Why We Love This Lasagna Soup Recipe
When you want lasagna, but you don’t have time to layer and bake it… Make amazing easy Lasagna Soup! This recipe has all the flavor of traditional lasagna, yet it’s so quick to put together, simmers up in about 20 minutes on the stovetop, and is lighter on the waistline. (But if you want to go low and slow, we have a great option to make lasagna soup in crockpot, too!) The lasagna flavor comes from a combination of Italian sausage, onions, garlic, tomatoes, lasagna noodles (of course), and our secret ingredient – cream cheese. This is the magic touch in our favorite baked lasagna casserole recipe, and you are going to LOVE the extra rich and tangy taste it brings to the soup! Delicious, super satisfying, and practically effortless to make… This recipe is definitely going to be on your regular dinner rotation!
Lasagna Soup Ingredients
Olive oil – or other high-heat and neutral-tasting oil, like avocado or canola oil Italian ground sausage – your choice of mild or spicy sausage, or other protein like ground beef or ground turkey Onion – peeled and chopped Garlic – peeled and minced Italian seasoning – store-bought or homemade Italian seasoning Crushed red pepper – for a great kick of heat, optional Chicken broth – or veggie broth Canned crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce – for the rich lasagna soup base Pasta – your choice of noodles* Cream cheese – cut into cubes Basil – fresh, divided to stir into the soup and to garnish Garnishes – more basil, shredded mozzarella and parmesan
*Note: For the pasta, you can use full lasagna sheets with the ruffled edge and break them into pieces, or you can use Mafalda pasta which looks like lasagna sheets but much smaller. I also broke the Mafalda into pieces to make them easier to scoop up in a spoon. However, any pasta will work, even if it doesn’t actually look like lasagna.
How to Make Lasagna Soup
Set a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage up into small pieces. Stir and brown the sausage for approximately 5 minutes. Once the sausage is mostly browned, stir in the chopped onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Sauté the onions for 3 to 5 minutes to soften. Once the onions are soft, pour in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir well. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, break the lasagna noodles or Mafalda noodles into small bite-size pieces. Once the broth is boiling, stir in the broken pasta, cream cheese, and fresh basil. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for at least 5-6 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the cream cheese has melted into the soup base. Pro Tip: It’s best to turn off the heat before the pasta is fully cooked through, because it’s going to sit in the hot soup broth after cooking. You don’t want the lasagna noodles to become mushy. Taste, then salt and pepper if needed.
How to Make this Soup Recipe in the Slow Cooker
It’s easy to make this lasagna soup recipe in the crockpot! I especially like to do so on a lazy weekend; everything can be prepped around lunchtime, and then the soup is ready to enjoy for dinner. Simply brown the sausage, onions, and garlic on the stovetop. Place them in the crockpot with all remaining ingredients, minus the pasta. Set on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in the broken pasta pieces about 30 minutes before ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, making sure to get plenty of noodles! Top each serving with fresh basil and shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Our Best Lasagna Soup is delightful with pieces of warm crusty bread for dipping. Try our favorite classic Garlic Bread recipe, or fun Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread to share! And what goes perfectly with soup and bread? Why, salad – of course! Pair this Italian-inspired soup with a simple fresh green salad, Caprese Panzanella, or hearty Caesar Salad.
Looking for More Spectacular Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Pappa al Pomodoro (Italian Soup) Chicken Ministrone Soup Rustic Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup) Italian Wedding Soup Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
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