Description
Cozy, creamy lasagna soup with tender ground beef, ruffly lasagna noodles, and a tomato–herb broth, finished with a fluffy ricotta–parmesan swirl that melts into every bowl for all the flavor of baked lasagna in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Lasagna Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can (24–28 ounces) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
8–10 lasagna noodles, broken into 1–2 inch pieces
¼ cup heavy cream
For the Ricotta Swirl
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
Prep the aromatics: Dice the onion, celery, and carrot, and mince the garlic.
Sauté the veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden around the edges.
Brown the meat: Add the ground beef. Cook 4–5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains and you get browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
Bloom the seasonings: Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), remaining salt, and black pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells toasty.
Build the soup base: Pour in the tomato sauce and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook the noodles: Add the broken lasagna noodles, stirring so they don’t stick together. Simmer uncovered 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just tender but not mushy.
Finish with cream: Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
Make the ricotta swirl: While the noodles cook, whisk together ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl until fluffy.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a generous scoop of ricotta mixture. Let it soften briefly, then swirl it into the soup right before eating.
Notes
You can swap the carrot and celery for extra onion, bell pepper, or finely chopped zucchini. Ground chicken or turkey work well in place of beef, and you can add chicken sausage for more flavor. Any short pasta can sub for lasagna noodles, though ruffly edges are great for catching the cheese.
To lighten it up, use lean ground poultry, part-skim ricotta, and reduced-fat mozzarella, and skip the cream or replace it with extra broth. For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add more veggies plus a can of white beans.
Make the ricotta swirl up to 1 day ahead and store in the fridge. The soup base keeps 3–4 days chilled; it thickens as it sits and reheats well with a splash of broth or water. For freezing, store the soup base without noodles or ricotta for up to 3 months and cook fresh pasta when reheating.
For extra flair, top bowls with more fresh herbs, lemon zest, chili flakes or chili oil, and crunchy toppings like croutons or toasted breadcrumbs. Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: soup recipes
- Method: One-pot, stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian