Lasagna Soup with Ricotta & Mozzarella

Rich tomato broth, tender pasta, savory beef and Italian sausage, creamy ricotta, and plenty of mozzarella turn everything you love about lasagna into one cozy bowl.

Lasagna soup has the hearty flavor of a baked lasagna without the layering, assembly, or long oven time. The meat sauce comes together in one pot while broken lasagna noodles cook separately, then each bowl is finished with a generous spoonful of seasoned ricotta and a shower of mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cooking the pasta separately is especially useful if you expect leftovers because the noodles stay pleasantly al dente instead of soaking up all the broth overnight.

Serve the soup with garlic bread and a green salad for an easy cold-weather dinner that delivers plenty of classic lasagna comfort.

🍅 Lasagna Soup Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: About 55 minutes
Servings: 6

🛒 Ingredients

For the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
5 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

For the Ricotta Topping

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For Serving

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Additional grated Parmesan
Fresh basil
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

🥩 Brown the Beef and Sausage

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and Italian sausage.

Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it browns.

The meat should be thoroughly cooked rather than simply browned on the outside.

If there is a large amount of excess fat in the pot, carefully spoon some of it away.

Leaving a little behind adds flavor.

🧅 Add the Onion

Add the diced onion to the browned meat.

Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Garlic can become bitter if browned aggressively, so add it only after the onion has had time to soften.

🍅 Cook the Tomato Paste

Add the tomato paste.

Stir it into the meat and onions and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

The paste should darken slightly and begin sticking to the bottom of the pot.

This brief cooking step removes the raw canned-tomato flavor and gives the finished broth a deeper, richer character.

🌿 Add the Herbs

Stir in the oregano, basil, thyme, and optional crushed red pepper flakes.

Cook for about 30 seconds.

Heating dried herbs briefly before adding the liquid helps release their aroma.

🍅 Build the Tomato Broth

Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, salt, and several grinds of black pepper.

Stir well and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful browned bits.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for about 20 minutes.

The broth should become slightly richer and more concentrated while still remaining loose enough to feel like soup rather than pasta sauce.

🍝 Cook the Lasagna Noodles Separately

While the soup simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Break the lasagna noodles into irregular bite-size pieces.

Cook according to the package directions until al dente.

Drain well.

Do not rinse them.

If you plan to serve the entire pot immediately, you can add the noodles directly to the soup.

If you expect leftovers, keep them separate and add cooked noodles to individual bowls.

This prevents the pasta from absorbing most of the broth as it sits in the refrigerator.

🧀 Make the Ricotta Mixture

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, chopped basil or parsley, salt, and black pepper.

Stir until creamy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

This simple ricotta mixture is what really gives each bowl that familiar lasagna character.

Keep it refrigerated until serving if you make it ahead.

🍲 Finish the Soup

Taste the tomato broth.

Add the balsamic vinegar if desired.

You should not taste the vinegar distinctly. A small amount simply adds acidity and a little sweetness to a long-cooked tomato sauce.

Stir in the fresh basil or parsley.

Adjust the salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.

🥣 Assemble Each Bowl

Place some cooked lasagna noodles in each bowl.

Ladle the hot meat-and-tomato soup over the pasta.

Add a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture.

Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Finish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired.

Let the hot broth soften the mozzarella for a minute before digging in.

🧀 Why Ricotta Makes Such a Difference

Without ricotta, lasagna soup can easily become ordinary tomato-and-pasta soup with cheese on top.

A spoonful of ricotta changes that.

Its mild creaminess mimics the cheese layer in traditional lasagna and balances the acidity of the tomato broth.

Mixing it with Parmesan and herbs gives each bowl a more finished flavor than adding plain ricotta directly from the container.

🥩 Ground Beef or Italian Sausage?

Using both gives the soup more depth.

Ground beef provides the familiar hearty meat-sauce flavor, while Italian sausage adds garlic, herbs, fennel, and other seasonings.

You can absolutely use a full pound of either one.

For a milder family-friendly soup, use all ground beef or sweet Italian sausage.

For more spice, choose hot Italian sausage.

