Lasagna soup is a fun recipe to try when you're craving something Italian for supper. It's a hug in a bowl with its delicious bold flavors, is heartwarming, and tastes just like homemade lasagna.
Looking for more hearty soups to serve up for meals? We think you'll love our stuffed pepper soup and pasta e fagioli!
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Ingredients
The ingredients for our lasagna soup are pantry staples that are easy to find. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.
- Meat: We used mild Italian sausage, but you could also substitute with ground beef, or ground turkey.
- Spices: We used dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. We also used fresh parsley and fresh basil.
- Vegetables: We used two cups of fresh spinach with the stems removed, but you could also add sauteed mushrooms.
- Cheese: We used 1 cup of ricotta, 1 cup of freshly grated mozzarella, ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of cubed Parmesan rind.
- Pasta: We used 6 large lasagna noodles that were broken into smaller pieces, but you could also use mafalda, or tripoline.
How to Make
Gather all the ingredients for our lasagna soup recipe. Chop up the onion and the Parmesan rind, mince the garlic, break up the lasagna noodles, remove the casings from the Italian sausage, and measure out the spices and the liquids.
Next, get the toppings ready: grate the parmesan and mozzarella, then measure out the ricotta cheese, spinach, basil, and parsley.
- Start making the recipe by browning the Italian sausage in some olive oil over medium-high heat. Make sure to break up the sausage with a wooden turner so the pieces are smaller. Drain the cooked sausage on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour out any sausage fat from the pot and discard.
- In the same Dutch oven, saute the onion in some olive oil until it's soft and golden brown, roughly 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute.
3. Next add the dried spices. Let the spices bloom by cooking them for 30 seconds to a minute, while constantly stirring.
4. Add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute while stirring. To deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven, pour in ½ cup of chicken stock. Scrape the brown bits that are full of flavor off the bottom of the pot with a wooden turner.
5. Pour in the rest of the chicken stock, then add the petite diced tomatoes along with the juice.
6. To finish off the base, add the bay leaves, sugar, and Parmesan rind. Stir it, then cover and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. If you have the time, let it simmer for 30 minutes for additional flavor.
7. While it is simmering, mix up the three cheeses (ricotta, Parmesan, and 1 cup of the mozzarella).
You'll also want to cook the lasagna noodles in a separate pot. Boil them in salted boiling water until al dente, roughly 10 minutes. Drain and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking, then set aside.
8. Once it has simmered for 20 or 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves and add the fresh spinach. Add the cooked Italian sausage back in and let it simmer until the spinach has wilted.
9. Remove it from the heat and add 2 cups of grated mozzarella. This will help thicken it and give it a more cheesy taste. Stir in the cheese. Stir in the fresh parsley and the balsamic vinegar.
If you want to make this the night before, this is where you would stop. Don't add any toppings, like the yummy cheese mixture or the noodles.
10. Just before serving, add some noodles to each bowl. Place a generous spoonful of the yummy cheese mixture in the middle and sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil over the top.
When ready to eat, let each guest stir in the cheese mixture and it will taste just like homemade lasagna.
Recipe FAQs
Lasagna soup tastes just like homemade lasagna. It has similar ingredients, but it's in soup form. There's no need to layer ingredients or bake them in the oven! The whole recipe can be made on the stovetop or in a crockpot.
It's super easy! Eliminate the Italian sausage and use sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, and yellow squash instead as well as increase the amount of spinach added to the pot.
Our lasagna soup recipe allows for a 1 ¼ cup serving size with 421 calories and 17.8 g of carbs. For one cup it's 337 calories. Also, this dish is high in Vitamin C and calcium. For more nutritional information, scroll to the bottom of the recipe card.
It's pretty much a full meal in a bowl but it pairs well with bread such as garlic toast, crusty Italian bread, garlic knots, or homemade croutons. Another option is serving it with a crisp green garden salad or Caesar salad.
Store
- Make Ahead: Yes, you most certainly can. Stop after step #9 and cook the noodles the day you plan on serving it.
- Leftovers: Allow any leftovers to cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep any leftover cooked noodles and cheese mixture separate.
- Freeze: It depends on when you want to freeze it. If you know ahead of time that you are freezing half of it, set that amount aside before adding the cheese and noodles. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight, freezer-friendly container. This should keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on top of the stove. Finish this dish off by adding freshly cooked noodles and cheese just before serving.
