A bowl of lasagna in soup form — creamy, comforting, and fast enough for a weeknight. This Easy Creamy Lasagna Soup layers browned meat, tangy marinara, broken lasagna noodles, and a trio of creamy cheeses for a meal that tastes like a cozy Italian dinner without all the assembly. If you like rich, silky broths with familiar pasta-baked flavors, you might also enjoy this creamy Tuscan shrimp recipe for another quick, restaurant-style dinner at home.
Why you’ll love this dish
This soup captures everything people crave about lasagna — meaty tomato sauce, tender pasta, and melting cheese — but in a slurpable, ladle-friendly format. It’s faster than assembling and baking a pan of lasagna, and it stretches well (great for families or leftovers). Make it when you want the comfort of Italian home cooking without the hands-on time.
"My picky kids asked for seconds and then wanted it for lunch the next day — comfort food that travels well."
Reasons to try it:
- Weeknight-friendly: Ready in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
- Budget-wise: Uses pantry staples and one pound of meat to feed 4–6.
- Crowd-pleaser: Melty cheeses and mild seasoning make it kid-approved.
- Flexible: Easily swaps proteins or goes vegetarian with simple changes.
Step-by-step overview
Before you cook, here’s what happens in the pot: brown the meat, sauté aromatics, build a tomato-forward broth with marinara and crushed tomatoes, simmer to deepen flavor, add broken lasagna noodles to cook right in the soup, then finish with heavy cream and three cheeses for a velvety finish. Expect two active windows (browning and the finishing cheese step) and a simmer that brings the flavors together.
What you’ll need
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey (sub: Italian sausage for more flavor)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper, adjusted to taste
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into 2–3 inch pieces (noodles cook right in the soup)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup ricotta cheese (use whole-milk ricotta for best texture)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped for garnish
Substitutions and notes:
- To make this vegetarian, skip the meat and add a 15-ounce can of drained cannellini beans or a cup of chopped mushrooms for body.
- For a different creamy-protein meal, try creamy pork chops over dirty rice — it’s another comfort-dinner option that highlights creamy sauces and hearty proteins.
Step-by-step instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink and starting to brown.
- Drain excess fat, but leave about a tablespoon in the pot — that leftover fat adds flavor. Return pot to medium heat.
- Add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the marinara, chicken broth, and crushed tomatoes. Increase heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes to let flavors meld and the tomatoes mellow.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender — about 10–12 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, add a splash more broth or water.
- Lower heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Mix until cheese melts and the soup is creamy. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped basil or parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve hot with garlic bread or a crisp salad.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve the soup in wide bowls to show off the noodles and cheese. Pair with:
- Garlic bread or cheesy focaccia for dipping.
- A bright green salad (arugula with lemon vinaigrette) to cut richness.
- A glass of medium-bodied red wine (like Chianti) or a citrusy sparkling water for a non-alcoholic option.
For entertaining, set out grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and extra ricotta so guests can customize their bowls.
Storage and reheating tips
Safety first: refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in airtight containers. Stored in the fridge, the soup keeps 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 2–3 months.
To reheat:
- Thawed or refrigerated: warm gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the soup if it has thickened.
- From frozen: thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above. For quicker reheating, microwave in 1–2 minute intervals, stirring in between.
Note on texture: pasta absorbs liquid over time. If reheating makes the soup too thick, add extra broth to restore the desired consistency.
Helpful cooking tips
- Browning: Let the meat sit in the pot for a minute before stirring during browning to develop better color and deeper flavor.
- Reserve fat: Keep a tablespoon of the drippings for flavor, even if you drain the rest.
- Noodle timing: Break lasagna noodles into 2–3 inch pieces so they cook evenly and fit in bowls. Add more broth if you want a looser soup.
- Cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan for superior melt and flavor; pre-grated tends to stay firmer.
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the base (meat + sauce + tomatoes) up to 48 hours ahead; add noodles and cheeses just before reheating to keep the texture fresh.
Recipe variations
- Vegetarian: Replace meat with sautéed mushrooms, chopped eggplant, or a mix of beans and add a splash more broth. Use vegetable broth.
- Lighter: Swap heavy cream for half-and-half and reduce the ricotta to 1/4 cup. Use ground turkey with a lower-fat content.
- Spicy: Increase crushed red pepper to 1 teaspoon or stir in a spoonful of harissa or Calabrian chili paste.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagna sheets or broken gluten-free pasta; cooking times may vary.
- Cheeseboard twist: Before serving, dollop extra ricotta and drizzle with good olive oil for an indulgent finish.
Common questions
Q: How long does this soup take to make from start to finish?
A: Active time is about 20–25 minutes (browning and prep). Simmering and noodle cooking add another 25–30 minutes, so plan on roughly 45–55 minutes total.
Q: Can I use dried pasta other than lasagna noodles?
A: Yes — small shapes like rigatoni or broken penne work. Adjust cooking time according to package instructions since smaller pasta may cook faster.
Q: Is it safe to freeze lasagna soup with dairy?
A: You can freeze it, but cream and ricotta can separate slightly after thawing. To minimize this, under-stir the dairy in before freezing and reheat gently, whisking to reincorporate. For best texture, freeze without adding the heavy cream and fresh ricotta; add them when reheating.
Q: Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?
A: Vegetarian swaps are straightforward (mushrooms, beans, or lentils and vegetable broth). For vegan, use dairy-free cream alternatives, plant-based ricotta, and vegan mozzarella; texture and flavor will differ but still be comforting.
Q: How do I prevent the pasta from getting gummy in leftovers?
A: Store soup and pasta separately when possible. If that’s not practical, add extra broth or water when reheating to loosen it up and heat gently.
If you have other questions — like timing adjustments for an Instant Pot or air-fryer side dishes — ask and I’ll provide adaptations.
Easy Creamy Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey Sub: Italian sausage for more flavor.
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Optional.
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste.
- ½ teaspoon black pepper Adjust to taste.
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth Or vegetable broth for vegetarian.
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 8 noodles lasagna, broken into 2–3 inch pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup ricotta cheese Use whole-milk ricotta for best texture.
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Plus extra for topping.
- to taste Fresh basil or parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink and starting to brown.
- Drain excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon in the pot.
- Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Pour in marinara, chicken broth, and crushed tomatoes. Increase heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10–12 minutes.
- Lower heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan until cheese melts.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped basil or parsley and extra Parmesan.