Best Lasagna Soup Recipe

Easy lasagna soup brings the familiar comfort of lasagna to the table in a simpler, one-pot format. Ground beef, crushed tomatoes, dried herbs, pasta, Parmesan, and ricotta come together in a broth-based meal that feels cozy without requiring layers of assembly.

The pasta is the detail that makes this lasagna-inspired soup especially useful to understand. It cooks directly in the soup, but only for half the time listed on the pasta package. The noodles continue cooking as the uncovered pot rests off the heat, while also absorbing some of the broth.

That timing keeps the pasta from being cooked too far before serving. Reginetti or broken lasagna noodles work here, and the exact package timing will depend on the shape you choose. The finished soup is ladled into bowls and topped with Parmesan and ricotta for a cheese-finished presentation.

With 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking, this easy lasagna soup is done in under an hour. It uses one large pot or Dutch oven and makes four 3.5-cup servings.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 pound ground beef

• ½ cup diced onion

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 dried bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 quart low sodium beef broth

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups dry reginetti pasta or broken lasagna noodles (5 ounces)

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

• ¼ cup ricotta

The ingredient list combines the savory base of ground beef, onion, garlic, and tomatoes with dried herbs, broth, pasta, and two cheeses. The pasta may be prepared as 2 cups of dry reginetti or broken lasagna noodles, listed as 5 ounces. Since the pasta cooks in the soup, the shape you use affects the package timing and the final amount of broth it absorbs.

The Parmesan and ricotta are added when the soup is served rather than stirred into the pot. That keeps the finishing step separate and lets each bowl receive both cheeses.

Equipment and Tools

The only equipment specified for this one-pot lasagna soup is a large pot or Dutch oven. Choose one large enough to hold the browned beef, tomato mixture, broth, water, and pasta while leaving room for stirring. You will use the same vessel for heating the oil, cooking the beef, sautéing the onion and garlic, bringing the soup to a boil, and cooking the pasta.

A spatula is used to break the ground beef apart as it cooks. You will also need a way to stir the soup every few minutes while it comes to a boil and occasionally while the pasta cooks. The pot needs a cover for the stage when the tomato, broth, and water mixture is brought to a boil, but the pasta finishes uncovered. For another recipe idea, explore One Pot Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice.

How to Make Easy Lasagna Soup

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 10 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks.

2. Once the beef has browned, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, black pepper, red pepper flakes, beef broth, and water. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and turn up the heat to bring the soup to a boil. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking; it will take about 10 minutes to come to a boil.

4. When the soup is boiling, add the pasta and stir. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the soup uncovered for half the amount of time recommended on the pasta box, stirring occasionally. Do not cook the pasta for the full package time at this stage. It is meant to be slightly undercooked because it will continue cooking and absorbing broth after the pot comes off the heat.

5. After the pasta has cooked for half the recommended time, remove the pot from the heat. Leave the soup uncovered for 5 minutes.

6. Remove the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with the grated Parmesan and ricotta.

The sequence matters: the beef cooks before the aromatics, the liquid is added before the pasta, and the cheese is reserved for the bowls. The total preparation and cooking time is 40 minutes.

Important Pasta Timing and Finish

The pasta timing is the most important technique in this recipe. Once the soup reaches a boil, add the dry reginetti or broken lasagna noodles, reduce the heat to medium, and cook uncovered for half the time printed on the pasta package. The exact duration will vary with the pasta shape and its package instructions. You can also browse Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup (High Protein) for another option.

Slight undercooking is intentional. After the pot is removed from the heat, the pasta continues to cook during the 5-minute uncovered rest and absorbs broth as it finishes. Cooking it for the full package time while the soup is still on the heat would not follow the specified approach.

The soup may absorb more broth as it stands. More broth can be added to your liking.

Flavor and Texture Guidance

The dried basil, oregano, and parsley season the tomato-and-beef base, while black pepper and red pepper flakes add their specified seasoning. The bay leaf joins the liquid during cooking and is removed before serving. Another recipe you may want to try is 3-Ingredient Tomato Lentil Soup {vegan, high-protein, oil-free}.

The pasta is meant to finish tender during the uncovered rest rather than becoming fully cooked on the stovetop. Because it continues to absorb broth, the soup’s consistency can change as it sits. Parmesan and ricotta provide the final cheese topping in each bowl.

Serving, Make-Ahead, and Storage

After the 5-minute uncovered rest, remove the bay leaf and ladle the soup into bowls. Top the servings with the grated Parmesan and ricotta. The cheese is added at the end, after the pasta has finished its initial cooking and resting stages. For another make-ahead idea, see High Protein Creamy Taco Soup.

This recipe makes four servings of 3.5 cups each. If the soup stands after cooking, the pasta continues to absorb broth, so the amount of liquid in the bowl can change. More broth may be added to your liking, as specified for the finished soup.

For leftovers, refrigerate the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. No separate make-ahead preparation is specified.

