Experience the ultimate comfort food with our Best Lasagna Soup Recipe, easily prepared on your stovetop or in a slow cooker! This hearty and delicious soup captures all the beloved flavors of your favorite lasagna casserole, but comes together in a fraction of the time – often in just 30 minutes. Featuring tender noodles, a rich tomato base, savory Italian sausage, and our secret ingredient for an irresistibly cheesy and creamy texture, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite. Say goodbye to the fuss of layering and baking, and hello to a bowl of pure, comforting indulgence.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Easy Lasagna Soup
Craving the deep, savory flavors of a classic lasagna but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen? Our incredible Easy Lasagna Soup is your perfect solution! This innovative recipe delivers the full, authentic taste of traditional lasagna without any of the time-consuming layering or baking. It’s designed for efficiency, coming together quickly on the stovetop and simmering to perfection in just about 20 minutes. What’s more, it often feels lighter than a heavy baked casserole, making it an ideal weeknight meal.
But for those leisurely days when you prefer a hands-off approach, we’ve also included a fantastic option for making this lasagna soup in your slow cooker. It’s incredibly versatile and adaptable to your schedule!
The magic behind this soup’s authentic lasagna flavor lies in a harmonious blend of classic ingredients: robust Italian sausage, fragrant onions and garlic, rich tomatoes, and, of course, tender lasagna noodles. But the real game-changer, our secret ingredient, is cream cheese. This luscious addition is the very same “magic touch” we swear by in our favorite baked lasagna casserole. It imparts an unparalleled richness, a subtle tang, and an extraordinary creamy texture to the soup, elevating it from good to truly unforgettable. You are absolutely going to adore the depth of flavor it brings!
Imagine a meal that is profoundly satisfying, bursting with deliciousness, and practically effortless to prepare. This Lasagna Soup checks all those boxes and more. It’s comforting enough for a chilly evening, yet quick enough for any busy weeknight. Once you try it, this recipe is undoubtedly going to earn a permanent spot on your regular dinner rotation!
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Lasagna Soup
Crafting the perfect lasagna soup starts with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create this comforting and flavorful dish:
- Olive Oil: A good quality olive oil is essential for sautéing. You can also use other high-heat, neutral-tasting oils like avocado or canola oil.
- Italian Ground Sausage: The cornerstone of this soup’s flavor profile. Choose between mild or spicy, depending on your preference. For a different twist or lighter option, ground beef or ground turkey can be used.
- Onion: Peeled and finely chopped. Onions provide a sweet and savory base, essential for depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Freshly peeled and minced garlic adds an aromatic and pungent kick that is indispensable in Italian cooking.
- Italian Seasoning: A blend of dried herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. You can use a convenient store-bought blend or make your own homemade Italian seasoning for fresher flavor.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Optional, but highly recommended if you enjoy a touch of heat. It adds a wonderful warming sensation to the soup.
- Chicken Broth: This forms the liquid base of the soup. Vegetable broth is an excellent alternative for a meat-free option or if you prefer a lighter flavor.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce: This combination creates the rich, robust, and deeply satisfying tomato base that is characteristic of classic lasagna.
- Pasta: The “lasagna” element! You have a few choices here:
- Lasagna Sheets: Break full lasagna sheets with ruffled edges into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
- Mafalda Pasta: These noodles resemble miniature lasagna sheets with their distinctive ruffled edges. Breaking them into pieces makes them easier to eat in a soup.
- Any Pasta Will Work: Don’t stress if you don’t have traditional lasagna or Mafalda. Penne, rotini, cavatappi, or even small shells work beautifully and will absorb all the wonderful flavors of the soup.
- Cream Cheese: Our secret ingredient! Cut into small cubes, it melts seamlessly into the soup, adding incredible creaminess, richness, and a delightful tanginess that truly sets this recipe apart.
- Fresh Basil: Divided for two uses – stir some into the soup for fresh herbaceous notes and save some for garnishing, which adds a burst of fresh flavor and vibrant color.
- Garnishes: For the ultimate lasagna experience, don’t forget the finishing touches! Extra fresh basil, shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan cheese are essential for that cheesy, authentic Italian flair.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Lasagna Soup on the Stovetop
Making this incredible lasagna soup is straightforward and surprisingly quick. Follow these simple steps for a comforting meal that tastes like it simmered all day:
- Brown the Sausage and Sauté Aromatics: Begin by placing a large 6-8 quart sauce pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat up. Once shimmering, add the ground Italian sausage to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, break the sausage into small, uniform pieces. Stir and cook the sausage for approximately 5 minutes, until it’s mostly browned and cooked through.
- Infuse with Flavor: Once the sausage is browned, stir in the chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Continue to sauté, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the onions to soften and become translucent, and the garlic and spices to become wonderfully fragrant, building a robust flavor base for your soup.
- Build the Broth Base: With the onions soft and aromatic, it’s time to create the luscious liquid foundation of your soup. Carefully pour in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir all the ingredients well to combine. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Add Pasta and Creaminess: While the broth is coming to a boil, prepare your pasta. Break the lasagna noodles or Mafalda noodles into small, manageable, bite-sized pieces (about 1-2 inches long). Once the broth is vigorously boiling, stir in the broken pasta pieces, the cubed cream cheese, and a portion of the fresh basil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer to Perfection: Continue to simmer the soup, uncovered, for at least 5-6 minutes. During this time, the pasta will cook to an al dente texture, and the cream cheese will beautifully melt and incorporate into the soup base, creating that signature rich and creamy consistency.
