Easy Lasagna Soup No Ricotta

If you ask me, lasagna soup is pure comfort food genius.

This hearty soup brings all the familiar flavors of lasagna to your spoon without the fuss of layering. Ground beef and Italian sausage simmer with tomatoes and herbs in a rich broth that tastes like home.

It’s loaded with tender pasta and gets topped with a creamy mixture of mozzarella and parmesan instead of ricotta. The best part? You can have this on the table in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

It’s a cozy bowl of goodness that satisfies those lasagna cravings without all the work.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For lasagna soup, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content that gives you good flavor without making your soup too greasy. I recommend going with 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef – this gives you enough fat for taste while not overwhelming the broth. If you only have 90/10 or leaner ground beef on hand, that works too, though you might want to add a splash of olive oil when browning it. Ground chuck is a great choice since it has good marbling and breaks down nicely when cooked, giving your soup that hearty, satisfying texture that makes it feel like comfort food in a bowl.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Ground beef: You can easily swap this for ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even ground chicken. If using sausage, you might want to reduce some of the herbs since it’s already seasoned.
• Lasagna noodles: Regular pasta works great too – try penne, rigatoni, or even egg noodles. Just adjust the cooking time based on the pasta package directions.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk can work in place of heavy cream, though the soup won’t be quite as rich. You could also use cream cheese – just add about 4 ounces and let it melt in.
• Chicken stock: Beef stock works well here too and might even add more depth to match the ground beef. Vegetable stock is fine if that’s what you have on hand.
• Mozzarella cheese: Try a blend of Italian cheeses, or use what you have – cheddar, provolone, or even parmesan will work. You could also add some ricotta at the end if you want that classic lasagna taste.
• Dried herbs: Fresh herbs are always nice if you have them – use about 3 times the amount. Italian seasoning blend can replace the basil, oregano, and parsley if you want to keep it simple.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making lasagna soup is adding the broken lasagna noodles too early, which will turn them into mushy, overcooked pieces that fall apart in your spoon – wait until the last 10-12 minutes of cooking time to add them.

Another common error is not browning the ground beef properly, so make sure to break it up well and let it develop some color before adding your onions and garlic for better flavor.

Don’t forget to remove that bay leaf before serving (nobody wants to bite into that!), and when adding the heavy cream, stir it in off the heat to prevent it from curdling.

For the best texture, add the mozzarella cheese just before serving rather than cooking it in the soup, as this keeps it from becoming stringy and gives you those perfect melty bites.

What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

This hearty lasagna soup is practically a meal on its own, but I love serving it with some crusty garlic bread or warm dinner rolls for dipping and soaking up all that rich, cheesy broth. A simple Caesar salad or mixed greens with Italian dressing makes a nice fresh contrast to balance out the richness of the soup. If you want to keep things really cozy, try serving it with some buttery breadsticks or even grilled cheese cut into strips for dunking. Don’t forget to have extra mozzarella cheese on hand so everyone can sprinkle more on top of their bowls!

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This lasagna soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better after sitting overnight, so it’s perfect for meal prep. Just keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb some of the broth, so you might want to add a splash of chicken stock when reheating.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but I recommend freezing it before adding the heavy cream and cheese. The dairy tends to separate when frozen and thawed. When you’re ready to eat it, just thaw overnight in the fridge and stir in fresh cream and mozzarella when reheating.

Warm Up: Reheat your soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If it seems too thick, just add a bit more chicken stock until you get the consistency you like. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir every minute or so to heat evenly.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	30-40 minutes
Total Time	40-55 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 120-130 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the soup base:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves

For the broth and seasonings:

• 1 jar (28–32 oz) pasta or spaghetti sauce
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 to 6 cups chicken stock
• 8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces

For finishing and serving:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Step 1: Brown the Beef

• 1 lb ground beef

Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

Do not drain the fat, as it will add flavor to the soup.

Step 2: Sauté Onion and Garlic

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves

Add the diced onion and garlic cloves to the browned beef in the pot.

Sauté together, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.

This step helps develop a flavorful base for the soup.

Step 3: Add Tomato Paste and Herbs

• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf

Stir the tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, and bay leaf into the meat, onion, and garlic mixture.

Allow the tomato paste to warm through and the herbs to bloom in the fat for a couple of minutes.

I like to toast the herbs briefly this way—it really brings out their flavors!

Step 4: Add Liquids and Simmer

• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 jar (28–32 oz) pasta or spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups chicken stock

Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), pasta or spaghetti sauce, and 4 cups of chicken stock.

Stir everything to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Let it cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and to slightly reduce the liquid.

Step 5: Cook the Noodles

• 8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces
• up to 2 cups additional chicken stock (from 4 to 6 cups chicken stock total)

Add the broken, uncooked lasagna noodles to the simmering soup.

Stir so they don’t stick together.

Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through.

If the soup gets too thick, stir in additional chicken stock as needed.

Step 6: Finish with Cream and Cheese

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (use only 3/4 cup in soup; reserve the rest for garnish)

Just before serving, reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the heavy cream and about 3/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.

I find this step gives the soup a rich and comforting feel.

Step 7: Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with a sprinkle of the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese for a gooey, cheesy top.

Serve hot and enjoy your lasagna soup!