Comforting Lasagna Soup with Ground Beef

There’s nothing quite like a big bowl of lasagna, except maybe a big bowl of soup. So why not combine the two? That’s exactly what this lasagna soup does, and it’s become one of my go-to dinners when I want comfort food without all the layering and waiting around.

I love traditional lasagna, but let’s be honest – it takes forever. You’ve got to boil noodles, make the filling, layer everything just right, then bake it for what feels like an eternity. With this soup, you get all those same flavors in about half the time. Plus, there’s something really satisfying about being able to eat lasagna with a spoon.

The best part? You can have this on the table in under an hour. Just brown the meat, simmer everything together, and top it with plenty of cheese. It’s got the savory beef and sausage, the tomato-y goodness, and those three cheeses that make lasagna so good. Perfect for a weeknight when you need something warm and filling.

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What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For lasagna soup, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content that balances flavor and richness without making your soup too greasy. I typically go with 85/15 ground beef, which gives you enough fat for good flavor but won’t leave a pool of grease floating on top of your soup. If you prefer leaner meat, 90/10 will work just fine, though you might lose a bit of that beefy richness. Since you’re also using ground sausage in this recipe, the two meats together will create plenty of flavor, so don’t stress too much about getting the fattiest option. Just be sure to break up the meat into small, bite-sized pieces as it cooks so every spoonful of soup has a good mix of meat and pasta.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is really forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Ground beef and sausage: You can use all ground beef or all sausage if that’s what you have on hand. Ground turkey or chicken work too for a lighter version, though you might want to add a bit more seasoning since they’re milder.
• Lasagna noodles: Regular lasagna noodles are best here since they hold up well in soup, but you can use broken-up oven-ready lasagna noodles or even wide egg noodles in a pinch. Just watch the cooking time as thinner noodles will cook faster.
• Chicken broth: Beef broth works great here and actually adds a richer flavor. Vegetable broth is fine too if you want to keep it lighter.
• Spinach: Fresh kale, Swiss chard, or even frozen spinach (thawed and drained) can replace the fresh spinach. If using frozen, add it earlier so it has time to heat through.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese makes a good substitute and gives you that same creamy texture. You can also use a mix of cream cheese and sour cream if that’s what you’ve got.
• Marinara sauce: A 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes plus Italian seasoning works well if you don’t have marinara. You might need to add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with lasagna soup is adding the noodles too early, which causes them to absorb too much liquid and turn mushy – wait until your broth is at a rolling boil, then break the noodles into bite-sized pieces and cook them just until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Another common issue is not draining the ground beef and sausage properly, leaving excess grease that floats on top of your soup and makes it heavy instead of comforting.

Don’t skip browning the tomato paste for 1-2 minutes before adding the liquids, as this step removes the raw taste and adds a deeper, richer flavor to your broth.

Finally, add the spinach at the very end and let it wilt for just a minute or two – overcooking it will turn the leaves dark and slimy rather than keeping them bright and fresh.

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What to Serve With Lasagna Soup?

A big piece of garlic bread is pretty much required when serving lasagna soup – you’ll want something to soak up all that rich, meaty broth. I love making a simple side salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and Italian dressing to balance out the heartiness of the soup. If you’re feeding a crowd, you could also put out some breadsticks or focaccia for dipping. Since this soup is already loaded with meat, pasta, and cheese, it’s really a complete meal on its own, but a Caesar salad on the side never hurts if you want to add some crunch.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your lasagna soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the noodles separately if I can, since they tend to soak up the broth and get a bit mushy over time. The cheese toppings are best added fresh when you’re ready to eat.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 3 months, but I recommend leaving out the noodles if you’re planning to freeze it. Just add freshly cooked lasagna noodles when you reheat it. Store it in freezer-safe containers, leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You might need to add a splash of chicken broth or water since the noodles absorb liquid as it sits. Top with fresh ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan right before serving for the best taste.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2900-3200
• Protein: 160-180 g
• Fat: 150-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-230 g

