Easy Lasagna Soup (TikTok-Inspired Lasagna Soup Recipe)

This lasagna soup recipe takes everything you love about classic lasagna—rich meat sauce, tender noodles, and a cheesy topping—and turns it into a cozy, one-pot soup that’s perfect for busy weeknights. You get all the same comfort and flavor without the layering, baking, and waiting. The broth tastes like a hearty lasagna meat sauce, the broken lasagna noodles give you that familiar texture in every spoonful, and the creamy ricotta-Parmesan dollop on top ties it all together. It’s surprisingly easy to make, ready in about the time it takes to boil pasta, and it’s one of those recipes that both kids and adults love. If you’ve made my Tini’s Mac and Cheese or Logan’s Cucumber Salad, then you already know I love taking viral, top-hit recipes and putting my own spin on them to make them even better and more approachable at home—and this lasagna soup is exactly that.

Why I Love This Lasagna Soup

I first stumbled on lasagna soup while scrolling TikTok looking for a new cozy soup idea and saw a version from dannylovespasta that immediately caught my eye. I tried it once, loved the concept, and knew I wanted to tweak it into a version that felt like “my” lasagna soup—richer broth, just the right amount of noodles, and a really good cheesy topping you can’t skip. That’s how this recipe was born.

The base of the soup is basically a lasagna meat sauce thinned into a broth: browned beef and onions, tomato paste, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth all simmered together until it tastes like it’s been cooking way longer than it has. You break lasagna noodles right into the pot, so they cook in the broth and soak up all that flavor, then each bowl gets finished with a generous spoonful of ricotta mixed with Parmesan and a little salt.

Once that hits the hot soup and starts to melt, it tastes exactly like a bowl of saucy, cheesy lasagna—just in soup form. I also love how easy and low-mess it is. Everything cooks in one pot plus one small bowl for the ricotta mixture, which keeps prep and cleanup super simple.

My Italian side of the family is obsessed with this recipe; they send me pictures of their lasagna soup pots all winter long, so I know it’s not just me. And because you can easily swap the ground beef for sausage or turkey, play with the seasonings, or use different cheeses, it’s a flexible, cozy dinner you can make slightly different every time while still getting that same lasagna comfort factor.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 6 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon basil

If you have to run to the store for lasagna noodles, make sure to grab some extra so you can make this Olive Garden lasagna classico. It's one of my favorite more traditional lasagna recipes, so you'll definitely want to try it next!

How To Make Lasagna Soup

Step 1: Cook the ground beef

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the beef and onion to it. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking the beef apart until it's browned on all sides.

Step 2: Make the broth

Add the tomato paste and minced garlic to the pot with the beef. Stir to combine, then add in the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Give it a mix and bring this mixture to a boil.

Step 3: Add lasagna noodles

Break the lasagna noodles into pieces and stir them into the soup. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broken lasagna noodles are tender. Then for the flavor, add the salt, pepper, thyme, basil, and paprika and give it all a stir to combine.

Step 4: Make the cheese topping and serve

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, and a little salt. Serve the soup warm with a spoonful of the ricotta cheese mixture and a sprinkle of fresh parsley or fresh basil on top. Enjoy!

