Italian Lasagna Soup

If you ask me, lasagna soup is pure comfort food magic.

This hearty one-pot meal brings all the flavors of classic lasagna without the fuss of layering and baking. Tender pasta mingles with rich tomato broth, Italian sausage, and plenty of melted cheese.

It’s loaded with familiar ingredients like garlic, onions, and herbs that fill your kitchen with that cozy Italian aroma. A dollop of ricotta and fresh basil on top make each bowl feel like a warm hug.

It’s the kind of soup that feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day, perfect for busy weeknights when you want something satisfying.

What Kind of Italian Sausage Should I Use?

You can use either sweet or spicy Italian sausage for this soup, depending on your heat preference. Sweet Italian sausage gives you all that great fennel and herb flavor without any kick, while spicy adds a nice warmth that pairs well with the tomatoes. If you can only find regular ground pork sausage, that’ll work too, though you might want to add a pinch of fennel seeds and extra Italian seasoning to get that authentic Italian flavor. For the best results, buy sausage that’s still in casings and remove it yourself rather than pre-ground, as it tends to have better texture and flavor.

Options for Substitutions

This comforting soup is really forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Italian sausage: Ground beef, turkey, or chicken work great here. If using plain ground meat, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a pinch of fennel seeds to mimic that sausage flavor.
• Beef broth: Chicken broth or vegetable broth are perfect substitutes. The soup will taste just as good, maybe even a bit lighter.
• Lasagna noodles: Any pasta shape works – penne, rigatoni, or even regular spaghetti broken into pieces. Just stick to the same cooking time on the package directions.
• Fresh basil: Dried basil works fine – use about 1 teaspoon instead of the fresh tablespoons. You can also try fresh oregano or parsley for a different herb note.
• Crushed tomatoes: Diced tomatoes or tomato sauce work well. If using sauce, you might want to add a bit less water to keep the right consistency.
• Cheese toppings: Mix and match any Italian cheeses you have – Romano instead of parmesan, or even cream cheese stirred in for extra richness.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making lasagna soup is adding the broken noodles too early, which can lead to mushy, overcooked pasta that falls apart in your bowl – wait until the last 10-12 minutes of cooking time to add them so they stay perfectly al dente.

Another common error is not browning the Italian sausage properly before adding other ingredients, so make sure to break it up well and let it develop a nice golden color for the best flavor.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasoning at the end, especially the salt, since the beef broth and cheese toppings can vary in saltiness, and always add the fresh basil during the last few minutes of cooking to preserve its bright flavor.

If your soup seems too thick, simply add more broth or water gradually until you reach your preferred consistency.

What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

This hearty soup is practically a meal on its own, but a warm slice of garlic bread or crusty Italian bread is perfect for soaking up all that rich, tomatoey broth. I love serving it with a simple Caesar salad or mixed greens with Italian dressing to balance out all the comfort food goodness. If you want to make it even more filling, try pairing it with some buttery breadsticks or focaccia bread. The soup is so satisfying that you really don’t need much else, but these sides help round out the meal nicely.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This lasagna soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. The flavors actually get better after a day or two, so it’s perfect for meal prep. Just keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb the broth, so you might need to add a splash of water or broth when reheating.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but I’d recommend freezing it without the noodles if possible. The pasta can get a bit mushy after freezing, so it’s better to cook fresh noodles when you reheat. If you do freeze it with noodles, just know the texture will be softer.

Warm Up: Heat your soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s hot throughout. You can also use the microwave, but stir it every minute or so to heat evenly. Add a little extra broth or water if it seems too thick, and don’t forget to top with fresh cheese!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2300
• Protein: 90-110 g
• Fat: 90-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-200 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 lb italian sausage
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp italian seasoning
• 10 sheets dry lasagna pasta, broken in pieces
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For serving:

• Ricotta cheese
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

• 1 lb Italian sausage

Remove the sausage meat from the casings if necessary, and add it to a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Brown the sausage for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

If there is a lot of excess fat rendered, drain it off before proceeding.

Step 2: Cook the Onion and Garlic

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• sausage (browned, from Step 1)

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the browned sausage in the pot.

Continue cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant.

Step 3: Add Liquids, Seasoning, and Pasta

• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 10 sheets dry lasagna pasta, broken in pieces
• onion, garlic, and sausage mixture (from Step 2)

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, water, Italian seasoning, and broken lasagna noodles.

Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to distribute the noodles.

Once boiling, reduce the heat so the soup maintains a gentle simmer.

I like to stir the soup a few times during this step to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom.

Step 4: Simmer the Soup

• soup mixture (from Step 3)

Simmer the soup, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Continue to stir occasionally as it cooks.

Step 5: Finish and Season the Soup

• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn
• salt and pepper, to taste
• soup (from Step 4)

Once the noodles are tender, stir in the torn fresh basil and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Adjust seasoning as desired.

For a more authentic flavor, I like to use more fresh basil at the end.

Step 6: Serve and Add Cheese Toppings

• ricotta cheese
• grated parmesan cheese
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• soup (from Step 5)

Ladle the hot lasagna soup into bowls.

Top each serving with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a small handful of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese.

You can adjust the toppings to your liking for extra creaminess and flavor.

Italian Lasagna Soup

Delicious Italian Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2150 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup:

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 10 sheets dry lasagna pasta, broken in pieces
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn
• salt and pepper, to taste

For serving:

• ricotta cheese
• grated parmesan cheese
• shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

 

• Remove the sausage meat from the casings if necessary, and add it to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. If there is a lot of excess fat rendered, drain it off before proceeding.
• Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the browned sausage in the pot. Continue cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, water, Italian seasoning, and broken lasagna noodles. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to distribute the noodles. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the soup maintains a gentle simmer. I like to stir the soup a few times during this step to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom.
• Simmer the soup, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Continue to stir occasionally as it cooks.
• Once the noodles are tender, stir in the torn fresh basil and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning as desired. For a more authentic flavor, I like to use more fresh basil at the end.
• Ladle the hot lasagna soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of ricotta cheese and a small handful of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. You can adjust the toppings to your liking for extra creaminess and flavor.