Here is my favorite lasagna soup with spinach recipe, with hearty ground beef, Italian seasonings, broken pasta pieces, and plenty of fresh baby spinach stirred into a rich tomato and beef broth base.
This lasagna soup is a weeknight lifesaver at our house. It has all the flavors of classic lasagna but comes together in one pot in about 30 minutes. Plus, my kids actually eat their spinach when it’s in this soup, which is always a win!
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna Soup
- Quick weeknight dinner – Ready in just 30-45 minutes, this soup gives you all the flavors of lasagna without the long baking time or layering hassle.
- One-pot meal – Everything cooks in a single pot, which means less cleanup and more time to relax after dinner.
- Sneaks in vegetables – The spinach adds nutrition and color, but it blends right into the rich, tomatoey broth so even veggie-skeptics won’t mind.
- Comforting and satisfying – This soup has all the cozy, cheesy goodness of traditional lasagna in a warm, hearty bowl that’s perfect for chilly evenings.
- Simple pantry ingredients – You probably have most of these staples on hand already, making it easy to throw together without a special grocery run.
What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?
For lasagna soup, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content that balances flavor and richness without making your soup too greasy. I’d recommend going with 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef, which gives you enough fat for good flavor while still being lean enough that you won’t need to drain off excess grease. If you only have 80/20 on hand, it’ll work fine too – just be sure to drain the fat after browning the meat so your soup doesn’t end up with an oily layer on top. Ground chuck or ground sirloin are both great options that will give you that hearty, meaty flavor that makes this soup taste like your favorite lasagna in a bowl.
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 Italian sausage all work great here. If using sausage, you might want to cut back on the Italian seasoning since it’s already well-spiced.
- Beef broth: Chicken broth or vegetable broth are fine substitutes. The flavor will be a bit lighter, but the soup will still taste good.
- Pasta: While broken lasagna noodles are traditional, you can use any short pasta like rotini, penne, or shells. Just keep an eye on cooking times as they may vary.
- Spinach: Fresh kale, Swiss chard, or even frozen spinach work well. If using frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess water first, and you’ll need about 10 oz to replace the fresh.
- Diced tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce can step in if needed. Start with about 1 cup of sauce and adjust to your taste.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano gives a similar salty, sharp flavor. You could also use a mix of mozzarella and parmesan for that classic lasagna taste.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake people make with lasagna soup is adding the pasta too early, which leads to mushy, overcooked noodles that soak up all your broth – always add pasta during the last 10-12 minutes of cooking so it stays firm and doesn’t turn into mush.
Another common error is not properly browning the ground beef, so make sure to break it into small crumbles and let it develop a nice brown color before adding the liquids, which adds depth to your soup’s flavor.
Don’t dump all the spinach in at once or it’ll clump together – instead, add it in handfuls and stir gently until each batch wilts down, which only takes about a minute.
Finally, taste your soup before serving and adjust the salt, since beef broth can vary in saltiness and you might need more seasoning than you think to bring all the flavors together.
What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?
A big piece of garlic bread is my go-to for lasagna soup because you’ll want something to soak up all that rich, tomatoey broth. I like to make garlic knots or cheesy breadsticks on the side, which are perfect for dipping and honestly make the whole meal feel more complete. A simple Caesar salad or mixed green salad with Italian dressing also pairs really well since the crisp lettuce balances out the hearty soup. If you’re feeding a crowd, you could even set out a platter of antipasto with olives, salami, and mozzarella balls for people to snack on while the soup simmers.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just a heads up – the pasta will soak up more broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of extra broth when you reheat it to get that soupy consistency back.
