Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe – 5 Ingredients, Ready in Minutes: The Weeknight Hack You’ll Crave on Repeat

You don’t need a Nonna, a full afternoon, or 12 dishes to get lasagna-level comfort. You need five ingredients, one pot, and the kind of confidence that comes from knowing dinner is sorted in 20 minutes. This lasagna soup is rich, saucy, cheesy, and shamelessly easy—like the glow-up version of noodles and red sauce.

It tastes like you worked; you did not. If you can boil water and stir a spoon, you can crush this. Your only challenge?

Not making it twice this week.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ridiculously fast: From chop to slurp in under 25 minutes, no oven, no layering, no drama.
• Only five ingredients: Minimal shopping, maximum payoff. You probably own most of this already.
• One pot wonder: Less cleanup, more couch time. That’s the dream.
• Big lasagna flavor: Saucy tomato base, tender noodles, creamy cheese swirl—aka the hits.
• Customizable: Add protein, veggies, herbs, whatever you’ve got.

  It’s a template, not a lecture.

What Goes Into This Recipe – Ingredients

These five are the core. You’ll get legit lasagna vibes with just these, promise.

• Crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce (24–28 oz): Your flavor foundation. Use a good jar—it matters.
• Chicken or vegetable broth (4 cups): For a sippable, soup-friendly base.
• Lasagna noodles (8–10 sheets): Broken into bite-size pieces.

  Use regular or no-boil.

• Ricotta cheese (1 cup): The creamy “lasagna” moment.
• Mozzarella (1 cup, shredded): For melty pull-apart goodness.

Optional but awesome (not part of the core five): 1–2 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 cloves garlic (minced), a drizzle of olive oil, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking Instructions

1. Warm your pot: Set a large pot over medium heat. Optional: add a splash of olive oil and garlic; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Don’t brown it into oblivion.
2. Build the base: Pour in the crushed tomatoes (or marinara) and broth.

   Stir in Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes if you like it bold. Bring to a lively simmer.

3. Break the noodles: Snap lasagna sheets into rough 1–2 inch pieces. Rustic is good.

   Precision is for geometry class.

4. Cook the pasta: Drop noodle pieces into the pot. Simmer 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t clump. Cook until just al dente; they’ll soften more in the hot soup.
5. Prep the cheese topper: In a small bowl, combine ricotta with a pinch of salt and pepper.

   If you have it, stir in a spoon of Parmesan for extra oomph.

6. Finish and melt: Turn off the heat. Stir in half the mozzarella so it melts into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning—salt, pepper, more chili flakes if you’re feeling chaotic.
7. Serve with style: Ladle into bowls.

   Dollop a generous spoon of ricotta mixture on each serving and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Garnish with basil if you’re fancy (you are).

Storage Tips

• Fridge: Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The noodles will keep soaking liquid, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
• Freezer: For best texture, freeze without noodles.

  Freeze the soup base (tomato + broth) up to 2 months; boil fresh noodles when serving. If you do freeze with noodles, expect softer texture—still tasty, just less al dente.

• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over medium-low, adding liquid to loosen. Microwave works too—stir halfway to avoid cheese hot spots.

What’s Great About This

• All-weather comfort: Cozy like lasagna, lighter than a casserole, suitable year-round.
• Budget-friendly: Pantry staples doing Michelin-level impersonations.

  Your wallet says thanks.

• Kid and crowd approved: Familiar flavors, slurpable format. Hard to hate.
• Low effort, high flex: You can scale up, tweak flavors, and it still lands.

Don’t Make These Errors

• Overcooking the noodles: Pull them at al dente. Mushy noodles turn your soup into apology tour material.
• Skipping salt: Tomato + broth needs proper seasoning.

  Taste as you go, always.

• Dumping all cheese in the pot: Keep that ricotta mostly as a topping. It adds luxurious body when it melts on contact.
• Forgetting to stir: Lasagna pieces love to clump. Stir frequently during the first 5 minutes.
• Using thin sauce only: If your marinara is super watery, balance with a few extra spoonfuls of crushed tomatoes or reduce for a minute.

Recipe Variations

• Meaty edition: Brown 8–12 oz Italian sausage or ground beef before adding tomatoes and broth.

  Deglaze with a splash of broth for extra flavor.

• Veggie boost: Add diced zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach. Toss spinach in at the end to keep it bright.
• White “lasagna” soup: Swap half the tomatoes with extra broth and stir in a splash of cream. Add garlic and nutmeg—yes, nutmeg—micro pinch.
• Herb-forward: Finish with torn basil, parsley, or a drizzle of pesto.

  It’s like turning the flavor saturation up to 11.

• Gluten-free: Use GF lasagna noodles. Keep an eye on cook time; some brands go from firm to done fast.
• Spicy arrabbiata: Use spicy marinara and extra chili flakes. Parmesan rind in the pot = chef’s kiss, FYI.
• High-protein hack: Stir in cottage cheese with the ricotta or add cooked chicken for an easy protein bump.

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta instead of lasagna sheets?

Yes.

Mafalda, bowties, rotini, or broken spaghetti all work. The lasagna sheets give that classic texture, but pasta is pasta—just adjust cook time to the package and aim for al dente.

Do I need both ricotta and mozzarella?

No, but they tag-team the classic lasagna feel. If you only have one, use it.

Ricotta gives creamy body; mozzarella brings the melty pull. Parmesan on top never hurt anyone, IMO.

How do I make it richer without heavy cream?

Stir a spoonful of ricotta directly into the pot at the end and drizzle with good olive oil. You can also add a Parmesan rind to simmer—richness without dairy overload.

Can I make this vegetarian?

It already is if you use vegetable broth and marinara without meat.

For extra depth, add mushrooms, olives, or a splash of soy sauce for umami.

What if my soup is too thick?

Add warm broth or water a half cup at a time until it hits your preferred consistency. Noodles keep absorbing liquid as it sits, so plan to loosen it when reheating.

How do I keep the cheese from clumping?

Turn off the heat before adding mozzarella to the pot and stir gently. Keep most ricotta as a topping so it warms and softens without turning grainy.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes, but it’s almost too fast for that.

If you must: cook sauce and broth on low 3–4 hours, then add noodles for the last 20–30 minutes until al dente. Finish with cheeses at the end.

In Conclusion

This Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe nails the lasagna flavor profile with a fraction of the effort and dishes. Five ingredients, one pot, and a silky-cheesy finish that feels like a hug with excellent taste.

Keep it basic or load it up—either way, it’s a weeknight win you’ll actually look forward to. Save it, share it, and make it your new “I’ve got dinner handled” move.