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.
wonderful. Do you know where I may be able to find the stoneware you have it in. I love it.
That bowl is a 1-of-a-kind, made by a potter I work with, Wayne Branum. He does beautiful work! I hope you like the soup!!
awesome. I also love the bowl it is pictured in. Do you know where I could find them?
Has anyone ever tried ground beef instead of sausage?
Yes, I’ve been told some have tried that & liked it. We are actually making this soup today using a combo of half Italian pork sausage, half ground beef. I think you could use whatever you like, and it will be great. I personally really like the Italian pork sausage, but it’s a very versatile recipe. Hope you like it!
Is this spicy at all? Thinking of omitting the red pepper flakes..
Hi Debbie! My girls don’t like much for heat, and they never complain about the amount of red pepper flakes in this recipe. But if you’re unsure, just omit – it will still be great!
The Lasagna Soup is an A+. My whole family loves, loves, loves, this soup. I have made it 2 times already and everyone wants the recipe. The one think I did different is I don’t put the noodles in the sauce as they get to mushy, so I cooked them separate. Thanks so much for sharing this fantastic recipe.
I made a vegetarian version and it turned out delightful and tasty! I used faux sausage (usually I avoid fake meats but I knew this would need some ompf) and veggie broth. So tasty and perfect for the cold (relatively speaking, I’m in Texas) weather.
Hello Mariah – There are so many ways to tweak this great recipe – I’m so glad you found your own way to enjoy it!
yumm! this looks so ridiculously good! I love to make soups when it’s cold out… which I’m still waiting for some snow in Wisconsin, but when it comes, this soup will definitely be first on my list to make! and gorgeous pictures by the way!
Thanks, Megan – I hope you like it!!
This was an awesome dish! I think the leftovers were almost better than the original! I’ll definitely make it again!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. I just put the ingredients on our grocery list to make this weekend again!
i made this tonight, but since my husband is not a ricotta fan i used some sour cream instead (about 4 oz)….SO good! and it had rave reviews from the 2 and 4 year old in the house too :) thanks for sharing!
So happy your whole family liked this, Adrienne! :)
I just wanted to thank you for a yummy recipe. I found it through pinterest and finally made it last night. It was a winner! Thanks so much.
Have a Merry Christmas!
So happy to hear you liked it, Carolyn! And Merry Christmas to you, too!
What other noodles would work with this soup? The two you mentioned are quite pricey and hard to find at my local grocery store.
Hi Wendye – I would try rotini!
This is now our family’s absolute favorite recipe. It is delicious! It is quick, easy, and soooooo satisfying. One of my daughters is lactose intolerant, the other loves cheese. Having the cheese put in individual bowls makes this recipe work for both. The only modification I make to the recipe is that I use a whole can of tomato paste.
Thank you, thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you can make this work for your whole family!! Thanks, Karen. :)
This soup is out of this world good. It comes together quickly and has a lot of flavor. It’s a big hit!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Mandy! :)
Hi Farmgirl,
I loved this recipe!
Would making this in a crock pot work if the noodles were added in the last 30 or so minutes? I love slow cooker recipes, so if I could do that with this soup as well I’d love to! :D
Although I have not made it in a crockpot, I do believe it would work well. Please let me know how it goes, thanks!
Oh my goodness…this soup was so good! My new favorite soup. Perfect for a damp Iowa night. I used turkey sausage because we had my parents over and they prefer to not eat pork or beef and it was delicious. I can’t wait to make it again. So delicious – thanks so much for sharing!
I’m so happy you liked this soup, Amy – thanks for letting me know!
Do you think it would still turn out super delish if I kept the sausage out and substituted veg broth for chicken?
Curious of your opinion, thanks dear!
Hello, Stina! I think substituting those ingredients will still make for a delicious soup. It will just be a bit different. I’d love to know your thoughts once you try it.
heaven in our mouths!! Perfect for a rainy dreary wintery Arizona day ;-)
Lasagna Soup.
I used 1 # spicy Italian sausage and 1# mild.
I used at least double the noodles and I didn’t add basil because I didn’t have any. And I didn’t salt and pepper it.
Thanks, Laura – hope you liked it!
would cottage cheese work as a substitute?
Hi Jen! If you like cottage cheese in your lasagna, I’m sure that would be fine. But I think it would get loosened up in the soup, where the ricotta keeps more of a form. I might also try some fresh mozzarella, cubed. It would get melty and gooey with the hot soup.
What a delicious meal! I made this last night for my boyfriend and best friend! What a hit! Thanks for a great meal I will continue to make!