Lasagna Soup

Article by Emily Saladino

Lasagna soup comes together much more quickly than its namesake baked pasta. Ditch the tedious layering process and sink full of pots and pans: our recipe developers’ foolproof, one-pot lasagna soup can be on the table in 30 minutes flat.

How to Make Lasagna Soup Like a Pro

Use traditional lasagna noodles. The soft texture of no-boil lasagna noodles is ideal for weeknight lasagnas but can turn gummy in soup. Breaking traditional lasagna noodles into pieces creates satisfying spoonfuls of pasta that keep their shape.

Experiment with other pasta shapes. No lasagna noodles? No problem. Swap in mini shells, paccheri or orecchiette — just be sure they’re traditional and not the quick-cooking kind.

Drizzle cooked pasta with olive oil while it’s still warm. Splash the pasta with olive oil in the colander, then run your hands through it so each noodle is lightly coated. This keeps the pasta from sticking together so it pops into the soup effortlessly.

Let the sausage brown. For the most flavorful results, give the sausage time to brown in the pan. When you stir in tomato paste, be sure to get to the bottom of the pan to incorporate all those tasty, toasty browned bits.

Sweet or spicy sausages work. Use whichever one your family prefers or split the difference with a mix of hot and sweet.

Simmer — don’t boil — the soup. Gently simmering the soup helps it reduce gently and keeps the texture silky after you add the heavy cream.

Fresh basil makes all the difference. Our recipe developers in Food Network Kitchen love the way the fresh herb provides so much flavor to the broth, and sprinkling thin slices on top creates a bright contrast with the hearty, creamy soup.

Can You Freeze Lasagna Soup?

Freeze the soup before you add the noodles, basil, Parmesan and heavy cream. This helps preserve the texture and flavor of lasagna soup, because the noodles can degrade and the cream can separate after freezing.

When you’re ready to serve, defrost in a covered pan over medium heat. When it starts to simmer, add the noodles, basil, Parmesan and heavy cream, then cook for 2 more minutes.

Lasagna Soup Variations

Riff on this recipe with different proteins, seasonings and more. Some of our favorites include:

Vegetarian Lasagna Soup: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and brown 10 ounces of chopped white button mushrooms instead of sausage. Adjust the seasonings and add a half-teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like your soup spicy.

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup: This lasagna soup from Katie Lee Biegel features savory ground beef and melty mozzarella. It simmers in the slow cooker for hours to create layers of flavor.

White Lasagna Soup: Ree Drummond’s white lasagna soup uses mixed mushrooms and four whole cups of spinach. The dollops of ricotta and pesto drizzle at the end are optional but encouraged.