🍝 What Kind of Lasagna Noodles Should You Use?

Regular dried lasagna noodles work perfectly.

Break them into pieces about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across before cooking.

The pieces do not need to be uniform.

In fact, the irregular shapes make the soup feel more rustic and keep it unmistakably connected to lasagna.

Oven-ready noodles can sometimes become softer more quickly, so standard lasagna noodles are my first choice.

🍲 Can You Cook the Pasta Directly in the Soup?

Yes.

Bring the finished tomato broth to a stronger simmer and add the broken noodles.

Cook according to the package directions, stirring frequently so pieces do not stick together.

You may need an additional cup or two of broth because the pasta absorbs a substantial amount of liquid.

This is the easiest approach when you know the entire batch will be eaten immediately.

For meal prep or leftovers, cooking the noodles separately gives much better results.

💧 Why Does Lasagna Soup Get So Thick Overnight?

Pasta acts like a sponge.

Even after cooking, noodles continue absorbing surrounding liquid as they sit.

That means today’s brothy lasagna soup can turn into something closer to casserole by tomorrow afternoon.

Keeping the noodles separate avoids the problem almost completely.

If you already stored everything together, simply add broth or water while reheating until the soup reaches the consistency you want.

🍅 Crushed Tomatoes vs. Tomato Sauce

Crushed tomatoes give the broth more texture and a fresher tomato flavor than completely smooth tomato sauce.

A smaller can of diced tomatoes adds visible pieces throughout the soup.

If you prefer a smoother broth, replace the diced tomatoes with tomato sauce.

If you like a chunkier soup, use whole peeled tomatoes and crush them by hand before adding them.

🥄 Don’t Skip the Tomato Paste

Tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor and a subtle sweetness.

Cooking it briefly with the meat and onions is especially important.

As the paste darkens, its flavor becomes more rounded and savory.

This small step helps a relatively quick soup taste as though the tomato sauce has simmered much longer.

🧄 Add More Garlic If You Like

Four cloves give the soup noticeable garlic flavor without dominating the tomato sauce.

Garlic lovers can easily use five or six.

Avoid cooking minced garlic too long before adding the tomatoes.

Once garlic becomes dark brown, it can add bitterness.

🌶️ Make Spicy Lasagna Soup

Use hot Italian sausage and increase the crushed red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon.

You can also add Calabrian chile paste or a spoonful of hot sauce.

Serve additional chile flakes at the table so everyone can customize their bowl.

🥬 Add Spinach

Baby spinach is one of the easiest vegetables to add.

Stir 3 to 4 large handfuls into the soup during the final 2 minutes of cooking.

It will wilt almost immediately.

Spinach adds color and vegetables without significantly changing the flavor of the soup.

🍄 Make Mushroom Lasagna Soup

Add 8 ounces sliced cremini or button mushrooms after cooking the meat.

Sauté until the mushrooms have released their liquid and begun to brown.

Continue with the onion and remaining recipe.

Mushrooms work especially well if you are reducing the amount of meat.

🫑 Add More Vegetables

Lasagna soup can handle a surprising number of vegetables.

Try diced zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or spinach.

Cook firmer vegetables such as carrots with the onion.

Add zucchini later so it does not become overly soft.

Keep the vegetable pieces fairly small so they blend naturally with the meat and pasta.

🌱 Vegetarian Lasagna Soup

Leave out the meat and use vegetable broth.

Begin by sautéing 12 to 16 ounces chopped mushrooms until deeply browned.

Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, and herbs as directed.

White beans or lentils can provide additional protein and make the soup more substantial.

Use the same ricotta and mozzarella toppings unless you want a fully plant-based version.

🐔 Chicken Lasagna Soup

Ground chicken or turkey can replace the beef and sausage.

Because poultry is leaner, add a little additional olive oil when browning if necessary.

Chicken sausage is another flavorful option.

Use chicken broth instead of beef broth for a lighter flavor.

🥛 Make It Creamy

For creamy lasagna soup, stir in about 1/2 cup heavy cream during the final few minutes of simmering.

Keep the heat gentle after adding the cream.

The soup should remain tomato-forward rather than becoming a pale cream sauce.

