Amazing 30-Min one pot lasagna soup

Hi, I’m Alex, and I’m so glad you’re here. For years, looking at a lasagna recipe felt like signing up for a weekend-long commitment. I used to think that incredible, soul-satisfying food meant hours of tedious work, which is why I ended up ordering takeout more than I care to admit! But trust me, that changed when I discovered the magic of simplifying without sacrificing flavor. This **one pot lasagna soup** recipe is my answer to those chaotic evenings when you just need comfort, fast. It delivers every single rich, cheesy layer of classic lasagna right into your bowl, ready to go in about 30 minutes. It’s proof that big flavor absolutely belongs in your weeknight dinner rotation!

Why You Need This One Pot Lasagna Soup for Quick Comfort Food

Seriously, if you’re looking for a dinner that gives you that warm, cozy feeling of a big lasagna bake but doesn’t leave you staring at a mountain of dishes, this recipe is your hero. I developed this because I needed my comfort food fix without needing three hours and three different pots. We’re aiming for maximum taste satisfaction with minimum cleanup, which is the absolute best part of any comfort food session.

Here is why I promise this **one pot lasagna soup** will become a regular rotation item for you:

• It’s genuinely quick! We’re talking about serving this delicious bowl in about 30 minutes total.
• Cleanup is a breeze—just the pot you brewed it in! That’s the dream for busy nights, right?
• It tastes exactly like the real, layered deal, but in liquid form.

Speed and Simplicity: The Ultimate One Pot Recipes Advantage

When I say 30 minutes, I mean it! Because everything browns, simmers, and cooks right in that single Dutch oven, you aren’t sacrificing flavor for time. Think about it: no separate pans for browning meat, no baking dish to grease up, and no saucepans boiling over. This is efficiency at its best, making it the perfect candidate for your go-to weeknight meals rotation. Less time cleaning means more time enjoying that delicious bowl!

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Hearty Flavor Mimicking Classic Lasagna

The best part of regular lasagna is that rich, savory depth, right? We nail that here! Browning the Italian sausage first adds so much complexity—don’t skip that step, even if you’re using ground beef! Then, we incorporate the perfect blend of tomato richness, Italian herbs, and, crucially, the ricotta and mozzarella melted right in at the end. This gives you that incredible, creamy, cheesy mouthfeel without any fussy layering required. It’s hearty soup perfection!

Gathering Ingredients for Your One Pot Lasagna Soup

Okay, let’s talk about what you need to grab! Since this is a one-pot wonder, we aren’t dealing with a million bowls of tiny components, thankfully. Everything fits right into your large pot or Dutch oven. Remember, using quality canned tomatoes makes a huge difference here; they are the backbone of our savory base. You’ll want to make sure you have everything prepped before you even turn the stove on, especially since this **one pot lasagna soup** comes together so fast once you get going.

Here is the full rundown of what you’ll need for about six hearty servings:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage or ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese, divided
• 1 cup water
• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional, for richness)
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

It looks like a lot, but look how many things go straight into that one pot! If you’re planning ahead, check out some other great soups and salads recipes we have for the week!

Ingredient Notes and Simple Substitutions

I always get asked about swaps, and I love that you’re thinking ahead! The biggest tip I have for this recipe involves that meat. If you’re looking for a vegetarian option—totally doable—you can swap out the sausage or beef for a full pound of chopped mushrooms or even a plant-based substitute. Just brown whatever you choose until it releases its liquid. That first step builds so much flavor.

Also, notice I listed the ricotta cheese as ‘divided’? That’s intentional! Half of that creamy tub gets stirred right into the soup base to make it luscious and rich, and the other half is reserved to dollop right on top of your warm bowl when serving. That contrast between the hot soup and the cool, creamy dollop is what really elevates this dish.

And one final quick note: if you feel like your soup base seems a little too thick while the noodles are cooking, don’t panic! That’s why we give you an extra cup of water—add it slowly to get that perfect, slightly brothy consistency we are looking for in soup, not a solid bake.

