Chunky Sausage Lasagna Soup

Here is my favorite sausage lasagna soup recipe, with tender Italian sausage, broken lasagna noodles, fresh kale, and a creamy parmesan broth that tastes just like lasagna in a bowl.

This soup is a weeknight lifesaver in my house. It has all the flavors of traditional lasagna but comes together in one pot in about half the time. Plus, my kids actually eat their greens when they’re swimming in this creamy, cheesy broth.

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What Kind of Italian Sausage Should I Use?

You can use either sweet or spicy Italian sausage for this soup, depending on your preference. Sweet Italian sausage will give you a milder, more family-friendly flavor, while hot Italian sausage adds a nice kick that pairs well with the creamy broth. If you can’t find Italian sausage at your store, regular pork sausage works too – just add an extra pinch of Italian seasoning to make up for the missing herbs. Whether you buy links or ground sausage, both work perfectly fine, though ground sausage will save you the step of removing the casings.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Italian sausage: You can use ground beef, ground turkey, or even ground chicken instead. Just add an extra teaspoon of Italian seasoning to make up for the flavor you’d get from the sausage.
• Half and half: Heavy cream works great if you want something richer, or use whole milk for a lighter version. If using milk, you might want to add an extra tablespoon of flour to help thicken the soup.
• Lasagna noodles: Break up regular lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces, or use any pasta shape you have on hand like penne, rigatoni, or even egg noodles. Cook times might vary slightly depending on what you choose.
• Kale: Spinach, Swiss chard, or even chopped escarole work well here. Spinach will wilt down more quickly, so add it in the last few minutes of cooking.
• Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth both work fine in place of whatever broth the recipe calls for. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Parmesan: Pecorino Romano makes a good substitute and adds a slightly sharper, saltier flavor to the soup.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this soup is adding the lasagna noodles all at once without breaking them into smaller pieces first – break them into bite-sized chunks so they cook evenly and are easy to eat with a spoon.

Another common error is adding the half and half while the soup is still at a rolling boil, which can cause it to curdle or separate, so make sure to lower the heat to a gentle simmer before stirring in the cream.

Don’t skip scraping the bottom of the pot after adding the broth, as those browned bits from the sausage add tons of flavor and prevent any burnt spots from forming.

Finally, if your soup gets too thick after sitting (which it will, since the noodles keep absorbing liquid), just add a splash of broth or water when reheating to bring it back to the right consistency.

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What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

This hearty soup is basically a complete meal in a bowl, but I love serving it with warm garlic bread or cheesy breadsticks for dipping and soaking up all that creamy broth. A simple side salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and Italian dressing keeps things fresh and balances out the richness of the soup. If you want to make it extra special, set out a little bowl of extra parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes so everyone can customize their bowl to their liking. Since the soup already has plenty of protein from the sausage, you really don’t need much else to make it a satisfying dinner.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just a heads up – the noodles will continue to soak up the broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it to loosen things up.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 2 months, though I’ll be honest – the noodles can get a bit mushy after freezing. If you’re planning to freeze it, consider cooking the lasagna noodles separately and adding them fresh when you reheat. Otherwise, just embrace the extra hearty texture!

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. Add a bit of extra broth or half and half if it’s gotten too thick. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 90-110 g
• Fat: 155-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for better seasoning balance)
• 3 tbsp flour (I use Gold Medal for a smooth thickening effect)
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups broth
• 10 lasagna noodles (broken into 1 to 2-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 cups kale (stemmed and torn into small pieces)

For the seasoning and garnish:

• 3/4 cup parmesan (freshly grated for a creamier melt)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place

• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 cups kale
• 10 lasagna noodles

Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, stem the kale and tear into small bite-sized pieces, and break the lasagna noodles into 1 to 2-inch pieces.

Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking ensures a smooth, efficient cooking process and prevents overcooking any components.

Step 2: Brown the Sausage

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb italian sausage

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until it’s browned and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes.

Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and set aside.

I prefer Johnsonville mild sausage because it has better seasoning balance that won’t overpower the delicate cream and kale in the final dish.

Step 3: Build the Flavor Base

• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp flour
• salt

In the same pot with the sausage drippings, add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, cooking for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, stirring constantly for about 1 minute to bloom the spices and release their aromatics.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute to create a light roux that will thicken the soup without lumps.

Step 4: Build and Simmer the Broth Base

• 6 cups broth
• 10 lasagna noodles

Slowly pour in the broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming in the roux.

Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any flavorful browned bits stuck to the surface.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the broken lasagna noodles.

Cook the noodles for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re almost tender but still slightly al dente since they’ll continue cooking as the soup simmers.

Step 5: Finish and Cream the Soup

• 1 lb italian sausage
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 cups kale

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cooked sausage from Step 2, the half and half cream, and the kale torn from Step 1.

Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and the soup thickens to your desired consistency.

I like to add the cream at the end rather than at the beginning because heating it gently prevents it from breaking or curdling, keeping the soup silky and smooth.

Step 6: Season and Serve

• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup parmesan

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to your preference.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, which adds both richness and a subtle salty depth that ties all the flavors together.

Chunky Sausage Lasagna Soup

Delicious Chunky Sausage Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup::

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for better seasoning balance)
• 3 tbsp flour (I use Gold Medal for a smooth thickening effect)
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups broth
• 10 lasagna noodles (broken into 1 to 2-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 cups kale (stemmed and torn into small pieces)

For the seasoning and garnish::

• 3/4 cup parmesan (freshly grated for a creamier melt)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, stem the kale and tear into small bite-sized pieces, and break the lasagna noodles into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking ensures a smooth, efficient cooking process and prevents overcooking any components.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until it's browned and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and set aside. I prefer Johnsonville mild sausage because it has better seasoning balance that won't overpower the delicate cream and kale in the final dish.
• In the same pot with the sausage drippings, add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, cooking for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, stirring constantly for about 1 minute to bloom the spices and release their aromatics. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute to create a light roux that will thicken the soup without lumps.
• Slowly pour in the broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming in the roux. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any flavorful browned bits stuck to the surface. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the broken lasagna noodles. Cook the noodles for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're almost tender but still slightly al dente since they'll continue cooking as the soup simmers.
• Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cooked sausage from Step 2, the half and half cream, and the kale torn from Step 1. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and the soup thickens to your desired consistency. I like to add the cream at the end rather than at the beginning because heating it gently prevents it from breaking or curdling, keeping the soup silky and smooth.
• Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to your preference. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, which adds both richness and a subtle salty depth that ties all the flavors together.