Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s heaven! You can even make it in the slow cooker. Eat it with some crusty Breadsticks! Originally published January 4, 2012.
Table of Contents
- What is lasagna soup?
- Lasagna soup recipe ingredients
- How to make lasagna soup
- What to serve with easy lasagna soup
- How long does slow cooker lasagna soup last in the fridge?
- Can you freeze lasagna soup
- Lasagna soup frequently asked questions
- More cozy soups you’ll love
- Lasagna soup from yesteryear
- Lasagna Soup Recipe
My daughter Charlotte turned 13 this year, which is stupid and weird and glorious all at once. (Can any advancing parents relate to this roller coaster, ha). We got her tickets to see Wicked in San Francisco, and decided to make a day of it. This meant playing hookie from school on a random Wednesday, which I feel is good for the soul anyway.
I mean, learning how to swing from a cable car has got to be a more valuable for her than history and math, right?
We stopped at one of my all time favorite restaurants, Pazzia, a little Italian place that Eric and I found years ago on a recommendation from my friend Dorothy at Crazy for Crust. The Italian owner is always bustling around checking in on everyone. Its super homey, and the food is just unbelievable. Look at this Coccoli appetizer: those are fried dough balls with prosciutto and Stracchino cheese.
Their lasagna is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth, and was a huge inspiration for me when I was developing my ultimate Lasagna recipe last year. As I sat blissfully eating in the restaurant yesterday, I found a piece of carrot, and was so pleased. Carrot is not a typical ingredient in Americanized Lasagna, but is definitely found in my recipe. And it’s definitely found in today’s soup!
What is lasagna soup?
This soup is one of my favorites, ever. It’s exactly what it sounds like. All the components of lasagna, turned into a rich and creamy soup.
The thing that sets my Lasagna apart is the Bolognese Sauce, which takes quite a while to make, which is why people are always cheating on Lasagna and using marinara. I get it, I get it, but good things come to those who wait.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait as long for this soup. I basically took my recipe for Bolognese sauce and soup-ified it, then added lasagna noodles and a ricotta topping. I mean, I’m happy to eat this sauce all over some pasta, why not eat a version of it in a bowl? It was a good choice. I mean, how many times do I have to say ricotta swirls?
Rich, creamy bolognese combined with broth, perfectly cooked noodles, a dollop of creamy ricotta goodness, and loads of mozzarella. And, the best part, it’s done in just about 45 minutes, which is definitely an upgrade from the hours long Bolognese-to-Lasagna process.
Annoyingly, it is not made in one pot, because I insist on cooking the lasagna noodles separately. They just get too mushy if you add the dry noodles straight to the soup. If you are really short on time, I do include instructions for this method, but just know that your leftovers will be kind of soggy-sad.
I even included a slow cooker version, if you are rolling with the crock pot these days. You still have to start on the stove, but it’s a great way to front load your day if you know you’ve got a busy afternoon.
Lasagna soup recipe ingredients
This is just an overview, full ingredient amounts and instructions are located in the recipe card, so be sure to take a look below!
- oil
- onion
- celery
- carrots
- spices
- fresh rosemary
- garlic
- lasagna noodles
- Italian sausage
- white wine
- cream
- tomato paste
- crushed tomatoes chicken broth
- balsamic vinegar
- Ricotta
- parmesan
How to make lasagna soup
Start out by roughly chopping your veggies, then dumping them in the food processor.
Pulse until they are finely minced. There are always a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, the problem child, you know. You don’t want to just keep blending, or it will end up pulverized, and we are looking for a mince. Just take out the naughty pieces and chop them by hand.
Start sauteing the veggies in a soup pot, and add all your spices. The fennel is optional, especially since there is already some in the sausage we are using. But I love the stuff. Let this cook for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your rosemary and garlic. I love to use fresh rosemary in this soup, it brings such an amazing aromatic flavor. Let that saute for a minute…
Then add in the sausage. Once that is cooked and crumbled, add in the cream. YES, CREAM!
The wine, then the tomato paste. Don’t hate me for my cooking wine, just use the wine you like best, I don’t keep wine in the house so this works for me :)
This is where the magic happens. Most lasagna soups don’t have these ingredients (cream, wine), this tastes more like a Bolognese sauce. But I love to make my lasagna with Bolognese sauce, so that’s why I added it here!
Finally, add in the crushed tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon base, and balsamic vinegar for a little extra punch of flavor.
That’s it for the soup. Boil your noodles separately if you hate soggy noodles! I hate soggy noodles more than I hate those shopping carts with a wonky wheel (you know the ones). More than I hate drying off with a damp towel. More than I hate a crisply sharp pencil with no eraser. So it’s worth it to me to boil the noodles separately. If you are in a rush, just toss the dry noodles into the soup with an extra cup of water and keep simmering an extra 25-30 minutes or so, and call me the next day when you are eating soggy leftovers for lunch so that I can mock you.