Step-by-Step: How to Make One Pot Lasagna Soup

Alright, ready to see the magic happen? This is where the glorious feeling of making one of the absolute easy dinner ideas comes into play—all in the same pot that started this whole process! We break this down into three simple phases. Remember, the goal is to keep everything happy, swirling, and simmering beautifully together until that pasta is just right. This incredible **one pot lasagna soup** comes together so smoothly, you’ll feel like you cheated dinner.

Browning Meat and Sautéing Aromatics

First things first, we’re building a flavor foundation. Heat that olive oil over medium-high heat and toss in your Italian sausage or ground beef. Cook it down until it’s all nice and browned, and this is important: drain off any excess grease afterward! You want Italian flavor, not an oily slick on top of your soup. Once the meat is browned and the onion softens up nicely (about 5 minutes), toss in your garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let that cook for just a minute until you can really smell those herbs waking up—that’s flavor blooming, my friends!

Simmering the Noodles and Building the Base

Now, pour in your tomatoes, tomato sauce, and the chicken broth to get everything liquid. Bring that up to a nice simmer. Here’s the key part for keeping it a true **minimal cleanup meal**: add your broken lasagna noodles and the cup of water. You absolutely must stir this well right away so those noodles don’t cement themselves to the bottom of the pot! Keep it at a gentle, rolling simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes until those noodles are perfectly tender.

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Achieving Creaminess: The Final Cheese Stir-In

Once the pasta is cooked, take the pot right off the heat. No more boiling! We want that soup base luscious, not stringy. Stir in your wilted spinach and the heavy cream if you’re using it for extra richness. Then, take HALF of your ricotta and HALF of your mozzarella and stir them in until they melt beautifully into the liquid. This creates that dreamy, creamy texture instantly. The rest of the cheese is saved for topping, giving you those amazing layers of creamy goodness in every spoonful of your **cheesy pasta soup**.

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Tips for the Best One Pot Lasagna Soup Experience

Even if you’re following the recipe perfectly, a few little tricks can stop this simple soup from becoming just ‘good’ and turn it into the ‘best.’ That’s what we are aiming for here—that extra layer of flavor and confidence that makes you feel like a real chef, even when you’re pulling it all out of one pot! Trust me, these seemingly small details are what separate a decent dinner from one you’ll be craving every week. Mastering your **one pot lasagna soup** means mastering the details! If you love digging into the techniques behind great food, be sure to check out the latest posts on the blog.

Pasta Choice Matters for One Pot Recipes

When you’re cooking pasta directly in the soup liquid, the thickness of the pasta is everything. I insist on dried lasagna noodles broken into pieces that are roughly 2 inches. If the pieces are too long, they won’t cook evenly; you’ll end up with some floppy ends and some hard, chalky centers. Using dried pasta is key here because fresh pasta tends to break down too easily in the simmering broth, turning your soup closer to a mushy sauce rather than a hearty pasta dish. We want defined, tender noodles in our final bowl!

Boosting the Italian Soup Flavor Profile

Our base is already great thanks to the sausage and good quality tomatoes, but if you want to give it that deeper, restaurant-quality tang—the kind you find in deeply simmered Italian dishes—I have two secret flavor additions. When you add the broth right after sautéing your garlic and spices, try splashing in about a teaspoon of good quality red wine vinegar. It sounds strange, but that little bit of acid brightens up all the savory tomato notes beautifully. It evaporates during simmering, but the complexity stays behind.

Alternatively, if you like a little background heat, toss in just a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes along with your oregano and basil. You don’t want it spicy, necessarily, but that subtle warmth really pulls the savory elements together in a way that makes people say, “Wow, what did you put in that?” These little additions are what make this **Italian soup** truly memorable.

Serving Suggestions for Your Hearty Soup Recipes

This **one pot lasagna soup** is such a complete meal on its own—it has the meat, the pasta, the veggies, and all that cheesy goodness! But you know me, I love a little something crunchy or garlicky on the side to round out a cozy dinner. Since this is such a robust and savory dish, you don’t need anything complicated. Keep it simple, keep it Italian, and keep the cleanup minimal!

