Cozy Meatball Lasagna Soup

Finding a comforting dinner that brings together the best of two favorite dishes without all the fuss can feel impossible on a busy weeknight. After all, traditional lasagna takes forever to layer and bake, and while meatball soup is easier, it doesn’t quite hit that same cozy, Italian comfort food spot we’re all craving.

That’s where this meatball lasagna soup comes in: it combines all the flavors you love from classic lasagna and hearty meatball soup into one pot, cooks up in a fraction of the time, and still delivers that satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs meal your family will actually get excited about.

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What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For meatball lasagna soup, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content that keeps your meatballs moist without making the soup too greasy. I’d recommend going with 85/15 or 80/20 ground beef – this gives you enough fat to keep the meatballs tender and flavorful while they simmer in the broth. If you only have leaner ground beef like 90/10, that’ll work too, though your meatballs might be a bit less juicy. You can also substitute ground turkey or a beef-pork blend if that’s what you have on hand, just know that leaner meats might need a little extra care to stay moist.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Ground beef: Ground turkey, chicken, or pork all work great here. You could even use Italian sausage (remove the casings) for extra flavor – just reduce the Italian seasoning a bit since sausage is already seasoned.
• Panko: Regular breadcrumbs are a perfect substitute. You can also use crushed crackers or even rolled oats if that’s what you have on hand.
• Coconut milk: Regular milk, heavy cream, or even a beaten egg will work to bind the meatballs. Use the same amount.
• Bone broth: Regular beef broth or chicken broth works just fine. If using store-bought broth, you might want to add a bit more salt to taste.
• Ricotta: Cottage cheese makes a good swap – just give it a quick blend if you want it smoother. You could also use cream cheese, though it’ll be richer.
• Lasagna noodles: Break up any pasta you have – penne, rigatoni, or even egg noodles work well. Just adjust cooking time based on the pasta type you choose.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this soup is overcooking the meatballs, which can make them dry and tough – pull them from the oven as soon as they reach 160°F internally, since they’ll continue cooking when added to the hot broth. Another common error is boiling the lasagna noodles for too long before cutting them into strips, so aim for just 4 minutes in the first boil to keep them from turning mushy when you add them back to the soup. Don’t skip browning your meatballs in the oven instead of adding them raw to the soup, as this step locks in flavor and prevents them from falling apart in the broth. Finally, add the cheese just before serving rather than letting it sit in the hot soup for too long, which keeps the ricotta from becoming grainy and the mozzarella nice and melty.

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What to Serve With Meatball Lasagna Soup?

This hearty soup is basically a complete meal in a bowl, but I always like serving it with some warm garlic bread or a crusty baguette for soaking up all that tomatoey broth. A simple Caesar salad on the side adds a nice crisp contrast to the rich, cheesy soup, and the romaine lettuce helps balance out all those comforting flavors. If you want to keep things easy, just set out some extra grated parmesan and red pepper flakes so everyone can customize their bowl. For a lighter option, a mixed green salad with Italian dressing or even some roasted vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers work great alongside this soup.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover meatball lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles will soak up more broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of extra broth when reheating to loosen it up.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 3 months, though I’d recommend cooking the noodles fresh when you’re ready to eat it. The pasta can get a bit mushy after freezing, so just freeze the meatball and tomato base, then add freshly cooked lasagna noodles when you reheat.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions, but add a little extra broth or water since the noodles tend to absorb liquid. Top with fresh ricotta and mozzarella right before serving for the best taste.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3450-3750
• Protein: 185-205 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-240 g

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp coconut milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen for its creamy consistency)

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 carrots (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
• 14 oz tomato sauce (I always use Hunt’s for a smooth base)
• 2 qt bone broth (provides a much richer flavor than standard stock)

For the noodles:

• 1 package lasagna (broken into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces)

For the toppings:

• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 cup mozzarella (shredded from a block for a better melt)
• 2 tbsp oregano

Step 1: Form and Bake the Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp coconut milk

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, panko, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and coconut milk, mixing gently with your hands until just combined—don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become dense.

Form into small meatballs (about the size of walnuts) and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until cooked through.

While the meatballs bake, you can start the soup base in the next step.

Step 2: Build the Soup Base

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 14 oz tomato sauce
• 2 qt bone broth

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

Add the diced onion and sliced carrots, cooking for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add the minced garlic, bay leaf, 1.5 tablespoons Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the tomato sauce and bone broth, bringing the mixture to a simmer.

Let it simmer gently for 8 minutes to allow the flavors to meld—I find this time allows the herbs and aromatics to really develop.

Step 3: Cook the Lasagna Noodles

• 1 package lasagna noodles

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the lasagna noodles, cooking for 4-6 minutes until they’re al dente (still slightly firm).

Drain the noodles and rinse them briefly with cool water to stop the cooking.

Once cooled enough to handle, break the noodles into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces—this step makes them easier to eat in a soup and gives the dish its unique character.

Step 4: Assemble and Serve

• lasagna noodles from Step 3
• cooked meatballs from Step 1
• soup base from Step 2
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 2 tbsp oregano

Remove the soup from heat and discard the bay leaf.

Divide the broken lasagna noodles from Step 3 and cooked meatballs from Step 1 among serving bowls.

Ladle the hot soup base from Step 2 over the noodles and meatballs.

Top each bowl with a spoonful of ricotta, a generous handful of shredded mozzarella, and a sprinkle of fresh oregano.

I always add the cheese right before serving so it melts just slightly from the heat of the soup without becoming rubbery.

Cozy Meatball Lasagna Soup

Delicious Cozy Meatball Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 3600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meatballs::

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp coconut milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen for its creamy consistency)

For the soup::

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 carrots (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
• 14 oz tomato sauce (I always use Hunt's for a smooth base)
• 2 qt bone broth (provides a much richer flavor than standard stock)

For the noodles::

• 1 package lasagna (broken into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces)

For the toppings::

• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 cup mozzarella (shredded from a block for a better melt)
• 2 tbsp oregano

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, panko, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and coconut milk, mixing gently with your hands until just combined—don't overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become dense. Form into small meatballs (about the size of walnuts) and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes until cooked through. While the meatballs bake, you can start the soup base in the next step.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sliced carrots, cooking for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic, bay leaf, 1.5 tablespoons Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the tomato sauce and bone broth, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer gently for 8 minutes to allow the flavors to meld—I find this time allows the herbs and aromatics to really develop.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the lasagna noodles, cooking for 4-6 minutes until they're al dente (still slightly firm). Drain the noodles and rinse them briefly with cool water to stop the cooking. Once cooled enough to handle, break the noodles into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces—this step makes them easier to eat in a soup and gives the dish its unique character.
• Remove the soup from heat and discard the bay leaf. Divide the broken lasagna noodles from Step 3 and cooked meatballs from Step 1 among serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup base from Step 2 over the noodles and meatballs. Top each bowl with a spoonful of ricotta, a generous handful of shredded mozzarella, and a sprinkle of fresh oregano. I always add the cheese right before serving so it melts just slightly from the heat of the soup without becoming rubbery.