Easy Lasagna Soup

Who needs all the fuss of layering traditional lasagna when you can get those same incredible flavors in a bowl of soup? This lasagna soup is the comfort food hack you didn’t know you needed – all the rich, tomatoey, cheesy goodness without the assembly line work. And the best part? It’s ready in just 35 minutes.

The secret to this soup’s lasagna-like magic is in the combination of Italian sausage, fire-roasted tomatoes, and that special pasta shape. I use mafalda pasta (those mini, ruffled-edge noodles that look like baby lasagna sheets) that capture the sauce perfectly in every bite. Top it with a dollop of ricotta, a handful of melty mozzarella, and fresh basil for that authentic lasagna experience – just bring a spoon instead of a fork!

Ingredients

For the soup base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf

For finishing:

• 8 ounces uncooked mafalda pasta (or your preferred shape of pasta)
• Fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

For toppings:

• Lots of cheese (shredded mozzarella, ricotta and/or Parmesan cheese)
• Chopped fresh basil

Steps

1. Prep the pasta water. Fill a medium pot with water (about 3/4 full) and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Properly salted pasta water should taste like seawater – this seasons the pasta from within.
2. Cook the sausage and veggies. Meanwhile, in a separate large stockpot, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers (about 30 seconds). Add the sausage, onion, and bell pepper, then sauté, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until the sausage is well-browned with no pink remaining and the vegetables have softened. If your sausage releases excessive fat, you can drain some off, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
3. Add aromatics. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Watch carefully as garlic can burn quickly – you want it fragrant and golden, not brown and bitter.
4. Add the broth. Pour in the 1 cup white wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom – these contain concentrated flavor! Let the wine simmer for 1-2 minutes to cook off some alcohol. Add the stock, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf, then stir to combine. The mixture should have a vibrant red color with visible herbs throughout.
5. Cook the pasta. While the soup base builds flavor, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until it just nearly reaches al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions). The pasta will finish cooking in the soup, so you want it slightly underdone at this stage to prevent mushiness.
6. Simmer. Continue cooking the soup until it reaches a simmer (small bubbles around the edge of the pot). Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until flavors meld. Once the pasta is ready, use a strainer to transfer it directly to the pot of soup and stir to combine. The starchy pasta water clinging to the noodles will help thicken the soup slightly.
7. Season. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper as needed, plus extra Italian seasoning or crushed red pepper flakes if desired. The soup should be rich and well-balanced – if it tastes flat, it likely needs more salt to bring out all the flavors.
8. Serve. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, topped generously with your favorite toppings. For the authentic lasagna experience, add a 2 tablespoon dollop of ricotta in the center, a 1/4 cup sprinkle of mozzarella (which will melt beautifully on the hot soup), a dusting of Parmesan, and fresh basil. Enjoy while hot!

Smart Swaps

• Use ground turkey instead of Italian sausage, but add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds to maintain flavor depth
• Try gluten-free pasta (cook for 1-2 minutes less than package directions as it can get mushy quickly)
• Substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste plus 1/4 cup additional broth for crushed tomatoes in a pinch

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace regular pasta with 8 ounces of high-fiber, low-carb alternatives like Fiber Gourmet pasta or hearts of palm pasta (reduces carbs by approximately 25-30g per serving)
• Use 1 pound turkey Italian sausage instead of pork (saves approximately 5g fat per serving)
• Add 2 cups of chopped zucchini or spinach to increase fiber while keeping carbs low
• Serve with 1 tablespoon of ricotta and 1 tablespoon Parmesan instead of larger amounts of mozzarella (reduces fat while maintaining the cheesy experience)
• Keep portions to 1-1/2 cups of soup to maintain approximately 30g carbs per serving

Pro Tips

• For an even richer flavor, use homemade stock or add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste when sautéing the garlic
• Cook and store the pasta separately if you plan to have leftovers – this prevents the pasta from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy
• For a creamier soup, stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream or 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese just before serving
• The soup actually tastes even better the next day once flavors have fully melded – just reheat gently to prevent scorching