Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe (One Pot)

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This easy lasagna soup has everything you love about classic lasagna in one cozy bowl: seasoned ground beef, tender lasagna noodles, rich marinara, and a creamy three-cheese topping. This simple lasagna soup recipe comes together in one pot without all of the layering, baking, or extra work of traditional lasagna.

 

There are nights when I want a big, cheesy piece of lasagna but I really don’t want to boil noodles, build all of those layers, cover a casserole dish, and wait for it to bake. That’s when this one pot lasagna soup is exactly what I want for dinner.

It takes all of those familiar lasagna flavors and turns them into a hearty soup that is so much easier to make. Ground beef cooks with garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning before marinara sauce and beef broth turn it into a rich tomato broth. Broken lasagna noodles cook right in the pot, where they soak up all of that flavor.

The best part may be the topping. Ricotta or cottage cheese is mixed with mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add a scoop to your hot bowl and stir it in. The mozzarella gets melty, the ricotta makes the broth creamy, and suddenly every spoonful tastes like cheesy lasagna.

You may have seen lasagna soup all over TikTok, and there’s a reason it became popular there. It’s easy, cozy, and extremely satisfying to watch that cheesy topping melt into the soup. But lasagna soup wasn’t invented on TikTok. Versions of the recipe have been circulating for many years, with recipes published online well before TikTok existed. The platform helped introduce it to a new generation of cooks rather than creating the dish itself.

If you love this shortcut approach to comfort food, try our Instant Pot Lasagna next. It’s another way to get those classic flavors without spending the evening assembling a traditional baked lasagna. Our Garlic Bread Lasagna is another fun twist when you’re craving something extra cheesy.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Lasagna Soup

This ground beef lasagna soup is comfort food made for busy nights. Instead of making a meat sauce, cooking pasta, mixing cheese, carefully layering everything, and then baking it, we’re making the whole meal in one big pot.

Marinara sauce is another shortcut that makes this recipe especially easy. Rather than opening several cans of tomatoes and adding tomato paste, you’re starting with a sauce that already has plenty of tomato flavor. Add beef broth and it turns into a savory soup base that’s ready for the noodles.

Cooking the broken lasagna noodles directly in the soup saves another pot and lets the pasta absorb some of that seasoned broth as it cooks. Just give everything a stir from time to time so the noodle pieces don’t settle together.

And unlike recipes that mix all the cheese into the pot, this version keeps the cheese mixture separate until serving. That makes it easy for everyone to add as much or as little as they want, and it also makes storing leftovers a little easier.

It’s a great cold-weather dinner, but there’s no reason to wait for winter. Whenever you’re craving lasagna and don’t feel like turning on the oven, this is an easy family dinner that delivers all of that familiar tomato, pasta, beef, and cheese flavor.

For another cozy weeknight dinner, our Rotisserie Chicken Soup with Tortellini uses a similar shortcut philosophy: simple ingredients, hearty pasta, and less prep.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this easy soup recipe, and most of them are probably already familiar if you make lasagna at home.

For the Soup

• Lean ground beef – Ground beef makes the soup hearty and gives it that classic meat-lasagna flavor. Using lean beef means you’ll have less excess grease to drain after browning it. Ground turkey can be substituted if you prefer.
• Garlic powder – Garlic powder gives the beef plenty of savory garlic flavor without any chopping. You can substitute fresh minced garlic if that’s what you have on hand.
• Onion powder – Onion powder adds another layer of savory flavor while keeping the prep incredibly easy. If you love pieces of onion in your lasagna sauce, you can sauté diced yellow onion with the beef instead.
• Italian seasoning – A blend of herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary gives the soup that familiar Italian-inspired flavor. Different brands vary slightly, but any basic Italian seasoning blend works.
• Salt – Salt seasons the beef from the beginning so you build flavor throughout the soup rather than trying to fix it at the end. Keep in mind that marinara and broth both contain salt, so taste before adding extra.
• Marinara sauce – Jarred marinara is the shortcut that makes this lasagna soup so simple. Choose a marinara you already enjoy because its flavor makes up a big part of the finished broth.
• Beef broth – Beef broth thins the marinara into a flavorful soup and complements the ground beef. Low-sodium broth is a good option if your marinara is already salty.
• Lasagna noodles – Regular lasagna noodles are broken into medium-size pieces so they’re easy to scoop up with a spoon. Avoid crushing them too small because part of the fun is getting those wide, ruffled pieces of pasta in each bowl.

For the Cheese Topping

• Salt and pepper – These simple seasonings bring all three cheeses together and keep the topping from tasting flat.
• Mozzarella cheese – Shredded mozzarella melts into the hot soup and gives you the gooey, cheesy texture you’d expect from lasagna.
• Parmesan cheese – Parmesan adds a salty, nutty flavor that balances the mild mozzarella and creamy ricotta.
• Ricotta or cottage cheese – Either one works. Ricotta gives the topping a smooth, traditional lasagna-style texture, while cottage cheese has a slightly lighter texture and a little more tang.
• Italian seasoning – A little more seasoning in the cheese mixture makes sure the topping is flavorful on its own rather than simply adding plain cheese.

How to Make Lasagna Soup

One of the reasons this lasagna soup recipe works so well for a weeknight dinner is that everything happens in one large pot. A Dutch oven or heavy soup pot is ideal because it gives the beef room to brown and holds plenty of liquid once the broth is added.

Step 1 – Brown the ground beef. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces as it browns. Once the meat is cooked through, carefully drain off any excess grease. Ground beef should reach 160°F for food safety according to USDA guidance.

Step 2 – Add the sauce and broth. Pour the marinara sauce and beef broth into the pot with the browned beef. Stir everything together, scraping along the bottom of the pot so all of those seasoned bits of beef become part of the broth.

Step 3 – Add the lasagna noodles. Break the lasagna noodles into medium-size pieces and stir them directly into the soup. Try to make the pieces small enough to fit easily on a spoon but large enough that they still look and feel like lasagna noodles.

Step 4 – Simmer until the noodles are tender. Cook the soup over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The exact time will depend on the noodles you’re using and how strongly the soup is simmering. Check them toward the early end of the cooking time and remove the pot from the heat once they’re tender.

Step 5 – Make the cheese topping. While the soup cooks, combine the mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta or cottage cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.

Step 6 – Portion into bowls. Ladle the hot lasagna soup into individual bowls. Make sure each serving gets plenty of ground beef and those wide pieces of tender lasagna noodle.

Step 7 – Add the cheese and serve. Place a generous scoop of the cheese mixture on top of each bowl. You can leave it sitting on top for that classic lasagna soup look or stir it right in so the mozzarella melts and the ricotta turns the tomato broth creamy. Serve immediately.

Don’t worry if your soup looks a little brothier when you first take it off the stove. The noodles continue to absorb some liquid as the soup sits, so it naturally thickens over time.

Should You Cook the Lasagna Noodles in the Soup?

Yes. For this recipe, the lasagna noodles go right into the pot with the tomato broth and cook until tender.

There are two benefits to doing it this way. First, it makes this a true one pot lasagna soup, which means fewer dishes at the end of dinner. Second, the noodles absorb some of the broth as they cook, so they pick up plenty of marinara, beef, and Italian seasoning flavor.

There is one thing to keep in mind: pasta is thirsty. The longer cooked lasagna noodles sit in soup, the more broth they’ll absorb. That’s why leftovers may look thicker the next day.

If you know you’re making the soup specifically for meal prep, you can cook the noodles separately instead. Store the cooked pasta and soup base in separate containers, then combine individual portions when you reheat them. This isn’t necessary when you’re serving the soup right away, but it’s a useful trick if you want the texture on day three to be closer to day one.

Ricotta or Cottage Cheese: Which Is Best for Lasagna Soup?

Use whichever one you like best. Both ricotta and cottage cheese work in this recipe, but they’ll give the topping a slightly different texture.

Ricotta makes a smooth, creamy topping that feels a little more like the filling in traditional lasagna. It blends beautifully with Parmesan and mozzarella, and when you stir it into the hot broth it gives the soup a rich, creamy finish.

Cottage cheese has more texture and a little extra tang. If cottage cheese is what you normally use when making lasagna, there’s no reason to buy ricotta just for this soup.

