Lasagna Soup (Perfected Recipe!) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published December 31, 2018. Updated April 19, 2021

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This Lasagna Soup is one of my all time favorites! You get all the flavors of a delicious hearty lasagna in a comforting soup form! It’s loaded with beef, tomatoes and Italian herbs and the melty cheese just takes it over the top.

Lasagna Soup (Perfected Recipe!) - Cooking Classy (1)

Lasagna Soup

I first shared this recipe way back in December 2013 and since then I’ve made it countless times. It’s been a go-to recipe for 5 years going strong so I figured it was time to update the photos and add tips.

How To Make Lasagna Soup Video Tutorial

On a chilly day this is one of my favorite ways to warm up. It’s such a cozy soup and it has such an incredibly flavor.

You get an herbed tomato based broth that’s filled with hearty bits of ground beef, and it’s finished off with a generous mound of cheese that melts perfectly into the steaming hot soup.

This simple recipe may look a little daunting due to the long list of ingredients but a lot of it is pantry staples you likely already have so don’t miss out on this recipe thinking it’s too much.

It’s actually easy to make and perfect for weeknights. Try it soon, it’s likely to become a chilly night staple!

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Ingredients Needed for Lasagna Soup

  • Olive oil
  • Lean ground beef
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Low-sodium chicken broth
  • Canned diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste
  • Dried herbs basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme
  • Seasoning Salt and pepper
  • Cheeses mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta
  • Dried lasagna noodles (campanelle or bow-ties works great too)
  • Fresh parsley

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How to Make Lasagna Soup

  • Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Once hot, crumble beef into pot, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until browned.
  • Drain fat from beef and set beef aside.

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  • Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pot, add chopped yellow onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
  • Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.

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  • Pour in broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and herbs.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

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  • Meanwhile cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • In a mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta.

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  • Add cooked pasta to soup and thin soup with a little more broth if desired. See notes below next photo.
  • Stir together cheeses then serve soup with dollops of cheese.

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Can I Cook the Pasta in the Soup?

  • If you plan on serving the soup right away you can also just simmer the noodles with the soup. Add 1 extra cup of broth or water to make up for what the noodles will absorb. They’ll likely take about 12 – 14 minutes to cook with soup.
  • I like to cook pasta separately and add to individual servings then reserve remaining noodles (tossed with oil) for leftovers separately. We don’t finish the whole pot in one sitting and I hate soggy pasta.

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What If I Don’t Have all Those Dried Herbs?

If you don’t have the long list of herbs I’ve also tried this with 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning and it works great.

Can I Use Fresh Herbs?

I’ve also made this with fresh basil in place of dried. If doing so use 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil. You could also use fresh oregano, rosemary or thyme too just triple those amounts.

Can I Freeze This Soup?

The soup will freeze great without the pasta or cheeses mixed in. Freeze cheeses and pasta separately (lightly rinse pasta, drain then drizzle and toss with a little oil so it doesn’t stick excessively).

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Tips for This Recipe

  • You can use half Italian sausage in place of the ground beef (or try half sausage half beef). You can use ground turkey to cut fat.
  • You could also replace parmesan cheese with romano cheese.
  • Freeze any leftover crushed tomatoes (if you had to use a large can and couldn’t find the small) or tomato paste for a later use.

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More Italian Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Zuppa Toscana
  • Pasta e fa*gioli
  • Spinach Tomato Tortellini Soup
  • Italian Wedding Soup
  • Italian Vegetable Lentil Soup
  • Minestrone
  • Italian Beef Stew

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Lasagna Soup (Perfected Recipe!) - Cooking Classy (12)

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Lasagna Soup

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This Lasagna Soup is one of my all time favorites! You get all the flavors of a delicious hearty lasagna in a comforting soup form! It's loaded with beef, tomatoes and Italian herbs and the melty cheese just takes it over the top.

Watch the video

Servings: 6

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook35 minutes minutes

Ready in: 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, crumble beef into pot, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Drain fat from beef and set beef aside.

  • Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pot, add chopped yellow onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.

  • Add in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, browned ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, prepare lasagna noodles according to directions listed on package.

  • In a mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta.

  • Stir cooked pasta into soup along with parsley, then thin soup with a little more broth if desired****.

  • Ladle soup into bowls, dollop with a large scoop of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with chopped parsley (cheese will melt well once stirred into soup).

Notes

  • *If you don't love garlic you can reduce to 2 or 3 cloves.
  • **If you don't have all the dried herbs listed then 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning can be use instead.
  • ***Another great option that's faster is to use campanelle pasta or bowtie pasta.
  • ****If you plan on left overs I like to add pasta to individual servings. If you plan on serving it all right away you can just simmer the noodles in with the soup for about 12 minutes (add 1 cup extra broth to make up for what they absorb).
  • If you'd like to add another veggie it's also good with a diced carrot added along with the onion.
  • Recipe originally listed 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds be added along with the other herbs, I've omitted this as I feel they aren't a must so we can cut down on ingredients.

