This is a one-pot soup that hits all the flavors of lasagna — seasoned beef, tomato, pasta, and two cheeses — without the layering, the baking dish, or the hour of cleanup. It comes together in about 55 minutes on a single burner. If you need a filling weeknight dinner that doesn’t leave the kitchen wrecked, this is a reliable option.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, browning the ground beef before adding any liquid — don’t rush it. Properly browned beef builds fond on the bottom of the pot, and that fond dissolves into the broth and adds depth you won’t get from just simmering raw meat in liquid. Second, the ricotta is kept separate and stirred in at serving time, not cooked into the soup. This keeps it creamy and distinct rather than grainy, and it mimics the layered texture of actual lasagna in a way that just dumping it in the pot wouldn’t.
If something goes sideways
- The pasta soaked up all the broth: Pasta keeps absorbing liquid as the soup sits, especially fusilli and rotini. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating — start with a quarter cup and go from there.
- The soup tastes flat: Canned tomato products vary a lot in salt and acidity. Taste before serving and add a small pinch of salt, or a teaspoon of tomato paste stirred in while the soup simmers, to sharpen the flavor.
- The beef is greasy: If your ground beef is on the fattier side, tip the pot slightly after browning and spoon off the excess fat before adding the aromatics. Skipping this step makes the finished soup oily.
- The pasta is mushy: Eight to ten minutes is the window — pull a piece and taste it at eight. Overcooked pasta in soup turns to mush fast, and there’s no fixing it once it’s gone too far.
- The ricotta dollop looks curdled on top: This happens if the soup is boiling hot when you serve it. Let each bowl sit for 60 seconds before adding the ricotta — skip the garnish of extra mozzarella on top if you want one less thing to deal with, it’s not worth the extra dish.
Make-ahead notes
The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to three days in a sealed container, but the pasta will continue to absorb broth and soften over time. If you’re planning ahead, consider cooking the pasta separately and storing it apart from the soup base, then combining them when you reheat. For freezing, the soup base — beef, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings — freezes well for up to three months; add fresh pasta when you reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat. The ricotta mixture should always be made fresh at serving time, which takes about two minutes and makes a noticeable difference in texture.
Easy Homemade Lasagna Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 2 cups pasta such as fusilli or rotini
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take a large pot or Dutch oven then add the ground beef and cook over medium heat until it's no longer pink, while breaking it up into small pieces using a wooden spoon.
- Add the minced garlic, diced onion, dried basil, and dried oregano to the pot, and cook for 3-4 minutes by sautéing until the onion becomes translucent and emits a pleasant aroma.
- Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to the pot, and mix them well. Boil the mixture and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add your pasta to the pot, and let it cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender.
- Next, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, salt, and pepper.
- When serving, scoop the soup into bowls, and add a dollop of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese on each bowl.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes — any short pasta with ridges or curves works well. Penne, farfalle, or broken lasagna noodles are all good choices. Avoid very small pasta like orzo, which overcooks quickly and disappears into the broth.
Can I make this without ground beef?
Yes — leave out the beef and swap chicken broth for vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. You can bulk it up with diced zucchini or bell pepper added when you sauté the onion and garlic.
Do I have to use both mozzarella and ricotta?
The ricotta is the more important of the two — it’s what gives each bowl that creamy, lasagna-like finish. If you skip the mozzarella, the soup is still good. If you skip the ricotta, it tastes more like a standard tomato pasta soup.
My family doesn’t like chunky tomatoes — can I use something else?
Swap the can of diced tomatoes for an equal amount of crushed tomatoes. The flavor is the same and the texture blends smoothly into the broth without any visible tomato chunks.
Can I use Italian sausage instead of ground beef?
Yes, and it works very well. Mild or hot Italian sausage adds more seasoning on its own, so you may want to cut back on the dried basil and oregano by half and taste as you go.
