And the best part? It’s topped with a cheesy mixture of ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan, which stirs into every bite so you don’t miss out on the cheesy goodness that makes lasagna, lasagna. You’ll start with some onions sautéed in olive oil. Then, add some Italian sausage (I used mild, but hot is also delicious if you like spicy!) along with some garlic and dried oregano. Once that’s cooked, add some chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. And once that comes to a boil – here’s the best part! – add broken up lasagna noodles to the pot. Add fresh basil when it’s all finished cooking. Mix up some ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella in a bowl, and serve it dolloped on top of the soup with some more fresh basil. Done! I seriously may NEVER go back to cooking lasagna the traditional way again. This is so easy, it’s almost not fair. And if you’re vegetarian, this is super easy to make meat-free. Just swap the sausage for chopped up mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of chicken. Stir in some spinach at the end with the basil, if you want. Yum! I think the hardest part about making this lasagna soup is breaking up the lasagna noodles. And really it’s not hard at all. But there are some things to consider. First of all, lasagna noodles are brittle. So when you break them apart, they will snap vigorously and may break off smaller pieces which will land on the floor or, if you are very unlucky, in your eye! I recommend holding the noodles down away from your face when breaking them apart. And keep in mind, the noodles will expand as they cook. Try to break them into pieces less than an inch each, otherwise it will be hard to scoop them up with a spoon. And honestly, if you’re feeling lazy and don’t feel like breaking up lasagna noodles for this recipe, rotini will work just fine! This soup will naturally thicken because of the starches that seep out from the noodles as they cook. If it seems a little thin, it will thicken as it cools a bit, so don’t worry. And the cheese mixture helps thicken it as well. Oh goodness. This cheese mixture. I think next time I serve this, I may put the cheese on the bottom of the bowl so it realllllly melts into the soup. Feel free to use Romano cheese in place of the parmesan, if you prefer. And cottage cheese works well as a substitute for ricotta, both in this lasagna soup and in regular lasagna. Finally, this is a recipe best served right away. The noodles will keep softening and expanding as it sits in your fridge, so I don’t recommend this as a make-ahead or freezer meal. But you may have leftovers, and if you do, just add a little water to the soup if it seems too thick when you go to reheat it. If you like this lasagna soup recipe, you’ll love this Green Machine Minestrone Soup, this Spinach and Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna, and this Five-Ingredient Pasta with Bolognese Sauce. Here’s the printable recipe!