Freeze: This soup freezes great for up to 3 months, but I’d recommend cooking the pasta separately if you’re planning to freeze it. The noodles can get mushy after freezing, so just add freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready to eat.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a bit of water or broth if it’s gotten too thick.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 7 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1800-2000
- Protein: 100-115 g
- Fat: 65-75 g
- Carbohydrates: 160-175 g
Ingredients
For the soup base:
- 1.5 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
- 1 large onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
- 15 oz diced tomatoes (I like Hunt’s for the best consistency)
- 64 oz beef broth
- salt
- pepper
For the pasta and greens:
- 8 oz pasta (broken into 1-inch pieces before boiling)
- 0.75 lb baby spinach
- 0.75 cup parmesan cheese (freshly shredded for smoother melting)
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 0.75 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
Dice the large onion into small pieces and mince the 5 garlic cloves.
Break the 8 oz pasta into roughly 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Shred the parmesan cheese fresh if not already done—this ensures it melts smoothly into the soup rather than clumping.
Have all ingredients measured and ready before you begin cooking.
Step 2: Build the Aromatics Base
- 1.5 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- salt
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
Melt the 1.5 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Once melted and foaming, add the diced onion and a generous pinch of salt, cooking for 5-7 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent.
I like to let the onions caramelize just slightly for a deeper flavor foundation.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 3: Brown the Ground Beef and Season
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the 1 lb ground beef to the pot with the aromatics.
Break the meat apart with a spoon as it cooks, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until it’s fully browned and no pink remains.
Drain excess fat if needed.
Stir in the 1.5 tbsp Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices and release their oils into the meat.
Step 4: Build the Broth Base and Cook Pasta
- 64 oz beef broth
- 15 oz diced tomatoes
- 8 oz pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces from Step 1
Pour in the 64 oz beef broth and 15 oz diced tomatoes (with their juice) and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the broken pasta pieces and stir well to prevent sticking.
Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
The soup will thicken slightly as the pasta releases its starch.
Step 5: Finish with Spinach, Cheese, and Seasoning
- 0.75 lb baby spinach
- 0.75 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded from Step 1
- salt
- pepper
Reduce the heat to low and add the 0.75 lb baby spinach to the pot, stirring gently for about 1 minute until the spinach wilts completely.
Remove the pot from direct heat and stir in the freshly shredded parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated.
I find that adding the cheese off the heat prevents it from becoming grainy or clumping.
Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to your preference, remembering that the beef broth and parmesan already contribute saltiness.
Ground Beef Lasagna Soup with Spinach
Ingredients
For the soup base::
- 1.5 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
- 1 large onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1.5 tbsp italian seasoning
- 15 oz diced tomatoes (I like Hunt's for the best consistency)
- 64 oz beef broth
- salt
- pepper
For the pasta and greens::
- 8 oz pasta (broken into 1-inch pieces before boiling)
- 0.75 lb baby spinach
- 0.75 cup parmesan cheese (freshly shredded for smoother melting)
Instructions
- Dice the large onion into small pieces and mince the 5 garlic cloves. Break the 8 oz pasta into roughly 1-inch pieces and set aside. Shred the parmesan cheese fresh if not already done—this ensures it melts smoothly into the soup rather than clumping. Have all ingredients measured and ready before you begin cooking.
- Melt the 1.5 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted and foaming, add the diced onion and a generous pinch of salt, cooking for 5-7 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. I like to let the onions caramelize just slightly for a deeper flavor foundation. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the 1 lb ground beef to the pot with the aromatics. Break the meat apart with a spoon as it cooks, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until it's fully browned and no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed. Stir in the 1.5 tbsp Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices and release their oils into the meat.
- Pour in the 64 oz beef broth and 15 oz diced tomatoes (with their juice) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the broken pasta pieces and stir well to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but not mushy. The soup will thicken slightly as the pasta releases its starch.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the 0.75 lb baby spinach to the pot, stirring gently for about 1 minute until the spinach wilts completely. Remove the pot from direct heat and stir in the freshly shredded parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated. I find that adding the cheese off the heat prevents it from becoming grainy or clumping. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to your preference, remembering that the beef broth and parmesan already contribute saltiness.
