One Pot Lasagna Soup (Printable Version)
Hearty one-pot lasagna soup with broken noodles, seasoned meat, tomatoes and melty cheeses — dinner in under an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced (optional)
→ Liquids
06 - 5 cups chicken or beef broth
07 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
→ Pasta
09 - 7 oz lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces
→ Cheeses & Dairy
10 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
12 - 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
→ Spices & Pantry
13 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
14 - 1 tsp dried basil
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
18 - 1 tbsp olive oil
19 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
20 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and zucchini (if using). Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef or Italian sausage to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. Add dried basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour in the broth and stir to combine.
05 - Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
06 - Add the broken lasagna noodle pieces to the pot. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender.
07 - Stir half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan into the soup until melted and evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top each portion with a generous dollop of ricotta, a sprinkle of remaining mozzarella and parmesan, and freshly chopped basil or parsley. Serve immediately.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- All the cheesy, saucy comfort of lasagna without the layering, the baking, or the dishes piled mountain high in your sink.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, making it the kind of lunch that makes coworkers jealous when they smell it from the break room microwave.
02 -
- The noodles will keep soaking up broth as the soup sits, so if you are making it ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when you reheat.
- Stir the bottom of the pot frequently once the noodles go in, because they love to stick and scorch when you are not looking.
03 -
- Brown the meat in two batches if your pot is crowded, because steaming beef instead of searing it robs you of that deep caramelized flavor that makes the whole pot taste richer.
- Snap the lasagna noodles into irregular pieces rather than uniform squares. The jagged edges hold onto the broth and cheese in a way that perfectly neat pieces never will.