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One-Pot Lasagna Soup

A comforting and quick lasagna-inspired soup that combines deep tomato flavor, tender pasta, and a creamy ricotta topping—all made in one pot with minimal effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup Base
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil For cooking
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed Can substitute with ground beef or turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed Optional but recommended
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Optional for heat
  • 28 ounces can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth Can substitute with vegetable broth
  • 8-10 pieces lasagna noodles, broken Alternatively, use 8 ounces of short pasta like mafaldine or rotini
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream Can use half-and-half
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Plus more for serving
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Ricotta Topping
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
For Garnish
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped For serving

Method
 

Brown the meat
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add sausage, breaking it up. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if needed.
Sweat the aromatics
  1. Add onion and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes.
  2. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Build the flavor base
  1. Stir in tomato paste, oregano, basil, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute to caramelize the paste.
Add liquids
  1. Pour in crushed tomatoes and broth. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom and bring to a lively simmer.
Simmer and season
  1. Reduce heat to medium. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let it bubble for 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
Cook the pasta
  1. Add broken lasagna noodles or short pasta. Simmer, stirring occasionally until al dente, about 8–12 minutes depending on pasta shape.
Make the ricotta topping
  1. In a small bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Finish creamy
  1. Lower heat and stir in heavy cream, mozzarella, and Parmesan until melted and slightly thickened. If it’s too thick, splash in more broth. If too thin, simmer for 2–3 more minutes.
Serve
  1. Ladle into bowls. Add a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture on top. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley.
  2. Enjoy immediately to maintain peak texture.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. For best results, freeze the soup base without the pasta and reheat with fresh pasta cooked directly in the soup.