If you’re serving this to the family, here are my absolute favorite things to have on hand when ladling out a bowl of this easy entertaining favorite:

• Crusty Bread or Garlic Bread: This is non-negotiable for me! You absolutely need something sturdy to scoop up all the rich tomato broth that’s left in the bottom of the bowl. A slice of good quality sourdough or even better, a quick homemade garlic bread made with just butter, garlic powder, and parsley, is perfect for dipping.
• A Simple Green Salad: To balance out all that amazing richness, a light, crisp salad is fantastic. I often toss together some mixed greens with thinly sliced red onion and maybe some cucumber, dressed very simply with a bright red wine vinaigrette. It just cuts right through the creaminess of the cheese.
• Extra Fresh Herbs: While we flavor the soup during cooking, finishing the dish is all about presentation and the fresh pop of flavor. Have some fresh basil leaves or a sprinkle of dried oregano ready to go. It makes the top layer smell incredible when it hits the table.

Honestly, even just a shaker of extra Parmesan on the table so everyone can pile it on thick is a perfect accompaniment. It’s about making the experience great, not adding more work to your plate!

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Storage and Reheating this One Pot Lasagna Soup

One of the truly wonderful things about this **one pot lasagna soup** is that it makes fantastic leftovers! Seriously, I often cook this intentionally knowing I want lunch the next day. However, because we are cooking pasta directly in the broth, you do have to manage expectations a little bit. Pasta is like a sponge, and overnight, those lasagna pieces are going to keep soaking up all that delicious tomato liquid.

Here is how I handle my leftovers to make sure my second serving is just as amazing as the first. First, cool the soup completely before putting it into airtight containers. You want to use shallow containers if you can, because that helps the soup chill down faster, which is just safer cooking practice, you know!

Storing Leftovers Appropriately

This soup keeps really well in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. If you store it in truly airtight containers, it should be totally fine. If you are planning on making a huge batch for proper one pot meal prep sessions, I actually recommend storing the soup base and the leftover cheese topping separately. That way, the pasta only soaks up the amount of liquid you reheat.

If you plan on freezing it? That’s tricky with the pasta already cooked in there. While you *can* freeze it, the texture of the noodles often gets a little compromised after thawing. If you must freeze, leave out anything creamy, like the heavy cream or the cheeses, and add those fresh when you reheat it later! That’s my pro-tip for long-term storage.

Restoring the Creaminess When Reheating

When you pull out that container for reheating on a busy evening, don’t be surprised if it looks like a solid block of tomato-y goodness—that’s just the pasta doing its job! To bring it back to a soupy texture, you absolutely need to add more liquid. I always reheat mine slowly on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

For every serving you reheat, I stir in about a quarter-cup of extra chicken broth or even just water. Stir slowly as it heats up until it reaches your preferred consistency. Once it’s hot but not boiling, that’s when I stir in a fresh dollop of ricotta or a sprinkle of mozzarella to bring back that beautiful, creamy, cheesy binding agent we loved so much when it was freshly made. It makes this **hearty soup recipe** taste almost brand new!

Frequently Asked Questions About Lasagna Soup Recipe

I totally get it; sometimes you have quick questions pop up right when you’re planning to cook. Since this is meant to be one of your fastest **30 minute meals**, I wanted to cover a few things readers often ask about making this classic dish in soup form!

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Oh yes, you absolutely can! If you’re skipping the meat, the main instruction is to replace the pound of ground Italian sausage or beef with about a pound of crimini or button mushrooms, roughly chopped, or substitute with an equal amount of your favorite plant-based ground substitute. You still want to place whatever you use in that pot first with the olive oil and cook it down until it stops releasing moisture. That browning step is key for building a deep, savory base for your **ground meat soup recipes** alternative.

How do I prevent the noodles from getting mushy when reheating?