Ingredients

For the meat base:

• 0.75 lb ground beef
• 0.5 lb ground sausage
• salt
• black pepper

For the soup:

• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 24 oz marinara sauce (I like Rao’s Homemade)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 7.5 cups chicken broth
• 9 lasagna noodles (broken into 2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups spinach (fresh)

For the cheese topping:

• 12 oz ricotta cheese
• 1.25 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated for best flavor)
• fresh basil (for garnish, thinly sliced)

Step 1: Brown the Meat and Build the Base

• 0.75 lb ground beef
• 0.5 lb ground sausage
• salt
• black pepper

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes).

Season generously with salt and pepper, then drain excess fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind for flavor.

Remove the cooked meat to a plate and set aside.

I prefer leaving a little fat in the pot because it carries flavor into the aromatics in the next step.

Step 2: Develop Aromatics and Tomato Flavor

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Return the pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.

Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more until fragrant.

Then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly against the bottom of the pot—this deepens its flavor and removes the raw taste.

Step 3: Create the Flavor-Packed Broth

• cooked beef and sausage from Step 1
• 24 oz marinara sauce
• 7.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp parsley

Pour in the marinara sauce and chicken broth, then add the red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, sugar, and fresh parsley.

Stir well to combine.

Return the cooked beef and sausage from Step 1 to the pot and bring everything to a simmer over medium-high heat.

The sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, and I find it makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste.

Step 4: Cook the Pasta and Add Spinach

• flavor-packed broth from Step 3
• 9 lasagna noodles
• 2 cups spinach

Once the broth is simmering, add the broken lasagna noodles and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but not mushy.

In the final minute of cooking, stir in the fresh spinach and cook until just wilted.

Step 5: Prepare the Cheese Mixture

• 12 oz ricotta cheese
• 1.25 cup mozzarella cheese
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese

While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and freshly grated Parmesan in a bowl and stir until well blended.

This can be done while the noodles are cooking, so you’re ready to serve immediately when the soup is done.

Step 6: Serve and Finish

• cooked soup from Step 4
• cheese mixture from Step 5
• fresh basil

Ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Top each bowl generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture from Step 5 and finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil.

The heat from the soup will warm the cheese slightly, creating a creamy, indulgent finish.

Comforting Lasagna Soup with Ground Beef

Delicious Comforting Lasagna Soup with Ground Beef recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 3050 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meat base::

• 0.75 lb ground beef
• 0.5 lb ground sausage
• salt
• black pepper

For the soup::

• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 24 oz marinara sauce (I like Rao's Homemade)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1.5 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 7.5 cups chicken broth
• 9 lasagna noodles (broken into 2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups spinach (fresh)

For the cheese topping::

• 12 oz ricotta cheese
• 1.25 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated for best flavor)
• fresh basil (for garnish, thinly sliced)

Instructions

 

• Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Season generously with salt and pepper, then drain excess fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind for flavor. Remove the cooked meat to a plate and set aside. I prefer leaving a little fat in the pot because it carries flavor into the aromatics in the next step.
• Return the pot to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more until fragrant. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly against the bottom of the pot—this deepens its flavor and removes the raw taste.
• Pour in the marinara sauce and chicken broth, then add the red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, sugar, and fresh parsley. Stir well to combine. Return the cooked beef and sausage from Step 1 to the pot and bring everything to a simmer over medium-high heat. The sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, and I find it makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste.
• Once the broth is simmering, add the broken lasagna noodles and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but not mushy. In the final minute of cooking, stir in the fresh spinach and cook until just wilted.
• While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and freshly grated Parmesan in a bowl and stir until well blended. This can be done while the noodles are cooking, so you're ready to serve immediately when the soup is done.
• Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each bowl generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture from Step 5 and finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil. The heat from the soup will warm the cheese slightly, creating a creamy, indulgent finish.