This easy soup has everything you love about lasagna, all in one bowl, with a fantastic ooey-gooey “cheesy yum” ricotta and mozzarella topping! Italian sausage gives it so much flavor, met with a rich tomato broth. You can make it on the stovetop or in a crockpot. It’s the ORIGINAL lasagna soup recipe to hit the internet, and still the BEST!
THE Lasagna Soup Recipe That Started It All.
I first shared this soup recipe way back in March 2011, before any other lasagna soup recipes appeared on the internet. And over the years I’ve received hundreds of reader’s comments — I hear over and over again that this recipe is their favorite version. Whenever someone asks me to recommend a recipe that’ll please the whole family, I point them straight to this one!
Because, seriously, who doesn’t welcome lasagna’s bold flavors, variety of textures, and big-long-hug kind of comfort?
The “cheesy yum” adds a ton of delicious fun to this recipe. Our family coined this term for the 3-cheese mixture of ricotta, Parm, and mozzarella that gets dolloped into individual bowls of soup. We love how the hot soup broth melts the cheesy yum and offers a creamy, gooey, comforting lasagna-like experience in every spoonful.
Another thing that’s key is that I use Italian sausage because it adds a big boost of savory flavor and incredible texture. I’ve tested this recipe using other proteins, and they just don’t measure up.
And while it’s not a deal-breaker for this soup, I hold a special place in my heart for anyone who uses mafalda pasta — it’s shaped like mini lasagna noodles (adorable!), and I never make lasagna soup without it!
When this soup is on the menu, my family insists on cheesy garlic bread for dipping. And if we invite friends and family to join us, I add a big bowl of Italian chopped salad. Besides a good amount of fresh ingredients, it has slices of salami, provolone, and black olives – and the zippiest Italian vinaigrette that everyone loves!
If we’re lucky enough to leftovers, it’s truly a win-win situation. Because leftover lasagna soup is even more amazing the next day, after the flavors have had extra time to mingle.
“I have been making this lasagna soup since 2011-2012, so for a long time. It is a family favorite for sure! It really is the best lasagna soup!”
Stephanie
Here’s My Simple Method:
I am not a fan of mushy noodles!
So I cook the noodles separately. Otherwise, the noodles keep absorbing the broth as the soup simmers, which makes them overly soft and can cause them to break down.
Plus, any leftover soup reheats much better if noodles are stored separately. Noodles require very little time to reheat, and heating them separately keeps them perfectly tender and chewy.
But if you plan to serve the soup right away and think you’ll eat most of it in that first meal (with little to no leftovers), it works great to cook the noodles right in the hot soup!
Just add the noodles during the simmering time – they should cook in 10 to 15 minutes, but it will depend on the temperature of your soup and the type of pasta you are using.
Whatever you do, do NOT let the soup simmer for a long period of time with the noodles.
Lasagna Soup with Cheesy Yum (stovetop or crockpot)
Ingredients
Soup:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds bulk Italian sausage
- 1 extra-large yellow onion, chopped (about 3 cups chopped)
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (add more for even deeper tomato flavor)
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 8 ounces mafalda pasta (fusilli and farfalle are also good options)
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced sliced thinly
Cheesy Yum:
- 8 ounces full-fat ricotta
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (See my mozzarella tip in Notes below)
Instructions
- Soup: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and brown for 3 minutes, breaking it up into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook until onion is softened and sausage is browned, about 7 more minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a separate saucepan according to package directions, just to al dente. Do not over-cook. Drain.
- Cheesy Yum: In a medium bowl, create the "cheesy yum" by combining the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Serve: Stir fresh basil into soup right before serving. Then add cooked pasta to individual bowls and ladle soup over the top. Serve with dollops of cheesy yum, plus additional shredded mozzarella, if desired, over the top.
CROCK-POT DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once hot, add sausage and brown for 3 minutes, breaking it up into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon. (*If you have a multi-cooker, set it to BROWN/SAUTE and add the oil. Once hot, add sausage and brown for 3 minutes, breaking it up into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon.)
- Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook until onion is softened and sausage is browned, about 7 more minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Transfer sausage mixture to slow cooker (or just proceed if using a multi-cooker) and add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Cover and set slow cooker to low 8 hours or high 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before soup is ready, add pasta to slow cooker. Cover and cook until pasta is just al dente, checking after 15 minutes. (If you plan to let the soup sit for awhile before serving or are planning on leftovers, I strongly recommend cooking the pasta separately to avoid mushy noodles.)
Video
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store the soup, cooked pasta, and cheesy yum in separate containers in the refrigerator. Do not combine the soup and pasta together, as the noodles will absorb most of the soup broth and become soft and mushy. I also like to drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta after it has drained, and then fold gently to coat. This helps keep the pasta from sticking together.
- Freezer: This soup freezes very well. Store the soup, pasta, and cheesy yum portions separately in the freezer. Let everything thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to preparing it for the next meal.
