Silas asked me last week why we don’t make lasagna more often. I gave him my honest answer. Because standing over a pan layering noodles at 6pm on a weeknight is not my idea of a good time.
So instead, I made this.
Lasagna soup with ricotta gives you every single thing you love about a classic lasagna. The beefy tomato sauce. The gooey cheese. That deep, slow-simmered flavor. Except it all comes together in one pot in under 40 minutes.
No layering. No baking. No stack of dirty dishes waiting for you after dinner.
This soup has turned into a regular in our house now. It’s rich, it’s cheesy, and every spoonful tastes like a warm hug. That’s exactly my kind of Tuesday.
I’ve brought this to two potlucks so far, and both times someone asked for the recipe before they even finished their bowl. Silas has requested it three times this month alone, which for him is basically a five star review.
What I love most is how forgiving it is. You can swap the meat, skip an ingredient you’re out of, or double the batch for a crowd, and it still turns out great every single time.
Why This Lasagna Soup Works
Here’s the trick. Broken lasagna noodles simmer right in the broth, so they soak up all that tomato and garlic flavor instead of just sitting on top of it.
A big dollop of ricotta cheese melts into little creamy pockets throughout the soup. It’s basically the best part of lasagna, minus the layering step that always takes forever.
One pot means less cleanup and more time actually eating dinner instead of standing at the sink. And this soup freezes beautifully, which makes it a genuinely smart choice for meal prep.
Side Note: I’ve made this with both ground beef and Italian sausage, and honestly, both versions disappear from the pot equally fast at our table.
Another reason this recipe works so well for busy nights is that everything cooks in the same pot, in order, without any waiting around for the oven to preheat. By the time your noodles are tender, dinner is already done.
It also happens to taste even better the next day, once the noodles have had time to soak up a little more of that tomato broth. So leftovers here are honestly a win, not a compromise.
Read this also: This One-Pot Lasagna Soup Broke the Internet
What You’ll Need
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Ground beef or Italian sausage | 1 pound |
| Yellow onion, diced | 1 medium |
| Garlic, minced | 4 cloves |
| Crushed tomatoes | 28 ounce can |
| Tomato paste | 2 tablespoons |
| Beef broth | 4 cups |
| Italian seasoning | 1 tablespoon |
| Red pepper flakes | 1/2 teaspoon, optional |
| Bay leaf | 1 |
| Lasagna noodles, broken into pieces | 8 sheets |
| Ricotta cheese | 1 cup |
| Shredded mozzarella | 1 cup |
| Grated parmesan | 1/2 cup |
| Fresh basil, chopped | 1/4 cup |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Tools You’ll Need
- Large pot or dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
- Cheese grater
Pro Tips
1. Don’t walk away from the noodles. Broken lasagna noodles cook fast in hot broth. Check them a couple minutes before the package time says, because mushy noodles will ruin an otherwise perfect soup.
2. Season your ricotta before you add it. A pinch of salt and a little black pepper mixed into the ricotta first makes a real difference. Plain ricotta can taste flat dropped straight into a bowl of soup.
3. Use a broth you’d actually drink on its own. This soup only has a handful of ingredients doing the heavy lifting, so a weak, watery broth shows up in every bite.
4. Break the noodles unevenly on purpose. Some big pieces, some small. It makes the soup look more homemade and less like it came from a box.
5. Taste before you salt at the end. Parmesan and broth both bring plenty of salt already. Add your final seasoning only after everything’s simmered together.
6. Let the soup rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. This gives the noodles time to settle and the flavors a chance to blend, so every bowl tastes as good as it looks.
How to Make Lasagna Soup with Ricotta
Step 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef or sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up with your spoon as it goes, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 2. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it softens. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Step 3. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute. This deepens the flavor before the liquid goes in.
Step 4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir well and bring it up to a simmer.
Step 5. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the flavors have time to come together.
Step 6. Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook until al dente, usually 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Step 7. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Step 8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each one with a spoonful of ricotta, a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan, and fresh basil. Serve right away while the cheese is melty.
Read this also: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup With One Creamy Trick
Substitutions and Variations
| Original | Swap |
|---|---|
| Ground beef | Ground turkey or Italian sausage |
| Lasagna noodles | Gluten free lasagna noodles or broken rigatoni |
| Ricotta | Cottage cheese, blended smooth |
| Beef broth | Chicken broth or vegetable broth |
| Extra veggies | Stir in fresh spinach or sliced mushrooms in step 4 |
If you want a lighter version, swap in ground turkey and use part-skim ricotta. It still tastes rich, just a little less heavy.
Make Ahead Tips
You can make the soup base through step 5 and store it in the fridge for up to two days. Just wait to add the noodles until you’re ready to reheat and serve, since they’ll get soft if they sit in the broth too long.
The ricotta topping can be seasoned and stored in a separate container ahead of time too.
Storage and Leftovers
Leftover soup keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles will soften a bit more overnight, which honestly still tastes great the next day.
To freeze, leave the noodles out of the batch you’re freezing. Freeze the soup base for up to 3 months, then cook fresh noodles and add them when you reheat.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat, adding a splash of broth if it’s thickened up too much in the fridge.
Microwave reheating works fine too for a single bowl. Just cover it loosely so it heats evenly and doesn’t splatter, and stir halfway through.
Nutritional Snapshot
Per serving, roughly based on 6 servings: 420 calories, 24g protein, 20g fat, 34g carbohydrates. This will shift depending on which meat and cheese swaps you make.
Swapping in ground turkey and part-skim ricotta usually brings this down closer to 340 calories per serving, without losing much of that cheesy flavor you’re after.
What to Serve With Lasagna Soup
- Garlic bread for scooping up every last drop
- A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette
- Roasted broccoli or zucchini on the side
- A glass of red wine, if it’s that kind of night
This soup is filling enough to be the whole meal, but pairing it with something crisp on the side balances out all that rich, cheesy broth.
FAQs Related to Lasagna Soup with Ricotta
1. Can I make lasagna soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the meat first, then add everything except the noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, then stir in the noodles during the last 20 to 30 minutes so they don’t turn mushy.
2. Why is my lasagna soup too thick?
The noodles keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits, even after it’s off the heat. Just stir in extra broth a little at a time until it’s back to the texture you like.
3. Can I use regular pasta instead of lasagna noodles?
Absolutely. Broken rigatoni, mafalda, or even bowtie pasta all work well if that’s what you have on hand.
4. Is ricotta necessary for this recipe?
It’s what gives this soup its lasagna feel, so I’d say it’s worth keeping. If you’re not a ricotta fan, a dollop of mascarpone or even sour cream works in a pinch.
5. Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the meat and use a vegetable broth instead of beef broth. Add a can of drained white beans or extra mushrooms in step 4 to keep the soup filling and hearty.
6. How do I keep the noodles from getting mushy in leftovers?
The easiest fix is cooking a fresh batch of noodles each time you reheat a portion, and stirring them into just the amount of soup you’re serving. It only takes an extra few minutes and keeps every bowl tasting freshly made.
Conclusion
This lasagna soup has saved more weeknights in our house than I can count. It’s cozy, it’s packed with flavor, and it comes together faster than actual lasagna ever could.
Give it a try this week and let me know how it turns out for you. Drop a comment below and tell me what swaps you made or how your family liked it. I read every single one.