Why You’ll Love It

This easy lasagna soup keeps the recognizable components of lasagna—ground beef, crushed tomatoes, herbs, pasta, Parmesan, and ricotta—while bringing them together in one pot. There is no separate layering step in the cooking instructions, and the pot moves from the browned beef to the finished soup.

The timing also fits a weeknight meal. Preparation takes 10 minutes, cooking takes 30 minutes, and the recipe is done in under an hour. The large pot or Dutch oven handles the full process, including sautéing, bringing the broth mixture to a boil, and cooking the pasta. For another recipe idea, explore Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup with Mini Turkey Meatballs.

The recipe yields four 3.5-cup servings, making the portions clearly defined. The final bowls are finished with Parmesan and ricotta, so the cheese remains part of the serving step rather than becoming another cooking stage. For a reader looking for a lasagna-inspired soup, that combination of familiar ingredients, one-pot preparation, and a clear pasta technique gives the recipe its practical appeal.

Flavor and Texture

The finished dish combines a beef-and-tomato soup base with pasta and cheese toppings. The dried basil, oregano, parsley, black pepper, and red pepper flakes are incorporated into the liquid before the pasta goes in, allowing the soup to carry those seasonings through each serving. You can also browse Creamy Tortellini Soup for another option.

The texture is shaped by the pasta’s two-stage finish: it cooks for half the package-recommended time over medium heat, then continues cooking and absorbing broth during the 5-minute uncovered rest. Ricotta and Parmesan are added after ladling, giving the bowls their specified cheese finish. As the soup stands, the pasta can absorb additional broth, and more broth can be added to suit the desired consistency.

Variations

The supported substitutions apply to the cooking fat and protein. Olive oil can be replaced with avocado oil, butter, or ghee at the point where the oil is heated in the pot. Another recipe you may want to try is Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup..

Ground beef can be replaced with leaner beef. For a vegetarian option, use cooked lentils or a meat substitute. The fact pack notes that cooking time may differ for those alternatives, so the timing for the beef version should not automatically be applied to them.

The pasta choice can also vary between dry reginetti and broken lasagna noodles, both listed for this recipe. If a different pasta shape is used, follow that package’s cooking recommendation when calculating half the cooking time. The pasta should still be slightly undercooked before the pot is removed from the heat.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Store leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The refrigerator limit applies to the cooked soup after it has been placed in the container.

The soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months. These are the specified storage options; no separate make-ahead method or reheating instruction is provided. Because the pasta continues to absorb broth as the soup stands, the amount of liquid may change during storage, and the recipe’s supported guidance is that more broth can be added to your liking.

Troubleshooting

If the pasta seems too soft, the likely issue is cooking it for the full package time before removing the pot from the heat. The specified approach is to cook it for only half the package-recommended time, then let it continue cooking uncovered for 5 minutes off the heat.

If the soup becomes thicker as it stands, the pasta has absorbed more broth. Add more broth to your liking. When using a different pasta shape, calculate the stovetop cooking time from that shape’s package recommendation, since the exact timing depends on the pasta selected.

If ingredients begin to stick while the liquid mixture comes to a boil, stir every few minutes as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute ground beef with another protein or vegetarian option? Yes. Leaner beef, cooked lentils, or a meat substitute are supported alternatives. Cooking time may differ when using the alternatives.

How should I adjust the pasta timing for a different pasta shape? Use the cooking time on that pasta’s package and cook the soup for half of that amount. The pasta should remain slightly undercooked before the 5-minute uncovered rest.

Can I refrigerate or freeze leftovers? Yes. Refrigerate the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

What toppings are used for extra richness? The specified toppings are grated Parmesan and ricotta, added after the soup is ladled into bowls.

Is the recipe vegetarian or gluten-free? The listed recipe uses ground beef and pasta. A vegetarian option can use cooked lentils or a meat substitute, but no gluten-free status or gluten-free substitution is specified.

Do I need to stir the soup while it cooks? Yes. Stir every few minutes while the covered tomato-and-broth mixture comes to a boil to prevent sticking, and stir occasionally while the pasta cooks.

Can I increase the spice level with red pepper flakes? The recipe specifies ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. No additional amount is specified.

What equipment do I need? Use a large pot or Dutch oven. A spatula is used to break apart the beef while it cooks.

Nutrition at a Glance

Nutrition per serving:

• transFat: 1 g

• servingSize: 3.5 cups

• saturatedFat: 7 g

• serving size: 3.5 cups

• calories: 432 kcal

• fat: 18 g

• saturated fat: 7 g

• trans fat: 1 g

• carbohydrates: 38 g

• fiber: 4 g

• sugar: 2 g

• protein: 28 g

• sodium: 84 mg

• cholesterol: 77 mg

Closing Note on FAQ and Next Steps

The key questions come down to three practical details: choose the specified pot, use half the package pasta time before the uncovered rest, and keep the storage limits in mind. The recipe’s supported substitutions cover the cooking fat and protein, while Parmesan and ricotta remain the stated finishing toppings.