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Beef Lasagna Soup

Beef lasagna soup with a rich tomato-beef broth and tender broken lasagna noodles, finished with a melty ricotta-mozzarella dollop. This Italian-American soup simmers until the pasta is just tender, then gets crowned with savory cheese and basil.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 1.5 lb lean ground beef Use lean for less grease.
  • 1 onion Dice small for even simmering.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes One can.
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes One can.
  • 4 cup beef broth Low-sodium if preferred.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste Helps thicken and deepen flavor.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Adjust to taste.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 8 lasagna noodles Broken into pieces.
  • salt To taste.
Cheese dollop
  • 1 cup ricotta For dollops in each bowl.
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella Use freshly shredded if possible.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Finely grated for melting.
  • fresh basil Chopped or whole leaves for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot and drain the fat.
  2. Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains and crumbles are browned, then drain the excess fat.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the diced onion in the same pot for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and slightly darkened at the edges.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, then bring to a boil.
  2. Add the broken lasagna noodles and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  3. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  4. Season with salt to taste and stir to combine.
Make the cheese dollop and serve
  1. Mix the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan together into a thick, spoonable dollop mixture.
  2. Serve hot soup in bowls with a very generous spoonful of the cheese dollop on top, and garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Pro tip: break the lasagna noodles into small pieces so they finish tender in the same simmer time, and stir during the last few minutes to keep noodles from clumping. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water to loosen. Freezing: yes—freeze soup without the cheese dollop topping, then add fresh cheese when reheating. For a dairy-lite swap, use part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella while keeping the parmesan for flavor.