Soups
How to Make Lasagna Soup (One Pot, 50 Minutes)
One-pot lasagna soup with beef, tomato broth and broken noodles, finished with ricotta and mozzarella. Serves 6 in 50 minutes.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
Quick answer
Brown 1 pound of ground beef with onion and garlic, add a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of broth and Italian seasoning, and simmer 15 minutes. Add 8 broken lasagna noodles and cook 12–15 minutes until tender, then top each bowl with ricotta, mozzarella and basil. It serves 6 in about 50 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- 6 bowls
Lasagna soup is one of the fast-rising recipe searches of the US autumn: Google Trends shows "lasagna soup recipe" up about 300% over the past 90 days. It gives you the flavors of baked lasagna (tomato, beef, ricotta, mozzarella) in one pot and without layering.
The recipes we checked agree on the structure: about a pound of ground beef, canned tomatoes plus broth, 6 to 8 broken lasagna noodles and about 1 cup of ricotta, with the noodles cooked right in the soup for 12 to 15 minutes. Because the noodles keep absorbing liquid, this version uses a generous 6 cups of broth, and the cheeses go on top at the table instead of into the pot.
Ingredients
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- For the soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef (450 g)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (one large can, 800 g)
- 6 cups beef or chicken broth (1.4 liters)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
- To serve
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta (240 g)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 oz, 115 g)
- fresh basil and grated Parmesan, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Spoon off excess fat.
- Add the onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, then add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, partly covered, 15 minutes.
- Stir in the broken noodles. Simmer 12–15 minutes, stirring often so the pieces do not stick together, until tender.
- Taste and adjust the salt. Ladle into bowls and top each with a few spoonfuls of ricotta, a handful of mozzarella, basil and Parmesan. The mozzarella melts into the hot soup.
Tips for the best result
- 1Break the noodles into rough pieces before they go in; ruffled edges catch the sauce and the pieces fit on a spoon.
- 2Stir often once the noodles are in. Lasagna sheets are wide and stick to each other and to the bottom of the pot.
- 3Noodles keep soaking up liquid as the soup sits. Add a splash of broth or water when you reheat leftovers.
- 4For a flavor closer to baked lasagna, replace half of the beef with Italian sausage, casings removed.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, keeping the cheeses separate. The noodles soften as they sit; add broth when reheating. Freeze the soup (without ricotta and mozzarella) for up to 3 months, though the noodles will be softer after thawing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook the noodles separately?
Yes. Boil them in salted water until just tender, drain and add them to each bowl instead of the pot. The soup stays thinner and the noodles do not turn soft in the leftovers.
Can I make lasagna soup without ricotta?
Yes. Use mozzarella and Parmesan only, or a few spoonfuls of cream cheese or mascarpone melted into the hot soup for a creamier base.
Can I use a different pasta?
Yes. Mafalda, broken fettuccine or any short pasta works, but check the package: cooking times differ from lasagna sheets, so adjust the 12–15 minutes.