This is the number one question for any soup with pasta cooked directly in it! If you are making this ahead of time specifically for meal prep, my best advice is to undercook the lasagna noodles by about two minutes when you first make the soup. They will finish cooking as they cool down in the liquid overnight. When you reheat the leftovers, add an extra splash of chicken broth or just plain water—maybe a quarter cup per serving—before you bring it back up to temperature on the stovetop. That added liquid will get absorbed by the hungry pasta and bring back that beautiful, soupy consistency!

Is this considered a simple one pot meal?

One hundred percent, yes! That is exactly the goal here. We build flavor right in the same pot: browning the meat, sautéing the veggies, simmering the tomatoes and broth, and cooking the noodles all happen in one vessel. Seriously, if you’re looking for the ultimate stress-free, **simple one pot meal**, this is it. You just wipe out that Dutch oven at the end, and you’re done. High yield, low effort!

Nutritional Estimates for Your Cozy Dinner Ideas

Now, I know not everyone is obsessing over macros, but sometimes you just want to have an idea of what’s going into that delicious, cozy bowl of goodness. Since this is such a hearty dish—packed with meat, cheese, and pasta—it’s certainly filling! I always want to be upfront that these numbers are just estimates based on the core recipe ingredients I use. If you use really fatty sausage or switch out the heavy cream for something else, your numbers will shift a bit, so just keep that in mind.

This information is based on making 6 generous servings of the **one pot lasagna soup**:

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 550
• Fat: 30g (This is where your meat choice matters most!)
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Protein: 32g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 950mg (Lots of flavor from broth and sausage, so it’s on the higher side, as expected with most Italian soup!)
• Fiber: 5g

Even with the savory sausage and all that wonderful cheese, you’re still getting a solid amount of protein, which is why this is such a great option for a **family friendly dinner** that keeps everyone satisfied well past bedtime! Enjoy every single bite!

Share Your Mouthwatering One Pot Lasagna Soup Creations

Okay, now that you’ve experienced the pure joy of making and eating this ridiculously fast, incredibly flavorful **one pot lasagna soup**, I absolutely need to hear about it! Cooking is a collaboration, and seeing your creations really makes my day here at Pure Cooking Joy. Seriously, sending me a picture makes my whole week!

Did you go for the hearty Italian sausage, or maybe try out that vegetarian swap we talked about? Did you love how easily it cleaned up? Don’t keep the deliciousness a secret! Head down to the comments section right now and let me know what you thought.

I promise to read every single comment, and your feedback helps new readers feel confident trying out my favorite **quick comfort food** recipes. If you loved this—and I know you will—please leave a quick star rating for the recipe! It helps other busy folks find simple, delicious meals like this one.

If you snap a picture of your cheesy, saucy bowls, please share it on social media and tag me! You can find me chatting about all things easy and delicious over on Facebook at Pure Cooking Joy’s Facebook page. Watching you find happiness in the kitchen through simple meals is why I do all of this. Happy cooking, my friends!

Mouthwatering One Pot Lasagna Soup Ready in 30 Minutes

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You need a comforting meal without the cleanup hassle. This one pot lasagna soup delivers all the rich, cheesy flavor of classic lasagna in a hearty bowl, ready fast for your busy weeknights.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 35 min
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage or ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese, divided
• 1 cup water
• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional, for richness)
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

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Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground sausage or beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
5. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles and the water. Return the soup to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
6. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, if using, and the fresh spinach until the spinach wilts.
7. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in half of the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese until melted and creamy.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of the remaining ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of mozzarella, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

• For a vegetarian option, substitute the meat with 1 pound of mushrooms or plant-based ground substitute.
• If you want a thicker soup, reduce the amount of chicken broth or water slightly.
• You can prepare the cheese topping mixture ahead of time by combining the remaining ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a separate bowl.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 12
• Sodium: 950
• Fat: 30
• Saturated Fat: 14
• Unsaturated Fat: 16
• Trans Fat: 1
• Carbohydrates: 45
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 32
• Cholesterol: 75