Now for the best garnish known to mankind: ricotta + parmesan + salt and pepper. I could eat this stuff with a spoon, for days!
And that’s it my friends. A pot of goodness just for you.
What to serve with easy lasagna soup
This soup is rich and hearty, so something light like a salad, other vegetables, or even fruit is a good way to round out the meal. But, I’m also NOT going to say no to some delicious bread to dip in! Here are some lovely sides that will pair nicely.
- The Best Garlic Butter Bread >> my mouth is watering thinking about dipping this crusty garlic bread into lasagna soup!
- Green Salad with Feta and Beets (The Fanciest No-Chop Salad Ever) >> feels gourmet, but takes 5 minutes to throw together
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing >> nice and light to complement the hearty soup
- Cheddar Biscuits >> hold the bus, because these are so freaking good. Cheesy, flaky perfection
- Lemon Almond Green Beans >> Easy to make ahead with tons of flavor
- Easy Roasted Broccoli Recipe >> roasted broccoli goes with everything imo, and we eat this recipe a LOT
- Quick and Easy French Bread Recipe >> golden, crusty goodness done in about an hour!
- Strawberry Spinach Salad >> it’s a chopped salad, which makes it the best version ever
- Everyday Salad from Gimme Some Oven
- Homemade Sourdough Bread from Alexandra’s Kitchen
How long does slow cooker lasagna soup last in the fridge?
Any leftover lasagna soup can be kept in the fridge for a good 5-6 days. Wait for the soup to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. I like to store the noodles, soup, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella all in separate containers.
To reheat the entire amount, add all the soup back into a large pot on the stove over medium heat until hot and serve over noodles in a bowl. For single serving, spoon the soup and noodles into a bowl and cook in the microwave, stirring every minute, until hot. Add your toppings and you’re ready to eat!
Can you freeze lasagna soup
Lasagna soup freezes well! While technically there’s nothing wrong with freezing it all mixed up (other than soggy noodles…) I prefer to freeze the different parts of the soup separately. Cooked pasta generally holds up to the freezing/thawing process better with no sauce or broth on it, so place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you’re worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months.
To thaw, place all the bags in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours. If you are reheating a large portion, add the soup to a pot and cook over medium heat until hot, then pour over noodles in a bowl. For an individual portion, add soup and noodles to a bowl and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute. Add as much ricotta and mozzarella as you like, and you’re all set.
Lasagna soup frequently asked questions
We have the Italians, and especially early Italian-American immigrants, to thank for the deliciousness we know today as Lasagna (THANKS GUYS!) If you want a fascinating read, I recommend Ian MacAllen’s book “Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American”. It gives the background on Italian food in the U.S. and discusses how specific dishes (like lasagna) arrived to their current form here.
It’s hard to say for sure! The same author mentioned above believes we can thank a hotel restaurant, specifically the Windsor Lounge at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, for the original idea in the 1990s. Not too long after that, Campbell Soup published a version of the recipe and it really took off from there! Soon many versions started to pop up on the internet (including on my site in 2012) as food blogs got more popular in the 2010s. It’s pretty ubiquitous now!
Yes, you can! Just boil them for less time, probably only a couple minutes. I prefer to use regular lasagna noodles because I like the curly edges. But really any kind of noodle you prefer or have on hand will work, including oven ready lasagna noodles. You just need to make sure that whatever you use, they get cooked to al dente, don’t overdo it.
I’m not the best person to advise you on this since I don’t drink. But a quick google search tells me a red wine with high acidity, Pinot Noir or Sangiovese could pair well. Take that with a grain of salt, and rely on what you think would balance out the very hearty, earthy flavor of the soup.
More cozy soups you’ll love
Soup is the perfect answer to chilly nights, feeling under the weather, rainy days, or anytime you want to feel like your food is giving you a big ol’ comfort hug. These soups are some of my favorites, and hit the spot every time!
- Crockpot Beef Barley Soup >> probably my all-time favorite comfort food and go-to soup
- Creamy Potato Soup >> easiest and best tasting potato soup ever. period.
- Sausage and Kale Soup (Zuppa Toscana) >> I could eat this stuff for days, so soul-satisfying
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles >> nostalgia in a bowl, and 1000x better tasting than canned
- Creamy Tomato Soup >> this soup and grilled cheese = heaven
- Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup (Weight Loss Soup) >> this soup is healthy but does not sacrifice at all in the flavor department
- Minestrone with Sausage and Pesto (Stovetop or Slow Cooker) >> it’s hard to believe I used to think minestrone was boring… this recipe is the best you’ll try!
- How to make Italian Wedding Soup >> another Italian based soup that is PACKED with the goods
- Hot and Sour Soup from The Woks of Life
- Argentine Locro (stew) from Notes From a Messy Kitchen
Lasagna soup from yesteryear
Okay guys are you ready for 2012 Karen?? I posted a version of this recipe back in the day, when I had a point and shoot camera and apparently used brown cardstock paper as my photo backdrop??? I’m dying over here 😳🤣 Below is my story from back when I was 24 years old, with a brand new baby marriage, a baby Charlotte, and a baby lil blog I had just started months earlier:
Sometimes I wish I had a house elf. Or heck I’d even take a mere dish-elf. It’s kind of pathetic that I’m wishing for this and not world peace or something, especially since all I do is stay home every day. It’s not like I don’t have time for dishes. I just hate them. Hate them with the fire of a thousand suns.
