Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (2024)

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Tastes just like your favorite hearty lasagna, in soup form.

By

Kathy Strahs

Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (1)

Kathy Strahs

Kathy Strahs is a cookbook author.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated September 18, 2023

Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (2)

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Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (3)

  • What Is Lasagna Soup?

  • The Best Noodles

  • Cooking Noodles Separately

  • Variations

I have the utmost respect for silky smooth puréed soups but, for me, a chunky soup that’s like an all-in-one meal wins every time. That’s one of the reasons I liked lasagna soup from the first time I tried it. It’s a family-friendly main course I can easily pull together on a weeknight, comforting in all the ways I love in a soup.

What Is Lasagna Soup?

Quite simply, lasagna soup is a soup that’s made with all of the ingredients you love in a classic lasagna. You’ve got a tomato broth base that’s seasoned with Italian herbs, bite-sized lasagna noodles, crumbled Italian sausage, and a three-cheese topping to finish it off.

The Best Noodles for Lasagna Soup

Lasagna noodles are, of course, the obvious choice for making lasagna soup. You’ll want to break them into bite-sized pieces before cooking them, of course.

Alternatively, there are lots of other pasta shapes that will work well. Ribbon-shaped pastas such as reginetti and Mafalda, which look like mini ruffle-edged lasagna noodles, are great choices. Farfalle (aka “bowtie pasta”) and bell-shaped campanelle also pair well with hearty soups like lasagna soup.

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Why Cook the Noodles Separately?

While it does require the use of one more pot (and I know how we like a one-pot meal), I’m going to make a case for boiling the noodles separately from the rest of your lasagna soup. The issue at hand is noodle mushiness—and avoiding it.

  • Serving time flexibility. If you’re planning to serve the soup immediately, you can cook the noodles right in the soup without having to worry about them becoming mushy. But if you let the noodles simmer for longer than about 10 minutes, they’re likely to get overcooked. Keeping the cooked noodles separate from the broth gives you the option to delay serving the soup (even by just a few minutes), should you need the flexibility, without compromising the noodle texture.
  • Better reheating. If you anticipate wanting to reheat this soup at a later time, you’re better off cooking and storing the noodles separately so they don’t soak up the broth and become, once again, mushy.

Variations

You can tweak this very flexible soup recipe to your preferences. Here are a few ideas:

  • Add greens. You can easily incorporate baby spinach, kale, or other greens to this soup. In Step 4, once the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, add about 5 ounces (more or less, it’s up to you) of baby or chopped greens and continue simmering until they’re tender and wilted, about 5 more minutes.
  • Simmer with a Parmesan rind. If you’ve ever enjoyed a soup that’s been simmered with a Parmesan rind, you know the savory depth of flavor it can bring. If you’ve got a rind in your refrigerator―or perhaps you’ll obtain one once you grate the Parmesan for this recipe―go ahead and toss it in the pot in Step 4. Just remember to discard it before serving.
  • Switch up the sausage. Lighten up this soup a bit with Italian-style chicken, turkey, or plant-based sausage. Alternatively, you can omit the sausage entirely.

Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (5)

Beloved Italian Soup Recipes

  • Italian Wedding Soup
  • Stracciatella alla Romana
  • Easy Tuscan Bean Soup
  • Pasta e fa*gioli
  • Tomato and Bread Soup (Pappa al Pomodoro)

Lasagna Soup

Prep Time8 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time53 mins

Servings4to 6 servings

You can use ruffly or ribbon-shaped pastas such as farfalle, mafalda, or campanelle instead of the lasagna noodles. Or if no-boil lasagna noodles are all you have, use those and add them about 5 minutes before the end of the soup's cooking time.

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt

  • 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces (see recipe note)

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausageor links, casings removed

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1 (15-ounces) can crushed tomatoes

  • 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Dash freshlyground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)

  • 6-8 fresh basil leaves, torn

Method

  1. Cook the noodles:

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broken lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse the noodles with cold water (this will stop the cooking process and prevent the pasta from sticking together), then set aside.

    Tip

    If you’re planning to serve the soup immediately, you can cook the noodles right in the soup without having to worry about them becoming mushy. But if you let the noodles simmer for longer than about 10 minutes, they’re likely to get overcooked.

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  2. Brown the sausage:

    While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large (at least 4 quart) Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is mostly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (7)

  3. Add the aromatics, tomato paste, and seasonings:

    Add the onion and garlic to the sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the aromatics are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens, about 2 minutes.

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  4. Add the broth, tomatoes, and water:

    Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup of water and bring the soup to a boil, uncovered. Skim any film that may rise to the surface from the sausage. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

    Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (9)

  5. Mix the ricotta and Parmesan:

    While the soup simmers, combine the ricotta and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Season with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and a dash of black pepper.

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  6. Assemble the soup and serve:

    Add about 1 cup of cooked pasta to each individual serving bowl. Taste the soup and season with salt and/or pepper if it needs it. Ladle soup into each serving bowl, over the pasta (the heat from the soup will warm the noodles to serving temperature). Top each bowl with mozzarella cheese, the ricotta mixture, and torn basil.

