Description
This hearty Lasagna Soup combines all the comforting flavors of traditional lasagna in a warm, satisfying bowl of soup. Featuring ground beef, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, broken lasagna noodles, spinach, and a luscious cheese mixture, this recipe is perfect for cozy dinners. It can be adapted to vegetarian or vegan versions and offers easy make-ahead and freezing options.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 recipe homemade marinara sauce (or 24 ounces store-bought marinara sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves (optional)
Pasta
- 9 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (about fourths)
Cheeses
- 10 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Meat: In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage, seasoning with salt and pepper as you cook. Once browned, drain excess grease and remove the meat from the pot.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Sauces and Spices: Stir in the tomato paste, marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, dried oregano, and dried basil. Pour in the chicken broth and return the browned meat to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook Noodles: Add the broken lasagna noodles to the boiling soup and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add the fresh spinach during the last few minutes if using.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan until well combined.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous dollop of the cheese mixture. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover lasagna soup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the soup up to step 4 but omit adding the noodles. Refrigerate the soup and add noodles when reheating to cook fresh.
- Freezing: Freeze the soup without the cheese mixture in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on stovetop. For best texture, consider preparing noodles fresh when reheating.
- Vegetarian Option: Omit ground beef and sausage; add extra chopped vegetables such as zucchini, mushrooms, and yellow squash in step 3.
- Vegan Option: Omit meat and cheese; substitute cheese with homemade cashew ricotta and add extra vegetables.
- Pasta Substitutions: Any pasta shape can replace broken lasagna noodles if preferred.
- Slow Cooker Option: After browning meat and sautéing aromatics, combine all ingredients except noodles in slow cooker on LOW for 4-6 hours. Add noodles 30 minutes before serving and cook until tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
