This classic lasagna soup recipe will warm you up during the winter with a hearty combination of beef, Italian sausage, pasta, and chunky tomato sauce. A savory topping of cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and basil combine forces to make the ideal cold-weather meal. Customize this easy lasagna soup with crushed red pepper flakes for heat and a melty, cheesy topping starring mozzarella and Parmesan.
Lasagna Soup Recipe Tips
The base of this soup is a hearty mix of ground beef and Italian sausage. Brown the meat, onions, and garlic first to infuse the broth with rich flavor. But the true secret to achieving that classic lasagna flavor is your favorite jar of marinara sauce. It's an easy shortcut that adds that simmered-all-day taste. A cheesy topping is the perfect melty finish. All that's missing is the crispy edges!
We opted for mini lasagna pasta in our recipe, but you can use your favorite pasta shape or even broken lasagna sheets. Simply break apart and add them as you would with any other pasta. Our recipe testers loved the nostalgic flavor of cottage cheese in the topping, but you could easily swap it for ricotta cheese if you're not a fan of the texture. If you can't find fresh basil, a sprinkle of dried basil or Italian seasoning makes a good substitute. Lightly crush it in your hand before adding to the topping to release the herb's oils and intensify the flavor.
Serve the lasagna soup with crusty bread and a fresh green salad.
Ingredients
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8 oz. lean ground beef
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8 oz. bulk Italian sausage
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1 cup chopped onion
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5 clove cloves garlic, minced
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1 Tbsp. tomato paste
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32 ounces beef broth
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24 ounce jar of pasta sauce
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½ cup heavy cream
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1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
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1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
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½ tsp. salt
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½ tsp. black pepper
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¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
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8 ounces dried mini lasagna or mafalda pasta
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¾ cup cottage or ricotta cheese
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¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
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2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Directions
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Brown Meat
In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven cook the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until browned. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
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Stir in the broth, pasta sauce, cream, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil and stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is just tender.
Test Kitchen Tip: Test your pasta often during cooking. It can become overcooked quickly in the broth. You want it to be al dente.
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Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Set it in the fridge until the lasagna soup is ready to eat.
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Ladle the lasagna soup into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of the cheese mixture, additional fresh basil, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
Test Kitchen Tip: Choose your favorite jarred pasta sauce for this lasagna soup recipe. It will work with smooth marinara as well as chunky red sauces. You can also use a spicy red sauce if you'd like more heat.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 538 | Calories |
| 31g | Fat |
| 32g | Carbs |
| 32g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
| Calories 537.8 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 30.7g | 39% |
| Saturated Fat 14.1g | 71% |
| Cholesterol 100.4mg | 33% |
| Sodium 1835mg | 80% |
| Total Carbohydrate 32.3g | 12% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 10.5g | |
| Protein 32.4g | 65% |
| Vitamin D 0.8mcg | 4% |
| Vitamin C 6.3mg | 7% |
| Calcium 293.4mg | 23% |
| Iron 4.1mg | 23% |
| Potassium 991.5mg | 21% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0.5g | |
| Vitamin D 33IU | |
| Alanine 1.5g | |
| Arginine 1.7g | |
| Ash 7.3g | |
| Aspartic acid 2.4g | |
| Caffeine 0mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 1mcg | |
| Choline, total 103.9mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.3mg | |
| Cystine 0.3g | |
| Energy 2248.9kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 47.2mcg | |
| Folate, total 68.4mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 5.3g | |
| Glycine 1.5g | |
| Histidine 0.9g | |
| Isoleucine 1.3g | |
| Leucine 2.3g | |
| Lysine 2.3g | |
| Methionine 0.7g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 69.8mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.5mg | |
| Niacin 11.4mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 418mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.8mg | |
| Phenylalanine 1.2g | |
| Phytosterols 7.7mg | |
| Proline 2g | |
| Retinol 155.6mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 40.2mcg | |
| Serine 1.3g | |
| Starch 9.8g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 1.2g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 3.8mg | |
| Tryptophan 0.3g | |
| Tyrosine 1g | |
| Valine 1.5g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 1481.3IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 204.3mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 2mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.7mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 29.4mcg | |
| Water 404.2g | |
| Zinc, Zn 5.1mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.