    Store the cooked noodles and soup in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (11)

    Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (12)

    Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (13)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
478Calories
30g Fat
27g Carbs
27g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories478
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g38%
Saturated Fat 12g58%
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 940mg41%
Total Carbohydrate 27g10%
Dietary Fiber 3g10%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 9mg46%
Calcium 196mg15%
Iron 3mg19%
Potassium 729mg16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Lasagna Soup Fills Your Lasagna Craving in Half the Time (2024)

FAQs

What is a serving size of lasagna soup? ›

Common serving sizes
Serving SizeCalories
100 g125
1 cup302
May 12, 2020

How to fix soupy lasagna? ›

Cornstarch is cheap and widely available at most grocery stores with the flours and baking products. To use cornstarch as a thickening agent for lasagna sauce, add it in a slurry to the sauce as it simmers. A slurry consists of equal parts cornstarch and cold liquid.

How to stop lasagne from going sloppy? ›

Don't use no-boil lasagna noodles. They require the sauce to have extra water in it to rehydrate the noodles. Between how many noodles and how much to dilute the sauce, it is a guessing game how it will turn out. Cook the noodles very al dente before assembling the lasagna, so you can use thick sauce.

How can I thicken my lasagna sauce? ›

Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna. Cornstarch is a classic binding ingredient that won't affect the sauce's flavor and is much more effective than flour.

What is the correct portion size of soup? ›

Bottom line is… the average soup serving as a side dish is between 3/4 and 1 cup. (8 oz) When the soup is served as the main course, plan on a bowl being about 1 1/2 cups. (12–14 oz) I hope that this answers your question.

How much soup per portion? ›

Using this guide
Serving Size per Person
Soup1/2 cup 1 1/2 cups
Stuffing1/3 cup
Potatoes1 1/2 cup 1/2 cup
Potato Toppings2 tsp 1/4 cup 1 tbsp 1 tbsp
10 more rows

Why is my lasagna so soupy? ›

The sauce could be too watery. The noodles can be holding on to water. The vegetables are releasing excess moisture. If you are using ricotta be careful of the moisture it can add.

What makes lasagna soupy? ›

Several factors can contribute to a lasagna recipe turning out excessively wet. These include noodles that haven't been dried enough, watery vegetables or sloppy meat sauce, and the often-overlooked culprit — ricotta cheese.

What makes lasagna soggy? ›

Mistake number 3: the sauce is too runny

The key is to have a nice, thick sauce that won't seep too much into the pasta, but rather, get absorbed into it, making it more flavorful. So, to achieve the perfect lasagna, the consistency of the sauce is absolutely essential.

Can you fix watery lasagna? ›

Pour off as much of the liquid as you can into a small saucepan, and boil it down. When it's reduced, pour it back over the lasagne and stick the whole dish back in the oven for 20 mins, maybe with some extra cheese grated on top.

What makes lasagna taste better? ›

Five Secrets of Building the Ultimate Lasagna
  1. Secret #1: No-Boil Noodles Actually Taste Better. ...
  2. Secret #2: For a Rich Sauce, Use Pork Sausage Instead of Ground Beef. ...
  3. Secret #3: Fresh Mozzarella Actually Makes a Difference.
Jan 6, 2015

What not to do when making lasagna? ›

In the spirit of learning and lasagna, here are the top mistakes everyone makes with lasagna.
  1. Overcooking the noodles. ...
  2. Boiling noodles without oil and salt. ...
  3. Letting your lasagna get too soupy. ...
  4. Using the wrong protein. ...
  5. Overloading the layers. ...
  6. Substituting cottage cheese for ricotta. ...
  7. Using preshredded cheese.
Aug 30, 2022

How to reduce lasagna sauce? ›

To speed up reduction, you can use a wider, shallower pot or pan, or divide up a batch of sauce into multiple pans. More surface area will help the sauce cook down faster. Don't try to crank up the heat, though.

Should sauce for lasagna be thick or thin? ›

(Some recipes call for a thick sauce, whereas for use in lasagna, the béchamel needs to have a pourable consistency.) The sauce is then seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Why is my ragu watery? ›

This could happen when you add too much pasta water into your sauce, and you accidentally drown the thick sauce with the starchy water (happens to the best of us). I find that this happens to me most often when I'm making quick sauces, like a meat sauce or light marinara that hasn't had the time to simmer.

How big is a serving of zuppa Toscana? ›

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

What is a serving of soup at Olive Garden? ›

The serving size for all soups is 8 fluid ounces. ToGo orders receive 16 fluid ounces.

What is a serving size of Campbell soup? ›

Chicken Noodle Soup
Nutrition Facts
About 2.5 Servings Per Container
Serving size1/2 Cup (120mL) Condensed Soup
Amount per serving
Calories60
18 more rows

How much does a lasagna serve? ›

As a general rule of thumb, one 13x9 pan will yield 8 medium-sized portions. You can adjust the serving sizes to your family's appetite: if they have larger appetites, you cut the pan into 6 large portions, and if they have smaller appetites, you can cut the pan into 10 smaller portions.

References

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