Name: The Best EASY Lasagna Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 Servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef; 1 large onion, diced; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 45-oz jar spaghetti sauce (5 2/3 cups); 6 cups beef broth; 12 oz mafalda or lasagna noodles; 1 cup milk or cream; 1 cup shredded parmesan; 15 oz ricotta; 1 cup shredded parmesan; 1 cup shredded mozzarella; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Home » Soup, Stew & Chili » Easy Lasagna Soup

A 30-minute one-pot recipe for lasagna soup made simple with jarred spaghetti or marinara sauce that's easy enough for weeknights and delicious enough for guests!

Author: Mandy Rivers | Published: 10/20/26

I love this soup so much that I often crave it. My very favorite foods have a lot of contrast in texture and flavor and this soup has plenty of both!

I think I like the feel of the ruffled noodles between my teeth. Or maybe it's the how they pair with the bits of seared ground beef.

And I really love what happens when you swirl a generous dollop of the cheese topping into the hot soup! The cheeses melt into the soup like cream and tame the tangy tomatoes in the best way!

A 30-minute one-pot recipe for lasagna soup made simple with jarred spaghetti or marinara sauce that's easy enough for weeknights and delicious enough for guests!

Baby Girl first started making this over Christmas break last year. She'd seen a video and scribbled down the basics and we tweaked it and worked on it over the summer.

We condensed what can be an overly complicated soup into a 30-minute meal by leaning on a big jar of spaghetti sauce and it works perfectly!

We're on the fence on the noodles. I like the ruffly mafalda (see next section) and she likes the lasagna noodles. Both are delicious so just use what you have!

MAFALDA VS LASAGNA NOODLES

Mafalda pasta is mini, bite-sized lasagna noodles so they are perfect in Lasagna Soup! You don't have to break the lasagna into pieces or worry about measuring (just use the whole 12-oz box).

I genuinely like either noodle in the soup. If I know the soup will be setting around a few hours or plan on having a lot of leftovers, I use traditional lasagna noodles because they are thicker and can handle the heat and liquid without getting too soft.

You may have to order mafalda noodles online. I can find them in our Food Lion grocery store so just check around. TIP: Use Instacart to search for hard-to-find ingredients in your area. Even if you don't place an order, you'll at least know which stores have the items you're looking for!

TIPS & SUGGESTIONS

Lasagna noodles are thicker and will keep their shape longer than the thinner mafalda. If you're planning on leftovers or know the soup won't be served immediately, I definitely recommend using lasagna noodles.
I like this soup to be THICK but if you'd like yours a little thinner just add more broth (water or milk). Consider adding a little tomato paste to the beef and onions before adding the remaining ingredients if you plan on adding more liquid.
Substitute fresh basil for the parsley in the Cheese Topping if you really want to kick things up a notch!
I add 2 cups of ice when the soup is ready when I use mafalda noodles. This cools things off just enough to prevent the noodles from overcooking without watering down the soup. Trust me, it will still be plenty hot!
If using lasagna noodles, use traditional (not no-boil).

8 FAQ ON LASAGNA SOUP

1. What brand sauce is best? I typically use Prego (because I like it and it comes in 45-oz jars) but Rao's is delicious too! Any brand will be fine!

2. Can I substitute cottage cheese for ricotta? Yes, but I really do prefer good ricotta in this (see next question).

3. What type of ricotta should I use? The good stuff. I thought I didn't like ricotta until I had good, creamy, whole milk ricotta (the other stuff is too... mealy? toothy?). I almost always use Galbani brand but any Italian brand should be good.

4. Can Italian sausage be substituted for the ground beef? Absolutely!

5. Can I just stir the cheese topping into the pot of soup? Yes, BUT, it's so lovely watching it melt into your bowl when you stir it in. It really adds to the experience. Plus you can add as little or as much as you want (and I want A LOT in mine!).

6. Is it OK to add spinach? Sure! Add fresh or frozen spinach when stirring in the milk and parmesan.

7. Why use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic? Just because I wanted to keep things simple with the recipe but fresh garlic is great! Add 2 tablespoons fresh garlic 1 minute before moving onto Step 2.

8. Can other types of pasta be used? Of course! Bowtie pasta is often used in lasagna soup. Follow the Mafalda Preparation for using any type of pasta other than lasagna noodles.

MORE ITALIAN SOUPS TO TRY!

Cheesy Italian Sausage Potato Soup - A hearty, cheesy potato soup made with Italian sausage, potatoes and creamy cheddar cheese that's as simple to make as it is delicious!

Tuscan Chicken Stew - A hearty, rustic chicken stew recipe made with chicken, potatoes, white beans, fresh tomatoes and tons of country-Italian flavor.

Italian Lentil Soup with Sausage - A simple, hearty lentil soup with spicy Italian sausage, garlic and herbs much like Carrabba’s Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup copycat recipe.

Recipe for Snowball Cookies