- Microwave: Place desired amount of pasta in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap, leaving one corner slightly open to allow steam to escape. Heat on medium power to prevent overcooking. Heating time will vary depending on the amount of pasta you are reheating, but for 1 to 2 cups of pasta, start with 30 seconds. Give a stir and then microwave in shorter intervals, stirring in-between, until hot.
- Stovetop: Bring some water to a boil in a sauce pan. Be sure to use enough water to sufficiently cover the amount of pasta you are reheating. When the water comes to a full boil, add the leftover pasta and give a good stir. Boil for 30 seconds and then test to see if the noodles are hot. If needed, add time in 15-second intervals, until sufficiently heated. Remember that the pasta has already been cooked, and only needs to be reheated. Do not overcook or it will become mushy. Then drain the noodles.
I’ve been making this for YEARS and it is the BEST one. I’ve tried others’ lasagna soup and they are never anywhere near as good as this one!
This is one of the first recipes I ever tried to cook, and I’ll be honest, the first time, it did NOT go well (my fault entirely, bad mise en place), but now I could probably cook it without the recipe :)
Thanks for this one! It has become a tradition to cook this on my daughter’s birthday, which is today!
Hi Shaun – First, I hope your daughter had a fantastic birthday! I love knowing that this soup is her special birthday meal. And second, what a wonderful comment to receive. Thank you for coming back here to let me know and to rate the recipe. It means so much! -Brenda
This recipe is very forgiving! While under the weather, I used 1 pound of ground beef with 2 tsp of Italian seasoning. To keep the ratios closer, I added only 4 cups of chicken stock, but kept all other ingredients the same. I held out the crushed red pepper but did use the fire roasted tomatoes, and my 4 year old ate it. Next time I will definitely use the Italian sausage and I’m sure it will be even better! All the right flavors and so much faster and easier than lasagna!
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for coming back here to let me know + rate the recipe!
Has anyone froze this soup after making it? I’d like to portion it out but I am unsure how well the cheesy yum and noodles would freeze.
Hi Anna – just freeze all three items separately and you’ll be fine (soup / cheesy yum / noodles).
Hi! I’ve been making this soup for a couple of years now and sadly the last batch didn’t turn out well. I don’t know what went wrong, it was bland and watery and the vegetables were underdone. Today I laboriously picked out the Italian sausage pieces, simmered the broth and veg on the stove till it reduced a bit, and will whiz them with the immersible blender in an attempt to save it. (adding the sausage, pasta, and ricotta ‘yum’).
Hi Sally – I’m sorry to hear about your experience this time. I have not changed the recipe card at all.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it always comes out perfect .Amazing taste and the yum is well……yummy!!!
Hi Trish – yay, yay, YAY!! Thank you so much for coming back here to share a comment and star rating – much appreciated!
For the cheesy yum, could you use fresh mozzarella instead of shredded, and maybe reduce the ricotta?
Hi Chris – I haven’t tried that myself, but I bet you could come up with a mixture that would work well. It’s really about adding these ingredients that get all melty and flavorful in the hot soup.
I have been making this recipe for several years now and my family and friends continue to rave about it. It’s in constant rotation in the winter months and sometimes it even shows up in summer. It’s such a favorite!!
FABULOUS, what a compliment! Victoria – thank you so much for coming back here to let me know + rate the recipe – I really appreciate that!
I always follow new recipes exactly has written and then If I need to I can adjust it to our tastes next time. It was good, but i read another comment that used beef broth instead of chicken broth in the recipe. I wondered why it was chicken as beef broth seems more richer and flavourful but made as directed. But it was lacking in flavour that I thought it might so I’d recommend using beef broth instead. But other than that it was good and I will try it again. Thank you!
delicious!
Awesome!!
Our family has enjoyed this recipe over the years. Most requested soup. Thanks so much for sharing it.
So glad you like this soup!! Thanks for coming back to let me know. :)
I have made this soup many times and love it! One question, my son isn’t big on chunky tomato’s pieces, can you put in blender or will it make it too thicker and a whole different texture?
So glad you like this soup, Stacey! You could puree the fire roasted tomatoes prior to adding to the soup – or just use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead. Enjoy!!
This is legit a favorite of mine. Zero changes to the recipe. Keep the noodles separate as per her directions. Its so good and amazing. I’ve made this dozens of times over the years and it’s flavorful and delicious!
SO HAPPY to hear this, Candice. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and let me know. :)
For crock pots recipes – I love the ease of not having to prep everything. I added everything into the crock pot and let it cook together and it turned out the same as the other ways, and much easier. (been making this for years on the stove top). Love this soup.
I have made this many time but looking at the recipe this time the ingredients for the cheese yum are missing??
Hi Rachael – I’m happy to hear you come back for this recipe! :) I just checked the recipe card and the cheesy yum is there. Maybe check again?? If you still have issues, let me know. Thank you! -Brenda
1
Great flavor! I was really surprised. I cooked the noodles in the soup, and it was all delicious!
I love this soup & have made it several times. I’m wondering about freezing it? I’ve already put the pasta in it.
Do you drain the diced tomatoes before adding them to the soup ingredients?
Nope – do not drain. :)
I was introduced to this recipe years ago and it’s still one of our favorites. Love it!