Nutrition Facts

Lasagna Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 546Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 92mg31%

Sodium 649mg28%

Potassium 1041mg30%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 38g76%

Vitamin A 895IU18%

Vitamin C 17.9mg22%

Calcium 381mg38%

Iron 5.3mg29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lasagna Soup

Author: Jaclyn

Lasagna Soup (Perfected Recipe!) - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to my lasagna to make it taste better? ›

Sugar: Two tablespoons of white sugar add subtle sweetness and enhance the flavor of the sauce. Spices and seasonings: This lasagna recipe is flavored with fresh parsley, dried basil leaves, salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper. Lasagna noodles: Use store-bought or homemade lasagna noodles.

What is the best bottom layer for lasagna? ›

Start by spreading a layer of your tomato-based sauce (either a plain tomato sauce or your pre-made ragù) on the bottom of your dish. Next, add a single layer of pasta sheets. Then, add a layer of white sauce, followed by another single layer of pasta sheets.

How do I make my lasagna less soupy? ›

Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna.

Is lasagna healthy yes or no? ›

Lasagna is a quintessential comfort food, but there's nothing nutritious about white noodles layered with fatty ground meat and gobs of cheese. Fortunately it's possible to indulge in this Italian favorite without inhaling 800-plus calories and more than a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat in a single serving.

Why add tomato paste to lasagna? ›

A good tomato paste helps to thicken but also adds a sweet and savory umami flavor. Lean Ground Beef: Lean beef adds a robust and hearty meatiness that's essential in a classic lasagna recipe.

Do Italians put ricotta in lasagna? ›

In southern Italy lasagna is generally made with dried sheets of pasta layered with rich meat ragú, ricotta and mozzarella. In the north, especially in Bologna, the most popular version of lasagna features fresh egg pasta colored green with spinach and layered with ragú, bechamel and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Why do Americans use ricotta instead of béchamel in lasagna? ›

But some still firmly believe ricotta is the way to go. It's lighter in texture than a béchamel and can offset the richness of the meat sauce and mozzarella. The question even divided our team of food editors. For many of us, ricotta-based lasagna offers cozy nostalgia.

Why does lasagna taste better the second day? ›

Our seasoned experts agree

Have you noticed if you cut your lasagne as soon as it comes out of the oven, it can be sloppy, falls apart easily and the sauce runs to the bottom of the dish? When you have it the next day, the sauce has had time to firm up and create an even richer tomato taste,” she says.

What not to do when making lasagna? ›

12 Lasagna Mistakes You Didn't Realize You Were Making
  1. Not cooking the noodles correctly. Adao/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Not having all the ingredients ready. ...
  3. Not browning the meat. ...
  4. Using the wrong cheese. ...
  5. Skipping the dairy sauce. ...
  6. Skimping on the amount of marinara. ...
  7. Improperly layering the noodles. ...
  8. Forgetting a layer of sauce.
Feb 21, 2023

Should the top layer of lasagna be noodles or sauce? ›

Begin Layering

After the initial sauce layer, add a layer of pasta sheets, ricotta mixture (or bechamel), sauce, and cheese. Then repeat the layers. Top the last layer of your lasagna with sauce and cheese.

Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered? ›

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cheese is golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Is ricotta cheese or cottage cheese better in lasagna? ›

When put into a lasagna, cottage cheese can remain lumpy and grainy, which is not ideal for a filling that's supposed to be smooth and creamy. Beyond having the incorrect texture, cottage cheese's flavor is sharper and more acidic than mild ricotta, which has a sweeter taste that doesn't clash with other ingredients.

How do you layer lasagna so it doesn't fall apart? ›

In a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) glass baking dish, add a layer of bolognese to the bottom. Top with noodles, then spread a layer of the ricotta mixture on top. Repeat with another layer of bolognese, noodles, ricotta, noodles, bolognese, then top with mozzarella and additional Parmesan.

How do I make my lasagna more solid? ›

Use the oven-ready (no boil) lasagna noodles. It absorbs some of the extra liquid released from the cheeses and sauce and keep it firmer. Also, do NOT use part-skim mozzarella or ricotta - use the whole milk versions.

What is the main ingredients in lasagna? ›

There are just three components that make a lasagna great: the pasta, the cheese, and the sauce. Since this recipe starts with a jar of marinara for ease, make sure it's one that tastes great. My favorite brand is Rao's, but choose your personal favorite. The lasagna noodles cook right in the sauce.

What is traditional lasagna made of? ›

The ingredients required are the lasagna noodles or pasta sheets, tomato sauce made from scratch, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian sausage, ground beef, herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme, and garlic.

What is Mexican lasagna made of? ›

It's called a Mexican "lasagna" because it's layered like its distant Italian cousin (very distant). Only in true southwestern style, we are using corn tortillas in place of lasagna noodles, salsa instead of sauce, beans in place of béchamel, and mild cheddar and jack instead of ricotta and Parmesan.

What are the ingredients in no name lasagna? ›

Water, Pasta (water, Durum Wheat Semolina, Wheat Gluten), Crushedtomatoes, Diced Tomatoes (tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid, Calciumchloride), Beef, Mozzarella And Parmesan Cheeses (milk), Onions,modified Corn Starch, Salt, Sugar, Garlic, Olive Oil, Beef Base (salt,yeast Extract, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Soy ...

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