For an extra-smooth cottage cheese topping, you can blend the cottage cheese briefly before mixing it with the mozzarella, Parmesan, and seasonings. That’s completely optional—the recipe works either way.

The important part is to make the topping separately instead of dumping everything into the pot. That gives each person control over how cheesy they want their bowl, and the cold, creamy cheese against the steaming hot soup is one of the best parts of the dish.

Lasagna Soup Variations

Once you’ve made this recipe as written, there are plenty of easy ways to change it up depending on what you have in the refrigerator.

• Use Italian sausage. Replace some or all of the ground beef with mild or hot Italian sausage for a stronger herb-and-fennel flavor.
• Add vegetables. Stir chopped spinach into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking, or brown finely diced mushrooms with the beef.
• Make it spicy. Add crushed red pepper flakes with the Italian seasoning or use a spicy marinara sauce.
• Change the pasta. If you don’t have lasagna noodles, use bow ties, mafalda, campanelle, or another sturdy pasta. Adjust the cooking time according to the package.
• Use ground turkey. Ground turkey is an easy substitute for the beef if that’s what you keep on hand. You may want to add a little olive oil when browning very lean turkey.

If you’re looking for another twist on lasagna, our Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups replace tomato sauce and beef with creamy Alfredo sauce and shredded chicken.

What to Serve With Lasagna Soup

This soup is filling enough to be dinner all by itself, but a little bread on the side is never a bad idea. Texas toast garlic bread is the obvious choice because you can dip it right into the tomato broth and scoop up bits of melted cheese.

A simple mixed green salad is another good option, especially if you want something crisp and fresh next to such a hearty bowl of pasta and beef. Caesar salad, mixed greens with Italian dressing, or an arugula salad would all work.

If your family loves hearty soups for dinner, our Slow Cooker Taco Soup is another easy ground beef soup to keep in your meal plan.

How to Store and Reheat Lasagna Soup

Let leftover lasagna soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep any remaining cheese topping in a separate airtight container.

The noodles will continue to soak up the broth in the refrigerator, so don’t be surprised if the soup is noticeably thicker the next day. Add a small amount of beef broth before reheating if you’d like to loosen it.

To reheat on the stovetop, place the amount you want in a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Add extra broth as needed.

For an individual serving, microwave the soup in a microwave-safe bowl in short intervals, stirring between each one until evenly heated. Add the cheese topping after the soup is hot.

For the best freezer results, freeze the soup without the noodles and without the cheese topping. Cooked pasta can become overly soft after freezing and thawing, while the cheese mixture has a better texture when made fresh or stored in the refrigerator. Freeze the beef, marinara, and broth base in a freezer-safe container, then thaw it in the refrigerator. Reheat it on the stove and add fresh lasagna noodles while it simmers.

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Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Lasagna Soup

Created By: Kat Jeter & Melinda Machado

This easy one pot lasagna soup is made with seasoned ground beef, marinara sauce, beef broth, tender lasagna noodles, and a creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan topping.

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Ingredients

Soup:

• 1 pound Lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Onion powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 32 ounces Marinara sauce
• 48 ounces Beef broth
• 8 Lasagna noodles, broken into medium pieces

Topping:

• 4 ounces Shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces Ricotta or Cottage cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Pepper

Instructions

• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir together, cooking until the meat is browned. Drain excess grease.
• Add the marinara sauce and beef broth to the ground beef and stir together.
• Add the broken-up lasagna noodles and stir into the soup. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the noodles are cooked through, remove from the pot from the heat.
• In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and stir until well mixed.
• Portion the soup out into bowls and top each with a scoop of the topping mixture.
• Stir together and enjoy!

Notes

The noodles will continue to absorb broth as the soup sits. If reheating leftovers, add a splash of beef broth until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.

For meal prep or freezing, prepare the soup base without the lasagna noodles. Cook fresh noodles in the soup when reheating for the best texture.

Ricotta makes a smoother, creamier topping, while cottage cheese gives the topping a little more texture. Either works well.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 84mg, Sodium: 2411mg, Potassium: 963mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1006IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 296mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.

Course: Main

Cuisine: American