You can also skip the cream entirely and rely on the ricotta topping for richness.

🧀 What Cheese Is Best for Lasagna Soup?

The classic trio is hard to beat:

Ricotta adds creamy richness.

Mozzarella gives you the stretchy melted-cheese effect.

Parmesan contributes salty, nutty flavor.

Freshly shredded low-moisture mozzarella melts particularly well.

Whole-milk ricotta produces the richest topping, though part-skim works too.

🌿 Fresh Basil Makes It Better

Dried basil is useful while the soup simmers, but fresh basil gives the finished bowl a completely different freshness.

Stir some into the soup at the end and save a little for serving.

Parsley is a good alternative when fresh basil is unavailable.

🥖 What to Serve with Lasagna Soup

Garlic bread may be the most obvious answer, and for good reason.

The crisp bread is perfect for soaking up the tomato broth.

A simple Caesar salad or mixed green salad provides a fresh contrast.

Roasted broccoli, green beans, or Brussels sprouts can turn the meal into something more vegetable-forward.

For a simple dinner, soup and crusty bread are plenty.

🥗 Add a Simple Green Salad

Lasagna soup is rich enough that a lightly dressed salad works particularly well.

Use romaine, mixed greens, arugula, or spinach and keep the dressing bright.

Our Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette works nicely with a simple tomato-and-greens salad served alongside.

🍞 Garlic Bread Is Perfect for Dipping

Brush slices of baguette or Italian bread with butter mixed with garlic and parsley.

Toast until crisp around the edges.

Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.

The bread can soak up tomato broth without falling apart as quickly as soft sandwich bread.

⏰ Can You Make Lasagna Soup Ahead?

Yes, and the soup base is actually excellent for meal prep.

Prepare the meat-and-tomato broth completely.

Cook the noodles separately and refrigerate them in their own container.

Mix the ricotta topping and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to eat, reheat the soup and add noodles to individual portions.

Finish each bowl with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil.

Keeping the components separate preserves their textures much better.

❄️ How to Store Leftovers

Transfer cooled soup to airtight containers and refrigerate promptly.

Store noodles separately whenever possible.

Cooked leftovers are generally best used within 3 to 4 days.

Keep the ricotta topping in its own covered container.

Add fresh herbs only after reheating.

🔥 How to Reheat Lasagna Soup

Warm the soup gently in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened.

Add cooked noodles near the end and heat just long enough to warm them.

Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

Reheated leftovers should reach 165°F.

Finish with the cheeses after the soup is hot.

🧊 Can You Freeze Lasagna Soup?

Yes, but freeze the soup base without the pasta or ricotta topping for the best texture.

Cool the meat-and-tomato soup completely and transfer it to freezer-safe containers.

Freeze for up to about 3 months for best quality.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat thoroughly, and cook fresh lasagna noodles while the soup warms.

Add ricotta and mozzarella when serving.

Freezing fully assembled lasagna soup is possible, but the pasta can become soft after thawing.

🍲 Why This Soup Works So Well

Traditional lasagna is wonderful, but it requires several separate components, careful layering, and a substantial amount of oven time.

Lasagna soup keeps the important flavors and skips the architecture.

You still get beef and sausage simmered with tomato, garlic, and herbs. You still get tender lasagna noodles. And you still get ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

The difference is that everything ends up in a cozy bowl instead of a baking dish.

That makes it particularly useful when the craving for lasagna arrives on a weeknight rather than a Sunday afternoon.

🍅 A Cozy Twist on Lasagna Night

Lasagna soup should taste unmistakably like lasagna rather than simply pasta floating in tomato broth.

Brown the meat well, cook the tomato paste until it darkens, give the soup enough time to simmer, and don’t forget the ricotta.

Those little details provide the slow-cooked tomato flavor, creamy cheese, and hearty pasta that make traditional lasagna so comforting.

Then keep the noodles separate if you expect leftovers, pile mozzarella and Parmesan onto every bowl, and serve the whole thing with warm garlic bread.

You get nearly everything people love about lasagna with considerably less assembly—and only one soup pot to wash.