15 Easy Lasagna Soup to Try Tonight

Lasagna soup takes everything you love about a baked lasagna, the rich meaty tomato sauce, tender pasta, and creamy cheese finish, and turns it into a one-pot meal ready in under an hour. Because the noodles cook right in the broth, there's no layering, no oven, and only one pot to wash up afterwards. This collection of 15 lasagna soup recipes covers everything from a 30-minute weeknight bowl to a slow-cooker classic, so you can match the method to your evening. Each one keeps the same cosy, cheesy payoff as the original dish, just served in a bowl instead of sliced from a baking tray.

This is the base recipe most cooks reach for first: a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage browned together, simmered in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, and finished with a dollop of ricotta. Using both meats rather than just beef gives the broth more depth, since the sausage's fennel and paprika mimic the flavour of a slow-simmered Sunday sauce. Break the lasagna sheets into rough 5cm (2 in) pieces before adding them so every spoonful gets a good mix of pasta and broth.

For the fastest version, swap the tinned crushed tomatoes and separate seasonings for a 700g (24 oz) jar of good-quality marinara, which does the seasoning work for you. Use only ground beef, skip browning it in batches, and stir in broken curly-edge egg noodles instead of lasagna sheets since they cook in under 8 minutes. This variation skips the long simmer, relying on a splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end to add the depth a longer cook time would normally build.

Bulk this one up with 450g (1 lb) each of ground beef and Italian sausage rather than splitting a single pound between them, plus a handful of sliced mushrooms sautéed with the onions for extra body. The higher meat ratio means the broth needs an extra 250ml (1 cup) of stock to stay soup-like rather than turning into a ragu. Finish with a generous layer of mozzarella under the grill for 2-3 minutes if your pot is oven-safe, for a bubbling, lasagna-style top.

Brown the meat and onions on the stovetop first, then transfer everything except the noodles and cheese to a slow cooker with the broth, tomatoes, and seasoning, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles for the final 25-30 minutes only, since they turn mushy if they sit in the slow cooker any longer. This version rewards the longer, gentler cook with a rounder, more melded tomato flavour than the stovetop original.

Stir 120g (1/2 cup) of ricotta directly into the hot broth just before serving, rather than dolloping it on top, so the whole pot turns pale, creamy pink instead of staying a straight tomato red. A splash of 60ml (1/4 cup) double cream (heavy cream) whisked in with the ricotta smooths out any graininess and rounds off the acidity of the tomatoes. Keep a little extra ricotta aside for spooning on top of each bowl so diners still get that classic lasagna cheese pull.

Strip the recipe back to ground beef, a jar of marinara, chicken broth, broken lasagna noodles, and shredded mozzarella, letting the jarred sauce carry all the herb and garlic flavour. It's the easiest entry point for beginners because there's no chopping beyond breaking up the noodles, and everything simmers in one pot for about 25 minutes total. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper at the end, since jarred sauces vary a lot in how salty they already are.

Layer the cheese in three ways: stir 60g (1/2 cup) grated parmesan into the broth as it simmers, fold ricotta and mozzarella together for the topping, and finish each bowl with an extra handful of mozzarella that melts into strings as it hits the hot soup. Using a mix of pre-shredded and freshly grated block cheese gives a better melt than pre-shredded alone, which contains anti-caking starches that make it grainy. This variation is the closest in richness to a baked lasagna slice.

Swap the beef and sausage for 450g (1 lb) lean ground turkey plus 1 tsp extra Italian seasoning and a pinch of smoked paprika, since turkey has a milder flavour that needs a bit more support from herbs. Because turkey releases less fat than beef, there's no need to drain the pot after browning, which also keeps the broth from tasting greasy. It's a lighter, gentler version that still delivers the same cosy, cheese-topped finish.

Use a single 450g (1 lb) pack of the cheapest ground beef on offer, a tin of plain chopped tomatoes instead of a branded jar of sauce, and swap fresh mozzarella for a block of value cheddar, which melts nearly as well for a fraction of the cost. Stock cubes dissolved in water work just as well as carton broth here and won't affect the final flavour once the tomatoes and herbs are simmering. This version feeds a family of six for a fraction of the price of a traditional baked lasagna.

Sauté the meat and onions using the pot's sauté function, then add the tomatoes, broth, and seasoning, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes with a quick release. Stir in the broken noodles afterwards and simmer using the sauté function for 8-10 minutes until tender, since cooking pasta under pressure turns it to mush. This method gets dinner on the table in around 25 minutes total, including the time it takes the pot to come to pressure.

Add a diced carrot, a diced celery stalk, and a courgette (zucchini) to the pot with the onions for a heartier, more rustic sofrito base, letting them soften for 5-6 minutes before the garlic goes in. A handful of baby spinach stirred in during the last 2 minutes of cooking wilts down without turning slimy and adds colour without changing the flavour balance. This variation stretches the meat further, so it's a good option when you want more vegetables in the bowl.

Swap the browned ground meat for 450g (1 lb) of small, bite-sized meatballs, either homemade or shop-bought, added to the simmering broth once the tomatoes and seasoning are in. Simmer the meatballs for 12-15 minutes before adding the noodles, so they cook through fully and hold their shape. It's a fun, kid-friendly twist that turns the soup into more of a meatball-and-pasta dish.

Double every ingredient except the broth, which only needs to go up by half again, to feed 10-12 people from one large stockpot without the broth-to-solids ratio going thin. Use a 10-litre (10-quart) pot at minimum, and brown the meat in two batches so it sears rather than steams. This is the version to make for a crowd, since it also reheats well in a slow cooker set to warm for serving.

Add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes with the garlic and use a hot Italian sausage instead of mild, plus a few dashes of hot sauce stirred into the finished broth for anyone who wants extra heat. A swirl of chilli oil over the ricotta topping at serving time adds both colour and a fresh kick that balances the richness. This is the variation to make when the usual version feels a little too mellow.

Everything, including the noodles, cooks in a single Dutch oven from start to finish, with no draining, transferring, or extra pans required beyond a bowl for the ricotta topping. Brown the meat directly in the pot you'll serve from, then build the rest of the soup on top of that flavour once the onions are softened. It's the most practical version for a weeknight when the only thing you want to wash up afterwards is one pot and a spoon.

Don't let the noodles sit in the finished soup for longer than necessary, as broken lasagna sheets keep absorbing liquid and will turn soft within 20-30 minutes of the pot coming off the heat. Brown the meat in a single layer without stirring for the first 2-3 minutes to get real colour rather than steaming it grey. Taste the broth before adding extra salt, since jarred sauces, broth, and parmesan all bring their own sodium. If the soup tastes flat, a spoonful of tomato paste or a small splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end usually fixes it faster than more salt.

Ladle the soup into wide, shallow bowls rather than deep ones so the ricotta topping and cheese sit on top instead of sinking, and finish with a crack of black pepper and torn basil leaves for colour. A side of garlic bread or a crusty baguette is the classic pairing, useful for mopping up the last of the broth. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cheese and meat nicely. For a dinner party, set out extra grated parmesan and chilli flakes so guests can finish their own bowl.

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; the noodles will keep absorbing broth as they sit, so add a splash of extra stock or water when reheating to loosen it back up. For longer storage, freeze the soup without the noodles and cheese for up to 3 months, since both change texture badly once thawed. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and add freshly cooked noodles and cheese only once it's hot. Avoid boiling leftovers hard, as it will break the ricotta and make the broth greasy.