This really is a problem for me, since I cook constantly. Almost every day Eric walks in the door after work and I say, I’m making dinner. Sorry about the mess. Then he proceeds to clean it up. After being at work for 9 hours. The man truly is a saint. Or maybe he’s part house elf.
Seriously though. I’m kind of like a tornado in the kitchen. I leave destruction in my wake. Eric is like disaster cleanup. He comes in and saves the day. Maybe I should get him one of those Helping Hands t-shirts. It would probably be more appropriate than wearing an apron.
A friend of mine revealed to me the secret of the oven. If you have a sink full of dishes and company coming, stick them in the oven to get them out of the way. Why didn’t I think of that? Genius. Then she told me about the time she used this trick just before a potluck at her house. One guest arrived and said, My casserole needs to keep warm. Do you mind if I stick it in your oven?
The lesson here? It’s for you people: don’t ask to use my oven when you come over, unless you are part house elf.
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Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery (about 1 cup chopped)
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed crushed, optional
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic smashed and minced
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage bulk, not links
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup cream
- 1 (6-ounce can) tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes I like Cento brand
- 8 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base I like Better Than Bouillon brand OR Zoup brand
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
For the noodles:
- 9 lasagna noodles to be boiled separately
- water and salt to boil the lasagna noodles
For the ricotta topping:
- 1 pound ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt (if using table salt, add less)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Additional toppings:
- parmesan cheese grated
- mozzarella cheese shredded
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Prep your veggies: Use a food processor to quickly mince your onions, celery, and carrots. Chop 1 onion into quarters, peel 2 large carrots and lop off the ends, and cut 2 stalks of celery into a few pieces.
- Add it all to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the veggies are uniformly chopped. There will always be a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, pull them out and use your knife to finish the job. The reason I like to use a food processor is because we want these veggies chopped very small.
- If you don't have a food processor, chop the onion, carrots, and veggies by hand into a fairly small mince.
- Make the soup: Heat a large (6 quart) soup pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions, celery, and carrots.
- Season the veggies with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or sea salt). Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
- If you love fennel (it's optional), add 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed to a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Add to the veggies.
- Let the veggies saute on medium heat with the spices for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender.
- Rosemary and garlic. Meanwhile, remove the rosemary from the stems. Finely chop all the spindly leaves. You need about 1 tablespoon. Smash and mince 6 cloves of garlic. Add the rosemary and garlic to the pot with the veggies. If it's starting to stick and look dry, add a little extra oil. Saute for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Immediately add 1 pound mild Italian sausage. Saute for another 6-8 minutes until the sausage is fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Reduce wine: Add 1 cup white wine (I use cooking wine), 1 cup cream (sometimes labeled heavy cream or whipping cream), and the 6-ounce can tomato paste. Stir it all together and turn the heat to medium high to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat back down to medium, or wherever it needs to be to maintain a low bubble. Let cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick.
- Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium low to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Make the ricotta topping: In a medium bowl, add 1 pound ricotta cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir it all together. Set aside until you're ready to serve.
- Boil the lasagna noodles.* Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil, and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 9 lasagna noodles. Cook, stirring, according to package instructions, usually it's about 8-12 minutes. Do NOT overcook. You want these noodles very al dente, since they will be sitting in soup and will keep absorbing liquid. We don't want them soggy. When they are done cooking, drain the water and drizzle the noodles with oil. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
- Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Healthy, I say! Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
- Storage: Store the noodles separate from the soup. Keep noodles and soup covered in the fridge for up to 5-7 days; follow your nose.
- Freezer: To freeze leftovers, place any cooled, cooked noodles in a ziplock freezer bag. You can put parchment paper between layers if you're worried about them sticking. The soup, ricotta mixture, and even the mozzarella can all be frozen in their own separate freezer ziplock bag. Make sure with each bag to squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and then place in the freezer. The bags will be good there for about 2-3 months. See post for thawing tips.
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
- Follow the instructions as written, up through reducing the wine, cream, and tomato paste for 5 minutes. Once this mixture is reduced and like a paste, add it to a crock pot.
- Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 8 cups of water, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon base, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Stir. Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 4-8 hours.
- Follow the recipe instructions for boiling the noodles and making the ricotta mixture. (If you really don't want to boil the noodles separate, add them to the crock pot and cook an extra 1-2 hours, until al dente.)
- Serve the soup. Add 1 or 2 cooked lasagna noodles to a bowl. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Top with a healthy scoop of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil. Devour with crusty French bread, Garlic Bread, or Breadsticks!
