One Pot Lasagna Soup

One Pot Lasagna Soup is loaded with tender noodles, savory sausage, creamy cheese, and a rich tomato broth seasoned with classic Italian herbs. Hearty, comforting, and full of flavor, every bite tastes like a warm hug in a bowl. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that feels indulgent without the effort.

Love More Soup Ideas? Try My 5 Ingredient Taco Soup or this Chicken Tortilla Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This One Pot Lasagna Soup

This soup delivers all the rich, layered flavors of homemade lasagna without the hours of work. Broken pasta pieces soak up the savory meat sauce perfectly, and the three-cheese blend melts into a creamy, indulgent finish. With everything cooked in a single pot, it saves time and makes cleanup a breeze while still giving you that comforting, cheesy lasagna experience.

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Ingredients

For the Soup Base:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage for extra flavor)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a gentle kick)
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1½ tsp granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp each: dried parsley, dried oregano, salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 8–10 lasagna noodles, broken into 1–2 inch pieces (use regular noodles, not no-boil)
• 8–10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream (optional, for extra creaminess)

Cheese Garnishes:

• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh ricotta cheese

My neighbor uses whatever marinara’s on sale and it still turns out fantastic. Don’t stress about brand names here.

Why These Ingredients Work

Here’s what I learned after making this soup probably fifty times: the balsamic vinegar cuts through all that tomato richness without anyone knowing it’s there. My secret weapon is breaking regular lasagna noodles by hand because they create these perfect irregular shapes that catch every drop of sauce. The sugar balances the acidity from the tomatoes, and trust me on the bay leaf – it adds this subtle depth that makes people ask “what’s your secret?”

Essential Tools and Equipment

Grab your biggest pot or Dutch oven. Mine’s this old hand-me-down from my aunt that’s seen better days but works like a dream. You’ll need a wooden spoon, sharp knife, and that’s pretty much it. Oh, and a ladle because trying to serve soup with a regular spoon is just asking for a mess.

How To Make One Pot Lasagna Soup

Step 1: Brown the Meat and Onions

Toss the ground beef and onion in your big pot over medium-high heat. Break up that meat with your spoon while it browns. Takes about 6-8 minutes and your kitchen will start smelling incredible.

Step 2: Add Garlic and Spices

Chuck in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for maybe 30 seconds until it smells amazing. Don’t wander off here – garlic burns fast and tastes bitter.

Step 3: Build the Base

Dump in your marinara, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic, sugar, and all those herbs. Add the broken noodles and about 6 cups broth. Give it a good stir and don’t worry if it looks like too much liquid.

Step 4: Simmer Until Perfect

Bring it to a boil then turn it down to simmer. Let it bubble away for 20-30 minutes while you clean up or help with homework. Stir it every so often so nothing sticks.

Step 5: Finish and Season

Fish out that bay leaf and toss it. If you’re using cream, stir it in now. Add more broth if you want it soupier – some nights I like it thick, other nights more liquidy.

Step 6: Serve with Cheese

Ladle into bowls and let everyone go crazy with the cheese. My kids pile it on so high you can barely see the soup underneath.

You Must Know

This soup gets thicker as it sits because those noodles keep drinking up the broth. Don’t panic when it looks thin at first. And please use regular lasagna noodles, not the no-boil kind – learned that lesson the hard way when they turned into mush.

Personal Secret: I make this with half ground beef and half sweet Italian sausage when I really want to impress someone. The fennel in the sausage makes it taste like it simmered all day at an Italian grandmother’s house!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Brown your meat until it’s actually brown, not just gray. Those crispy bits matter more than you think. I always taste the soup before serving because every jar of marinara is different – sometimes you need more salt, sometimes more sugar.

Break those noodles with your hands instead of cutting them. Sounds weird but it makes better shapes. If your soup ends up too thick, thin it out with warm broth. Too thin? Just let it simmer without the lid for ten more minutes.

My biggest mistake was rushing the simmering part early on. Give those flavors time to get acquainted – that extra ten minutes is what separates good from mind-blowing.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

When my vegetarian sister visits, I skip the meat and load it up with mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers. Still incredible. My brother-in-law adds double the red pepper flakes because he’s got a thing for spicy food.

For white lasagna vibes, swap the marinara for Alfredo sauce and throw in some spinach. Sounds fancy but it’s just as easy. Ground turkey works fine too – just add a splash of olive oil since it’s leaner than beef.

Make-Ahead Options

This soup tastes even better tomorrow. Something about overnight in the fridge makes all those flavors meld together perfectly. I make it Sunday and we eat it Monday and Tuesday – saves my sanity during busy weeks.

You can freeze the base without noodles for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it out and add fresh broken noodles. Freezing with noodles already in there turns them into mushy disappointment.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

The simmering stage is where the magic happens, so don’t rush it. I learned this when I tried to speed things up for unexpected company and it just didn’t taste the same. Let it bubble gently and your patience gets rewarded.

If you go the beef-and-sausage route, get sweet Italian sausage unless you really love heat. The fennel gives it that authentic Italian restaurant flavor that makes people think you’re fancier than you are.

Serving Suggestions

Crusty bread for dunking is non-negotiable in my house. Sometimes I make garlic bread, sometimes I just buy it from the bakery section. A simple salad on the side makes this feel like a real dinner instead of just soup.

For parties, I set up a cheese station with different options. People love building their own perfect bowl. Add some fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy.

How to Store Your One Pot Lasagna Soup

Stick leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. It’ll get thick overnight, so add some broth when you reheat it. I usually warm it up on the stove instead of the microwave because it heats more evenly.

Don’t freeze this with noodles unless you enjoy mushy pasta. Freeze just the soup base and cook fresh noodles when you’re ready to eat it again.

Allergy Information

This has gluten from the pasta and dairy from the cream and cheese. For gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles but cook them separately and add them at the end so they don’t fall apart. Skip the cream and use dairy-free cheese if needed.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use different pasta?

Sure thing. Penne, rigatoni, whatever you’ve got. Just watch the cooking time.

Slow cooker version?

Brown the meat first, then everything except cream goes in the slow cooker for 6 hours on low. Stir in cream during the last half hour.

Can I sneak vegetables in?

Absolutely. Bell peppers, zucchini, spinach – whatever needs using up. Add firm veggies with the onions, leafy stuff in the last few minutes.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your favorite cheese combinations or any fun variations you discover.