Sweet Basil
Thanks! I know, I totally will have to remember to pass this on to my girls someday.
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
Love the idea of lasagna soup! Adding this recipe to my to-try list.
a farmer in the dell
ooooohhhhhh. that baked cheese on top. I need this!
Sweet Basil
That baked cheese is my favorite part! MMMMM!!
Angela @ AnotherBitePlease
this sounds so good…and agree what a great use for broken noodles…my hubby and kiddos will so love big bowl of this!
Sweet Basil
Thanks Angela! So glad to see your comment was approved. WOOHOO!
Angela @ AnotherBitePlease
me too…woohoo..thanks for your help!
Cindy Brickley
My husband (Randy) makes the most awesome lasagna in the world, so every time I see a recipe for lasagna soup I pass it up, thinking it couldn’t be as good as his lasagna, but I have to say I’m going to make your soup, ASAP!
Sweet Basil
Aghhh, I hope I can stand up to the test!! We really do love this soup, but I’m dying to try Randy’s now.
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite
I think the name fits the soup! I absolutely love lasagna but making it into a soup is pure genius!
Sweet Basil
So you’re saying I’m a genius?! Can we share that on all social media? Haha jk!
Emily
Love lasagna and Gourmet Garden–can’t wait to try this!
Sweet Basil
And I love you!
Bev @ Bev Cooks
I don’t even know what to do with myself right now.
Sweet Basil
How about come have lunch with me!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
ahhhh I hate when people say I-talian/Eyetalian! Lol, my grandma does it and I’m like YOU’RE MARRIED TO ONE! PRONOUNCE IT RIGHT! 😛
This soup looks rich and cheesy and full of yumminess!
Sweet Basil
It’s so annoying! Eyetalian Soda, Eyetalian Restaurant. GAG!!
Cassie | Bake Your Day
I have recently noticed so many amazing lasagna soups around and I’m not sure why I have never made any. This looks SO amazing.
Sweet Basil
Awww, thanks darlin’! How’s the move coming along?
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Comfort in a bowl, yum!
Sweet Basil
And then we can all cozy up for dessert. It’s perfect!
Leslie
I love love love Gourmet Garden Herbs! I use the dill one all the time.
Your lasagna soup looks and sounds scrumptious!
Sweet Basil
Thanks, Leslie! Hope you’re well!