Mouthwatering One Pot Lasagna Soup

If you ask me, one pot meals are pure genius when you’re feeding a busy family.

This comforting soup brings all the flavors of classic lasagna into a simple, weeknight-friendly bowl. Rich tomato broth mingles with tender pasta, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella cheese.

It’s loaded with Italian sausage and seasoned just right with garlic and herbs. The best part? Everything cooks together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time at the dinner table.

It’s the kind of hearty meal that warms you up from the inside out, perfect for chilly evenings when you want something satisfying without all the fuss.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this lasagna soup, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content between 80/20 and 85/15 – this gives you enough fat for flavor without making your soup too greasy. Ground chuck is a great option since it has good marbling and will stay tender as it cooks. If you prefer leaner meat, 90/10 will work too, but you might want to add a splash of olive oil to the pot to help with browning. Make sure to break up the beef into small, bite-sized pieces as it cooks so every spoonful of soup has the perfect amount of meat.

Options for Substitutions

This cozy soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Ground beef: Ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even ground chicken work great here. If using turkey or chicken, you might want to add a bit more seasoning since they’re milder than beef.
• Lasagna noodles: Any short pasta will do the trick – try penne, rigatoni, or even broken spaghetti. Just keep the cooking time similar and break larger noodles into bite-sized pieces.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works fine if you want to keep it lighter, or beef broth if you want a richer flavor. You can even use water with extra bouillon cubes in a pinch.
• Frozen spinach: Fresh spinach (about 3 cups) works too – just add it in the last few minutes of cooking. You can also swap it for kale or leave it out entirely if you’re not a fan of greens.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half or even whole milk will work, though the soup won’t be quite as rich. For a lighter version, try a splash of milk or skip it altogether.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese makes a good substitute and adds similar creaminess. You can also use cream cheese, though you’ll want to use less since it’s richer.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making lasagna soup is adding the broken lasagna noodles too early, which can lead to mushy, overcooked pasta that breaks apart completely – wait until your broth is simmering and only cook the noodles for about 10-12 minutes.

Don’t brown your ground beef in one big clump either, as this creates steamed meat instead of properly browned pieces that add rich flavor to your soup.

Another common error is adding the cream too early in the cooking process, which can cause it to curdle when it hits the hot broth – stir it in during the last few minutes of cooking for a smooth, creamy finish.

Finally, keep extra chicken broth on hand because the pasta will continue absorbing liquid even after cooking, and you’ll likely need to thin out leftovers when reheating.

What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

This hearty 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 easy, just grab some store-bought breadsticks and call it a day – your family will be totally satisfied.

For extra indulgence, you can even serve it with a side of garlic knots or focaccia bread.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This hearty 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! Just keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb liquid, so you might need to add a splash of broth when reheating.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but I’d recommend leaving out the cream and adding it fresh when you reheat. The noodles might get a bit softer after freezing, but it still tastes great. Freeze it in individual portions for easy weeknight dinners.

Warm Up: Heat it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding extra broth if it’s gotten too thick. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir every minute or so to heat evenly. Top with fresh ricotta and mozzarella just before serving for that authentic lasagna experience.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 120-135 g
• Fat: 105-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-185 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 32 oz chicken broth, more if needed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 6 oz lasagna noodles, broken up
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For serving:

• Ricotta cheese
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, cut in slices
• Parmesan cheese, optional

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef

• 1 lb ground beef

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook until it is well-browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

Once fully browned, drain off any excess grease from the pot to prevent the soup from being too oily.

If you like a deeper flavor, let the beef develop some crispy browned bits before draining.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics and Season Beef

• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• browned ground beef from Step 1

Add the finely minced garlic, diced onion, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the browned beef in the pot.

Stir everything together and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, letting the onion soften and the aromatics become fragrant.

Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic.

Step 3: Add Liquids, Tomato, and Noodles

• 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 32 oz chicken broth, more if needed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 6 oz lasagna noodles, broken up
• beef and aromatics mixture from Step 2

Pour the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, water, and tomato paste into the pot with the sautéed beef and aromatics.

Break the lasagna noodles into pieces (about 2 inches each) and add them to the pot.

Stir well to combine all ingredients.

Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then immediately reduce to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes until the noodles begin to cook and soften.

Step 4: Add Spinach and Cream, Finish Simmering

• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• soup base with noodles from Step 3

Stir in the frozen chopped spinach and heavy cream to the simmering soup.

Continue to cook on low heat, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach is heated through and the soup is creamy.

I like to let the flavors meld together in these last few minutes—taste and adjust the salt or pepper if needed.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve Lasagna Soup

• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, cut in slices
• ricotta cheese
• parmesan cheese, optional
• finished soup from Step 4

Place a slice of mozzarella cheese in the bottom of your serving bowl.

Ladle the hot lasagna soup over the cheese, allowing it to melt.

Top each bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, if using.

The mixed cheeses give a classic lasagna flavor to each bite.

Mouthwatering One Pot Lasagna Soup

Delicious Mouthwatering One Pot Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 13 minutes mins

Cook Time 27 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 6

Calories 2300 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 32 oz chicken broth, more if needed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 6 oz lasagna noodles, broken up
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For serving:

• ricotta cheese
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, cut in slices
• parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

 

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook until it is well-browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Once fully browned, drain off any excess grease from the pot to prevent the soup from being too oily. If you like a deeper flavor, let the beef develop some crispy browned bits before draining.
• Add the finely minced garlic, diced onion, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the browned beef in the pot. Stir everything together and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, letting the onion soften and the aromatics become fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic.
• Pour the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, water, and tomato paste into the pot with the sautéed beef and aromatics. Break the lasagna noodles into pieces (about 2 inches each) and add them to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then immediately reduce to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes until the noodles begin to cook and soften.
• Stir in the frozen chopped spinach and heavy cream to the simmering soup. Continue to cook on low heat, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach is heated through and the soup is creamy. I like to let the flavors meld together in these last few minutes—taste and adjust the salt or pepper if needed.
• Place a slice of mozzarella cheese in the bottom of your serving bowl. Ladle the hot lasagna soup over the cheese, allowing it to melt. Top each bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, if using. The mixed cheeses give a classic lasagna flavor to each bite.