Pro Tip: It’s crucial to turn off the heat just before the pasta is fully cooked through to al dente. The residual heat from the hot soup broth will continue to cook the noodles slightly after removal from heat, preventing them from becoming mushy. Nobody wants mushy lasagna noodles!
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and black pepper. Remember, broth and canned tomatoes can vary in sodium content, so always taste before adding more salt.
Effortless Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup: A Hands-Off Approach
For those days when you prefer a more leisurely cooking experience or simply need dinner to be ready when you are, converting this lasagna soup recipe for the slow cooker is incredibly easy and yields equally delicious results! This method is especially ideal for weekend meal prep or busy weekdays.
Here’s how to adapt the recipe:
- Initial Sauté (Optional but Recommended): Start by browning the Italian sausage along with the chopped onions and minced garlic on your stovetop, just as described in steps 1 and 2 of the stovetop method. This crucial step develops deep flavors and a desirable texture that truly enhances the soup.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Once the sausage and aromatics are cooked, transfer them to your slow cooker. Add all the remaining ingredients, except for the pasta noodles and half of the fresh basil. Stir everything together gently to combine.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. This slow cooking time allows all the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a wonderfully rich and complex broth.
- Add Pasta and Finish: About 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, stir in the broken lasagna or Mafalda noodles (or your chosen pasta) and the remaining fresh basil. Continue to cook on LOW until the pasta is perfectly al dente. Again, be mindful not to overcook the pasta.
That’s it! Your slow cooker will do most of the work, leaving you with a warm, comforting bowl of lasagna soup ready to enjoy for dinner.
Perfect Serving Suggestions for Lasagna Soup
Our Best Lasagna Soup is a complete and satisfying meal on its own, but pairing it with a few complementary sides can elevate the dining experience even further. Here are some delightful serving suggestions:
- Garnish Generously: Once the hot soup is ladled into individual bowls, don’t forget the essential finishing touches! Sprinkle each serving generously with plenty of shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. The cheeses will melt into the warm soup, adding an extra layer of creamy, salty goodness. A final scattering of fresh basil leaves not only adds a pop of color but also a fresh, aromatic counterpoint to the rich soup.
- Crusty Bread for Dipping: Lasagna soup is simply divine with a side of warm, crusty bread perfect for soaking up every last drop of the flavorful broth. Consider our favorite classic Garlic Bread recipe for an authentic Italian pairing, or try the fun and shareable Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread. A simple, toasted baguette or ciabatta roll also works wonderfully.
- Fresh Salad Companions: What goes perfectly with hearty soup and delicious bread? A crisp, fresh salad, of course! Balance the richness of the lasagna soup with a light, vibrant side. A simple green salad with a vinaigrette dressing, a refreshing Caprese Panzanella, or a robust Caesar Salad would all be excellent choices.
No matter how you choose to serve it, this Lasagna Soup promises a comforting and memorable meal that brings everyone to the table.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lasagna Soup
Absolutely not! One of the fantastic conveniences of this lasagna soup recipe is that there’s no need to pre-boil the pasta. The lasagna noodles (or Mafalda noodles) cook directly in the simmering broth, absorbing all the wonderful flavors of the soup as they soften. This saves you an extra step and makes clean-up even easier.
Leftover lasagna soup is incredibly delicious, and many find its flavors deepen overnight! To store, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes, you can definitely freeze lasagna soup, making it an excellent meal prep option! Once the soup has cooled completely, transfer it into an airtight, freezer-safe container. For added protection against freezer burn, you can wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil or use a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible. It will store well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Transforming this into a gluten-free lasagna soup is incredibly simple. The main adjustment needed is to use your favorite gluten-free pasta noodles. Most major brands offer excellent gluten-free lasagna sheets or other pasta shapes that work perfectly in soup. Ensure all other ingredients, like broth and sausage, are certified gluten-free if you have severe sensitivities.
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Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe
15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
8 servings
Video
A video demonstration for this recipe is available!
Ingredients
Measurements are in US Customary units.
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth or beef broth
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 6 ounces broken lasagna noodles or Mafalda noodles
- 4 ounce cream cheese cut into cubes
- ¼ cups chopped fresh basil
- Toppings –
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Set a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage up into small pieces. Stir and brown the sausage for approximately 5 minutes.
- Once the sausage is mostly browned, stir in the chopped onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Sauté the onions for 3 to 5 minutes to soften.
- Once the onions are soft, pour in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir well. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, break the lasagna noodles or Mafalda noodles into small bite-size pieces. Once the broth is boiling, stir in the broken pasta, cream cheese, and fresh basil. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for at least 5-6 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the cream cheese has melted into the soup base. (It’s best to turn off the heat before the pasta is fully cooked through, because it’s going to sit in the hot soup broth after cooking. You don’t want the lasagna noodles to become mushy.) Taste, then salt and pepper if needed.
- To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
Let the soup cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge.
To freeze: Once it cools completely, transfer the soup to an airtight and freezer-safe container. Wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 478kcal,
Carbohydrates: 33g,
Protein: 25g,
Fat: 28g,
Saturated Fat: 11g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 11g,
Trans Fat: 0.1g,
Cholesterol: 79mg,
Sodium: 1802mg,
Potassium: 796mg,
Fiber: 4g,
Sugar: 10g,
Vitamin A: 1045IU,
Vitamin C: 16mg,
Calcium: 319mg,
Iron: 3mg
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