Lasagna soup is the internet's favorite way to get everything you love about lasagna – the meaty tomato sauce, the silky cheese, the tender noodles – without layering a single sheet. Everything happens in one Dutch oven, so the noodles cook right in the broth and soak up all that flavor instead of a pot of plain water.
Advertisements1
The magic is the cheese finish: a dollop of ricotta stirred into each bowl melts into the hot soup and turns the broth creamy and rich. A pinch of fennel seed and a splash of balsamic vinegar give the sauce that slow-simmered depth in about 35 minutes of cooking.
It's the kind of dinner that tastes like a Sunday project but comes together on a Tuesday, and it makes enough for six generous bowls – or leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 lb (450g) ground Italian sausage, casings removed
Sweet or hot both work; use ground beef or ground turkey if you prefer a milder soup. Look for sausage with visible fennel flecks for the most lasagna-like flavor.
1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup / 160g), diced
Yellow onion gives the sweetest base; swap in a red onion or 1 1/2 cups leeks if that's what you have. Frozen diced onion works in a pinch – no need to thaw.
3 garlic cloves (about 1 tbsp / 9g), minced
Fresh garlic is best, but 1 teaspoon garlic paste or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder can stand in. Buy firm, heavy heads with tight papery skin.
1 tsp (2g) fennel seed, lightly crushed
This is the secret lasagna-sausage note; anise seed or a pinch of dried oregano can substitute. Crush it in a mortar or under a mug to release the oils.
1 tbsp (16g) tomato paste
Use double-concentrated tomato paste in a tube for the deepest flavor; sun-dried tomato paste is a great swap. Fry it until it darkens to brick red.
1 can (28 oz / 795g) crushed tomatoes
San Marzano-style crushed tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic; diced tomatoes work but give a chunkier soup. Avoid tomato puree, which is too thick here.
6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
Vegetable broth makes this fully vegetarian; use a good-quality boxed broth rather than bouillon cubes for cleaner flavor. Keep an extra cup on hand to thin leftovers.
8 oz (225g) lasagna noodles, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces
Regular (not no-boil) noodles hold up best; broken mafaldine or campanelle are excellent substitutes. Snap them right in the bag to avoid a mess.
1 cup (250g) whole-milk ricotta
Full-fat ricotta is creamier; cottage cheese blended smooth is a lighter swap. Drain off any watery whey before stirring it in.
1 cup (100g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Buy a block and shred it yourself for better melt; provolone or fontina are delicious alternatives. Pre-shredded cheese contains starch that can turn gummy.
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Parmigiano-Reggiano has the best salty bite; pecorino is a sharper substitute. Grate it fresh – pre-grated Parmesan is drier and less flavorful.
1/4 cup (10g) fresh basil, torn, plus more for garnish
Torn basil releases more aroma than chopped; 1 teaspoon dried basil can substitute in a pinch. Add it off the heat so it stays bright and green.
Tips & Tricks
Don't overcook the noodles
They keep absorbing broth as the soup sits, so pull them 1 to 2 minutes before al dente. If the soup thickens too much, stir in a splash of hot broth before serving.
Fry the tomato paste
Cooking the paste in the fat until it turns brick red (about 2 minutes) removes the tinny canned taste and builds a deeper, sweeter base.
Season in layers
Salt the sausage as it browns, taste the broth before adding the noodles, and adjust again after the cheese goes in, since Parmesan is salty.
Stir the ricotta in at the bowl
Dolloping the cheese mixture into individual bowls keeps the broth from turning cloudy and lets everyone control their own cheesiness.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Brown the sausage
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 400F / 205C surface temperature) and add the sausage. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the edges are deeply browned.
2. Soften aromatics
Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until translucent and soft, then stir in the garlic and crushed fennel seed and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Bloom the paste
Push the meat aside, add the tomato paste, and fry it in the rendered fat for 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red – this is where the deep lasagna flavor starts.
4. Build the broth
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (about 200F / 93C) and cook 10 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Cook the noodles
Add the broken lasagna noodles and simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring often so they don't stick, until tender but still with a slight bite. The broth should look slightly thickened and glossy.
