Rich & Creamy Lasagna Soup

This Lasagna Soup is thick, rich, and cheesy enough to actually satisfy that lasagna craving. Ground beef and spicy Italian sausage simmer with wide ribbons of pasta in a savory tomato broth, then my ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan mixture gets stirred right into the soup before even more is dolloped over each bowl.

Behind This Lasagna Soup Recipe

I’ve been making this Lasagna Soup since 2016, when my husband and I first moved in together. He adored lasagna, and this became my easy way of giving him that same cozy comfort in a lunch he could take to work without having to eat a huge, heavy piece of lasagna in the middle of a weekday.

I’ve tweaked and perfected it over the years, and the biggest thing I’ve learned is that I don’t want my lasagna soup to be watery. I want it hearty and almost stew-like, with enough richness and cheese to genuinely satisfy that lasagna craving.

That’s why I stir some of my ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan mixture directly into the pot instead of saving it all for topping. It melts into the tomato broth, making the entire soup creamy and cheesy, and every bowl still gets those glorious dollops of ricotta mixture on top. I also use Taccole pasta instead of breaking up traditional lasagna sheets. You still get those wide, lasagna-like ribbons, but in uniform pieces that are so much easier to scoop up with a spoon (of course, if you can’t find taccole, you can use lasagna sheets or bow-tie pasta instead).

Tips From My Kitchen

• Leave some of the rendered fat behind. About 2 tablespoons of the beef and sausage drippings give the onions and garlic a flavorful place to cook.
• Use unsalted stock. Between the sausage, Parmesan and mozzarella, there’s plenty of salt coming later. Unsalted beef stock lets you control the final seasoning.
• Don’t save all the cheese for topping. Stir about ½ cup of the ricotta mixture into the hot soup after turning off the heat. This is what gives the broth its signature creamy, cheesy finish.
• Drain watery ricotta. If your ricotta has visible excess moisture, gently squeeze it between several layers of paper towel first. You want the cheese mixture thick and creamy.
• Watch the pasta rather than relying solely on the clock. Pasta brands and shapes vary. Start checking for tenderness before the full cooking time if your package calls for less.
• Expect it to thicken. The pasta continues absorbing liquid as the soup sits, which is part of what makes this recipe so hearty. Keep a little extra stock handy for leftovers.

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why

This Lasagna Soup uses familiar lasagna ingredients, but a few choices make an especially big difference in creating that rich, hearty texture.

Ground Beef + Spicy Italian Sausage: Using both gives the soup a deeper meat-sauce flavor than ground beef alone. Spicy sausage also adds seasoning and gentle heat throughout the broth.

Passata + Beef Stock: Smooth tomato passata creates a richer, more substantial tomato base than relying heavily on stock. I prefer unsalted beef stock so I can control the seasoning, although chicken stock works too.

Taccole Pasta: These wide pasta ribbons give you the familiar bite and texture of lasagna noodles but come in uniform pieces that are much easier to cook and eat in soup. Broken lasagna noodles are an easy substitute.

Onion + Garlic: These cook in the reserved meat drippings and create the savory aromatic foundation for the broth.

Dried Herbs + Red Pepper Flakes: Basil, oregano, parsley and thyme give the tomato broth its Italian-inspired flavor, while red pepper flakes reinforce the subtle heat from the sausage.

Ricotta + Mozzarella + Parmesan: The trio that really makes this taste like lasagna. Some gets melted directly into the soup for richness and creaminess, while the rest is reserved for those cheesy dollops on top.

Spinach + Fresh Basil: Added after the heat is turned off so they stay fresh and vibrant as they gently wilt into the finished soup.

How to Make Lasagna Soup

The key to this Lasagna Soup is to build a flavorful meat-and-tomato base first, then let the pasta cook right in the broth. The cheese goes in last, transforming the finished soup from tomatoey and hearty to rich and creamy.

Brown the Beef and Sausage

Cook the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a Dutch oven, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. You’re looking for deeply browned bits around the edges, not simply gray, cooked meat.

Transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat behind.

Build the Flavor Base

Add the onion and cook until soft, translucent and beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant.

Stir in the dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper and let them bloom briefly in the warm fat.

Make the Tomato Broth

Pour in the passata and beef stock, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Cook the Pasta

Bring everything to a boil, then return the cooked meat to the pot.

Add the Taccole directly to the soup, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the pasta is tender but still has enough structure to hold up in the thick soup, checking it periodically rather than relying entirely on the clock.

Make the Three-Cheese Ricotta

While the pasta cooks, combine the drained ricotta, freshly shredded Parmesan, and mozzarella with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Mix until thick, creamy, and evenly combined. Resist eating it with a spoon because we need some for the soup.

Make It Creamy

Once the pasta is tender, turn off the heat and stir in the spinach and torn fresh basil until the spinach is just wilted.

Now for the part that makes this version different: stir ½ cup of the three-cheese mixture directly into the soup. It should melt through the tomato broth, taking it from red and brothy to richer, slightly lighter in color, and noticeably creamier.

Serve with More Cheese

Ladle the soup into bowls while it’s hot and add generous dollops of the remaining ricotta mixture.

As you eat, those cool, creamy pockets of cheese gradually melt into the hot soup. That’s the lasagna-soup experience I want.

More Recipes to Try

If you’re craving more cozy, stick-to-your-ribs recipes, my Broccoli Cheddar Soup is loaded with tender broccoli in a rich, cheesy broth, while Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup brings all those slightly sweet and savory fall flavors into a creamy homemade version of the seasonal favorite. For another hearty Italian-inspired dinner, try my Zuppa Toscana Soup, with sausage, potatoes, and a creamy savory broth, or my Sausage Gnocchi Soup, made with pillowy gnocchi, Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan in a rich, creamy broth.

Have you tried this Rich & Creamy Lasagna Soup? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought! Leave a comment below with your questions or feedback. Your reviews help other readers in the Bad Batch Baking community decide what to make next.

Be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking on social media using #badbatchbaking so I can see what you’re cooking!