Variations
- Lasagna Leftovers: Chop up leftover lasagna and mix it with marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, 3 cups chicken broth, and ⅓ cup heavy cream.
- Want this healthier? Use turkey sausage and low-fat cheese, omit the extra 2 cups of mozzarella, and use whole wheat noodles.
- Need to omit the pasta? Try using zucchini noodles instead of lasagna noodles.
Expert Tips
- Drain the Italian sausage on paper towels for less fat.
- Want this spicy? Use spicy Italian sausage, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a bit of hot sauce.
- If you are not planning on eating it all right away, it's best to cook the pasta separately, because the pasta will swell and get soggy if it sits in the broth.
- Want a thicker soup then the photos? Use less chicken stock. Double the tomato paste, or cook the pasta in the broth; the extra starch will thicken it up a little, just add an extra cup or two to allow for the noodles to absorb the broth.
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Recipe
Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes in juice
- 2-3 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 6 lasagna noodles, broken into smaller pieces
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan rind, cubed, optional
- 2 cups spinach, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella, grated
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Cheese Mixture
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated
- ½ cup Parmesan, grated
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Garnish
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan, grated
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink, roughly 5 minutes. Break up the sausage with a wooden turner. Remove the sausage and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and discard any fat from the pot.
- In the same pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until soft and golden brown, roughly 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the dried spices (salt, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, black pepper and red pepper flakes) to the pot. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to 1 minute to bloom the spices, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- To deglaze the pot, pour in ½ cup of chicken stock and use a wooden turner to scrape the brown bits off the bottom.
- Pour in the rest of the chicken stock and the canned tomatoes with their juices. Add the bay leaves, sugar, and the cubed Parmesan rind. Stir until well combined. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- When the soup is simmering, cook the lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until al dente, roughly 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and toss with a little olive oil and place in a bowl. If you like, cut up the cooked lasagna noodles so they are bite size.
- Make the yummy cheese mixture by combining the ricotta with the grated Parmesan, 1 cup of grated mozzarella, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup, then add in the spinach and cooked sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
- Take the Dutch oven off the heat and stir in the mozzarella, fresh parsley, and balsamic vinegar.
- When ready to serve, ladle 1 ¼ cups of soup into each bowl. Stir in some cooked lasagna noodles to each bowl, then add a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture in the center. Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of Parmesan and some freshly chopped basil. Serve warm with garlic toast, crusty Italian bread, or homemade garlic croutons.
Crockpot Instructions
- Follow steps 1 to 4 from the stovetop instructions above.
- Place the onion mixture, chicken stock, tomatoes, bay leaves, sugar, and Parmesan rind in a large crockpot. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes, add the spinach and the cooked sausage. Cook the lasagna noodles separately, drain, and toss them with olive oil.
- Just before serving, stir in the mozzarella, parsley, and balsamic vinegar.
- To serve, put 1 ¼ cup of soup in each bowl, then garnish with noodles, a generous spoonful of the yummy cheese mixture, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and some freshly chopped basil.
Notes
- For less fat in the soup, drain the Italian sausage.
- Want this spicy? Use spicy Italian sausage, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a bit of hot sauce.
- If you are not planning on eating it all right away, it's best to cook the pasta separately, because the pasta will swell and get soggy if it sits in the broth.
- Want a thicker soup then the photos? Use less chicken stock. Double the tomato paste, or cook the pasta in the broth; the extra starch will thicken it up a little, just add an extra cup or two to allow for the noodles to absorb the broth.
Nutrition
This lasagna soup recipe was originally published on January 30, 2020.
Alex
The sausage adds a great flavor to this soup, and the noodles are soft and good! The soup is very enjoyable, and tastes great with garlic bread. YUM!! This soup is full of cheesy goodness. 🧀
Emma
Thank you, Alex! Any soup with cheesy goodness is a winner for me, too.
Beth
This soup smells exactly like lasagna. The cheese, sausage, and tomatoes are perfect together; it doesn't taste watered down. This is a bit spicier than regular lasagna. Overall, it tastes excellent!
Emma
Thank you, Beth! I’m thrilled that you like this soup so much. It is a wonderful variation of traditional lasagna!