6. Finish the soup
Reduce heat to low, stir in the basil, and taste for salt and pepper. Keep the soup at a bare simmer (under 200F / 93C) so the noodles don't blow past al dente.
7. Make the cheese dollop
In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan with a pinch of pepper until smooth and spreadable.
8. Serve and garnish
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each with a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture, extra Parmesan, and torn basil. Stir the cheese into the soup at the table so it melts into creamy ribbons.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Arrabbiata Version
Swap sweet sausage for hot Italian sausage and add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic for a fiery, garlicky bowl.
Vegetarian Mushroom Lasagna Soup
Replace the sausage with 12 ounces cremini mushrooms and use vegetable broth; add 1 teaspoon soy sauce for savory depth.
Creamy White Lasagna Soup
Skip the crushed tomatoes, add 1 cup heavy cream at the end, and use chicken broth with shredded rotisserie chicken for a rich white-sauce spin.
How to Store Viral Lasagna Soup
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The noodles will absorb broth, so keep extra broth on hand to loosen it when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze the soup base without the cheese mixture for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; noodles soften on thaw, so consider freezing before adding them.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat (about 250F / 120C) with a splash of broth, stirring until steaming – avoid a rolling boil, which breaks up the noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make lasagna soup with no-boil noodles?
Yes, you can use no-boil lasagna noodles, but add 1 extra cup of broth and simmer them 2 to 3 minutes longer. They release more starch, so stir frequently and expect a slightly thicker soup.
Q: Why did my lasagna soup turn mushy?
The noodles were likely cooked past al dente or left sitting in the hot broth too long. Cook them just until tender with a slight bite and serve promptly, or cook the noodles separately and add them to bowls.
Q: Can I make lasagna soup ahead of time?
You can make the meat and tomato base up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, then cook the noodles fresh when you're ready to serve. This keeps the noodles from bloating and the broth from turning starchy.
Q: Is lasagna soup gluten-free?
It can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free lasagna noodles and certified gluten-free broth and sausage. Check labels carefully, since pasta and broth are common hidden sources of gluten.
Q: How do I make lasagna soup vegetarian?
Swap the sausage for 12 ounces of chopped mushrooms or a plant-based sausage and use vegetable broth. Add a teaspoon of soy sauce or miso for the savory depth the meat would have provided.
If you make this Viral Lasagna Soup, snap a photo of that cheesy, bubbling bowl and tag me – I love seeing your variations, especially the spicy sausage version. Save this recipe for your next cozy night in and share it with the lasagna lover in your life.
Viral Lasagna Soup
Viral Lasagna Soup delivers rich tomato-basil broth, tender lasagna noodles, and three cheeses in one pot for a cozy weeknight dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) ground Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup / 160g), diced
- 3 garlic cloves (about 1 tbsp / 9g), minced
- 1 tsp (2g) fennel seed, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp (16g) tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz / 795g) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz (225g) lasagna noodles, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup (250g) whole-milk ricotta
- 1 cup (100g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup (10g) fresh basil, torn, plus more for garnish
📋 Instructions
- 1Brown the sausage — Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 400F / 205C surface temperature) and add the sausage. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the edges are deeply browned.
- 2Soften aromatics — Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until translucent and soft, then stir in the garlic and crushed fennel seed and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3Bloom the paste — Push the meat aside, add the tomato paste, and fry it in the rendered fat for 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red – this is where the deep lasagna flavor starts.
- 4Build the broth — Stir in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (about 200F / 93C) and cook 10 minutes until slightly reduced.
- 5Cook the noodles — Add the broken lasagna noodles and simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring often so they don't stick, until tender but still with a slight bite. The broth should look slightly thickened and glossy.
- 6Finish the soup — Reduce heat to low, stir in the basil, and taste for salt and pepper. Keep the soup at a bare simmer (under 200F / 93C) so the noodles don't blow past al dente.
- 7Make the cheese dollop — In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan with a pinch of pepper until smooth and spreadable.
- 8Serve and garnish — Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each with a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture, extra Parmesan, and torn basil. Stir the cheese into the soup at the table so it melts into creamy ribbons.
