Lasagna Soup
2
Published Jan 22, 2024, Updated Feb 12, 2024
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This lasagna soup is everything you love about lasagna in one bowl… it’s made with Italian sausage, tender noodles, marinara and lots of cheesy goodness. It’s rich, comforting and the perfect one pot dinner for those cold winter nights.
Imagine all the flavors of a classic lasagna but in a warm, comforting bowl of soup. That’s exactly what this lasagna soup is!
It features vegetables, sweet Italian sausage and tender lasagna noodles all simmered in a rich tomato broth and topped with a variety of cheeses. It’s perfect for those chilly evenings when you’re craving something hearty and comforting, yet easy to prepare.
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna Soup
- Easy – This recipe is super easy to make all in one pot!
- Tastes like lasagna – This soup is loaded with all the classic flavors you’d expect in lasagna… it’s meaty, cheesy and has a rich marinara broth.
- Filling and comforting – Packed with protein, pasta and a variety of cheeses this soup is a well-rounded meal that’s filling, cozy and sure to satisfy.
Ingredients Needed
- lasagna noodles – you’ll need 10 lasagna noodles that you’ll break up before adding to the soup. Make sure you grab regular lasagna noodles and not no boil noodles.
- Italian sausage – I used sweet Italian sausage, which adds a ton of flavor to this soup, but feel free to use hot Italian sausage if you want more of a kick. Ground beef would also be a delicious option and is often found in lasagna. For a lighter option use ground turkey or Italian chicken or turkey sausage instead.
- yellow onion and garlic cloves – two essential ingredients that add a ton of flavor to this soup.
- red bell pepper – diced and chopped for a touch of sweetness. Feel free to use any color bell pepper.
- tomato paste – helps to thicken the soup. Pro tip! If you have leftover tomato paste scoop tablespoons of the paste onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once solid transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for later use. You can watch my tomato paste hack video if interested.
- pasta sauce or marinara – this is the main component of the broth, giving it that lasagna-like taste. I love Rao’s marinara sauce, but homemade or your favorite store-bought brand will work.
- diced tomatoes – to add more tomato flavor. I recommend using diced San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor. My favorite brand is the Muir Glen Organic Diced San Marzano Style Canned Tomatoes. Feel free to use crushed tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand.
- veggie or chicken broth – the liquid base of your soup. I recommend using low sodium broth so you can control the sodium amount in your soup.
- cottage cheese – for some added protein and creaminess we’re blending the cottage cheese with 1 cup of the marinara sauce then adding it to the soup. If you don’t have cottage cheese or aren’t a fan you can use ricotta cheese instead. If using ricotta, no need to blend it before adding to the soup since it’s already smooth and creamy.
- seasonings – we’re using Italian seasoning, ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to skip the red pepper flakes if you’re not a fan of spice or if you’re serving this to kiddos.
- olive oil – to sauté the vegetables and create a flavorful base.
- balsamic vinegar – for a subtle tangy sweetness.
- baby spinach – you can never go wrong with more veggies!
- mozzarella and parmesan cheese – for that cheesy, melty topping. I recommend shredding your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded store-bought cheese for the best results.
- fresh basil – I love adding fresh herbs to my recipes and fresh basil is the perfect pairing for this lasagna soup. Fresh parsley would also be a good herb for this soup.
How to Make Lasagna Soup
This lasagna soup recipe is way easier to make than traditional lasagna. No layering of noodles, sauce and cheese. Just cook everything up in one pot and enjoy! Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and red pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Then, add the Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the meat is browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste, then add pasta sauce, diced tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender.
Step 3: While noodles are cooking blend the remaining pasta sauce with the cottage cheese until smooth.
Step 4: Add the blended cottage cheese mixture, spinach and vinegar to the pot. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Serve hot, topped with mozzarella, parmesan and fresh basil.
Recipe Tips
- When adding the pasta, stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- If the soup gets too thick, add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
- Skip the red pepper flakes if you’re serving this soup to kids.
- Make sure you grab regular lasagna noodles and NOT no boil noodles.
- Use hand-shredded cheese! I definitely recommend buying a block of cheese and grating it yourself. Fresh is always best! The pre-shredded store-bought cheeses typically contain preservatives like potato starch, natamycin and/or cellulose to prevent the shreds from clumping together in the bag. No thank you!
Dietary Substitutions
This soup can easily be customized to fit your needs! Here are some ideas:
- Gluten-Free: Replace traditional lasagna noodles with gluten-free lasagna noodles if needed. I haven’t tried this, but I would assume they’d cook just fine in the broth.
- Vegetarian: Swap out the Italian sausage for a plant-based alternative or simply skip the meet and add more vegetables like mushrooms and/or zucchini.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free cheese alternatives for the topping and and either skip the cottage cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.
How to Serve Lasagna Soup
Serving this soup is the best part! Ladle thee soup into bowls and top with fresh mozzarella, parmesan and fresh basil! Stir in the cheeses so they melt and dig in! This soup is plenty filling on its own, but if you want to serve it with some sides it would be delicious with some garlic bread or a salad like this kale caesar salad.
How to Store Lasagna Soup
- In the refrigerator: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer the soup to airtight containers and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove over medium heat. Thee soup will likely thicken as the noodles soak up some of the broth while sitting, so you might want to add a touch more broth or water while reheating.
Can You Freeze Lasagna Soup?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this soup as the noodles will likely get mushy or have a weird texture once thawed.
More Soup Recipes
- Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
- Tomato Basil Soup
- The Best Minestrone Soup
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- White Bean Soup
Be sure to check out all of the soup recipes on EBF!
Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground sweet Italian pork sausage, or chicken or turkey Italian sausage
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2-3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 24 oz pasta sauce or marinara, divided
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 8 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 10 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into 4ths
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- Fresh basil, for serving, for topping
Instructions
- Add oil to a dutch oven or large pot and heat over medium heat. Once hot add onion and red pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 additional minutes.
- Add sausage, Italian seasoning black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked throughout.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups of sauce (16 oz), tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add noodles then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender.
- While the soup is simmering, add the remaining 1 cup of sauce and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once noodles are tender add spinach, vinegar and blended cottage cheese mixture. Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed or add additional broth if desired.
- Serve hot topped with fresh parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this twice since seeing the recipe and will definitely it again! I used a homemade marinara and a homemade salsa from my freezer and it was a wonderful combination!
So delicious, Sandra. I am glad you enjoyed this soup and it was a hit. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!