Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe

This lasagna soup has everything you love about classic lasagna, including a rich meat sauce, tender noodles, and a creamy ricotta-Parmesan topping, but it all comes together in one pot. It’s cozy, hearty, and much easier than layering and baking a traditional lasagna. If you like easy comfort food recipes like my Tini’s Mac and Cheese, this is another one you’ll want to make regularly.

Why I Love This Viral Lasagna Soup

I first came across lasagna soup while scrolling TikTok for a cozy dinner idea and saw a version from dannylovespasta that immediately caught my attention. It reminded me of how I found my Logan’s Cucumber Salad one of those viral recipes that looks so good you have to try it. After making lasagna soup once, I loved the concept but wanted to create my own version with a richer broth, the right amount of noodles, and a cheesy ricotta topping that really makes the soup taste like lasagna.

It starts with ground beef, onion, garlic, tomato paste, tomatoes, and beef broth, then the broken lasagna noodles cook right in the pot and soak up all that flavor. What really takes it over the top is the ricotta-Parmesan mixture spooned onto each bowl. Once it starts melting into the hot soup, every bite is saucy, cheesy, and surprisingly close to eating a slice of classic lasagna.

My Italian side of the family has become obsessed with this recipe too. They send me pictures of their pots of lasagna soup all winter, which is probably the best endorsement I can give it. I also love that everything cooks in one pot and you can easily swap in Italian sausage or ground turkey depending on what you have.

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!

My Tips For The Best Lasagna Soup

• Brown the beef well. Let the ground beef and onions develop some color before moving on. Those browned bits add a lot more depth to the broth and make it taste closer to a slow-cooked lasagna sauce.
• Cook the tomato paste for a minute or two. Let it darken slightly before adding the broth and tomatoes. This takes away the raw tomato-paste taste and gives the soup a richer, more concentrated flavor.
• Don’t overcook the noodles. The lasagna noodles will keep softening as they sit in the hot broth, so cook them just until tender. If you’re making the soup ahead or expect leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to individual bowls.
• Adjust the broth at the end. The noodles absorb quite a bit of liquid as they cook. If the soup gets thicker than you like, stir in a splash of beef broth until it reaches the consistency you want.
• Try Italian sausage for even more flavor. I usually make this with ground beef, but Italian sausage, or a mix of sausage and beef, gives the soup an even richer lasagna flavor.
• Don’t skip the ricotta topping. The ricotta and Parmesan mixture is what really makes this taste like lasagna instead of just tomato soup with pasta. Spoon it on right before serving so it stays creamy and melts slowly into the hot soup.
• Add mozzarella if you want it extra cheesy. A little shredded mozzarella on top melts into the soup and gives you that stretchy, cheesy finish you’d expect from a baked lasagna.

Lasagna Soup FAQS

What is lasagna soup?

Lasagna soup takes the main ingredients and flavors of traditional lasagna and turns them into an easy one-pot soup. It’s made with a tomato-rich meat broth, lasagna noodles, and a creamy ricotta-Parmesan topping, so you get the saucy, cheesy flavor of lasagna without layering and baking a casserole.

Can I make lasagna soup ahead of time?

Yes. For the best texture, make the meat and tomato soup base ahead of time but leave out the noodles. Refrigerate the base in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days, then bring it back to a simmer and cook the noodles in the soup just before serving.

Can I freeze lasagna soup?

Yes, but I recommend freezing it without the noodles. Let the soup base cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it on the stove, and add freshly cooked lasagna noodles before serving.

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

If you’re eating the soup right away, cook the lasagna noodles directly in the broth until just al dente. If you expect leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl. This prevents the pasta from continuing to absorb broth and becoming overly soft in the refrigerator.

Why does my lasagna soup get so thick?

Lasagna noodles continue absorbing liquid even after they’re cooked, so the soup naturally gets thicker as it sits. Simply stir in a splash of beef broth or water when reheating until it reaches the consistency you like. Cooking and storing the pasta separately will also keep the broth thinner.

Can I use oven-ready lasagna noodles?

Yes. You can break no-boil or oven-ready lasagna noodles into pieces and simmer them directly in the soup. Check them frequently since they may cook more quickly than traditional dried lasagna noodles, and stop cooking once they’re tender.

Can I use a different pasta instead of lasagna noodles?

Absolutely. Mafalda or mini lasagna noodles are my favorite substitute, but bowties, rotini, penne, and shells also work. Just use a sturdy pasta shape that can hold up in the broth and cook it until al dente.

Can I make lasagna soup without ground beef?

Yes. Italian sausage, ground turkey, or a combination of sausage and beef all work well. For vegetarian lasagna soup, leave out the meat and add mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or spinach, then substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth.

How can I make lasagna soup creamier?

For a creamier broth, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half at the end of cooking. You can also melt some shredded mozzarella into the soup. I usually prefer keeping the tomato broth as-is and adding the ricotta-Parmesan mixture to each bowl so every spoonful gets creamy as you eat it.

How should I store and reheat leftover lasagna soup?

Store leftover lasagna soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little broth if it has thickened. Finish the reheated soup with a fresh spoonful of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture before serving.

More Delicious Italian Recipes

• Lasagna casserole
• Lazy lasagna
• Lasagna fritta
• Vegetable lasagna with white sauce
• Beef lasagna
• Beans and greens
• Hailey Bieber chicken meatballs