Expert Tips to Make The Best Lasagna Soup

• Brown the meat well for big flavor. Don’t rush the first step. Let the ground beef and onions really brown and caramelize on the bottom of the pot before you add the tomato paste. Those browned bits are what make the broth taste like a slow-simmered lasagna sauce instead of just tomato soup with noodles.
• Toast the tomato paste. After you stir in the tomato paste and garlic, cook them for 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet and rich. This “toasting” step deepens the tomato flavor and gives the soup a more authentic lasagna taste.
• Use quality canned tomatoes and broth. Since this lasagna soup is simple, the ingredients matter. Use good-quality diced tomatoes and tomato sauce (fire-roasted is great if you like a little smokiness) and a flavorful beef broth. It makes the broth taste like it simmered all day.
• Season in layers, not just at the end. Salt and taste as you go—after browning the meat, after adding the tomatoes and broth, and again after the noodles cook. Adding all the salt at the end can make the soup taste salty on top but flat underneath. Layering the seasoning keeps the flavor balanced and bold.
• Cook the lasagna noodles in the soup—or separately if you’re meal prepping. For a true one-pot lasagna soup, break the lasagna noodles right into the broth and let them simmer until tender. They’ll soak up flavor and slightly thicken the soup. If you’re planning on lots of leftovers, you can cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl instead so they don’t get too soft in the fridge.
• Adjust the broth to your preferred thickness. If you like a thicker, almost “stew-y” lasagna soup, let it simmer a little longer with the lid off so it reduces. If you prefer it soupier, just stir in a bit more beef broth or water until the consistency is exactly how you like it.
• Play with the meat and cheese. Ground beef keeps things classic, but Italian sausage (or a mix of sausage and beef) adds extra flavor if you want to switch it up. For the cheese, stick with ricotta and Parmesan for that lasagna feel, but you can also top each bowl with a little shredded mozzarella if you like a gooier, extra-cheesy finish.
• Make the ricotta topping just before serving. Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt right before serving so it’s cool, creamy, and thick. When that hits the hot soup, it melts slightly and gives you those pockets of cheesy richness in every spoonful—just like the cheese layer in lasagna.
• Add veggies for extra nutrition. This lasagna soup is easy to bulk up with vegetables. Stir in chopped spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms during the simmer. They blend right into the sauce and make the soup heartier without changing the cozy lasagna vibe.
• Make it ahead (without the noodles). If you want to prep this lasagna soup in advance, cook the meat and build the tomato-broth base, then stop before adding the noodles. Let the soup cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, bring it back to a simmer, add the broken lasagna noodles, cook until tender, then finish with the ricotta topping. This keeps the noodles from getting mushy.
• Freeze the soup base for easy dinners. Lasagna soup is freezer-friendly as long as you freeze it without the pasta. Double the batch of the meat-and-tomato base, let it cool, then freeze portions in containers or bags. On busy nights, thaw, bring to a simmer, add fresh broken lasagna noodles, and you’ve got a fast, cozy lasagna soup dinner with almost no effort.

Lasagna Soup FAQS

Can I make lasagna soup ahead of time?

Yes, lasagna soup is great for making ahead, especially if you keep the noodles separate. Cook the soup base (meat, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings) and let it cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. When you’re ready to serve, bring the soup back to a simmer, add the broken lasagna noodles, and cook until they’re tender. Finish each bowl with the ricotta-Parmesan topping so it tastes fresh and just-made.

Can I freeze lasagna soup?

You can absolutely freeze lasagna soup, but it’s best to do it without the noodles so they don’t get mushy. Make the soup base as directed, stop before adding the pasta, and let it cool completely. Transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, bring the soup to a simmer on the stove, then add the broken lasagna noodles and cook until tender. Top with ricotta and Parmesan right before serving.

How do I keep the noodles from getting mushy in lasagna soup?

If you’re serving the soup all at once, you can cook the noodles directly in the pot and serve as soon as they’re al dente. For leftovers or meal prep, the best trick is to cook the noodles separately and store them in a container with a little olive oil so they don’t stick. Add the noodles to each bowl when you reheat the soup. This keeps the pasta from soaking up too much broth and turning soft or mushy.

Can I use a different type of pasta instead of lasagna noodles?

Yes, you don’t have to use traditional lasagna noodles if you don’t want to. Mafalda (mini lasagna), bowties, rotini, penne, or shells all work really well in lasagna soup. Just choose a short pasta shape that holds onto the sauce and cook it until just al dente. The flavor will be the same, and it’s sometimes easier to eat with a spoon.

Can I make lasagna soup without beef or make it vegetarian?

Definitely. You can swap the ground beef for Italian sausage, ground turkey, or a mix of sausage and beef for extra flavor. For a vegetarian lasagna soup, skip the meat and sauté extra veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and spinach in the olive oil and butter, then follow the recipe with vegetable broth instead of beef broth. You’ll still get a rich, tomato-y, lasagna-style soup, especially with the cheesy ricotta topping.

How do I make lasagna soup extra creamy and cheesy?

If you want a creamier lasagna soup, you can stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half at the end of cooking, or add a handful of shredded mozzarella or provolone directly into the pot and let it melt. For a super cheesy finish, top each bowl with the ricotta-Parmesan mixture plus a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and let it melt into the hot soup for that true “lasagna in a bowl” feel.

How should I store and reheat leftover lasagna soup?

Store leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. If the noodles are already in the soup, they will continue to soften, but it will still taste great. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened too much, or microwave in short intervals, stirring in between. Add a fresh spoonful of ricotta and Parmesan on top after reheating to bring back that cheesy lasagna flavor.

More Delicious Italian Recipes

• Lasagna casserole
• Lazy lasagna
• Lasagna fritta
• Vegetable lasagna with white sauce
• My Grandma's secret beef lasagna
• Beans and greens