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Beef Lasagna Soup

Beef lasagna soup with a rich tomato-beef broth and tender broken lasagna noodles, finished with a creamy ricotta-mozzarella dollop. A one-pot Italian-American main dish that tastes like lasagna, served as a cozy bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lean ground beef
  • 1.5 lb lean ground beef
Aromatics and tomato base
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cup beef broth
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste Use to taste.
Lasagna noodles and cheese dollop
  • 8 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.25 cup parmesan
  • fresh basil Fresh basil for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat. Keep the meat spread for faster browning and deeper flavor.
Build the tomato base
  1. Sauté the onion in the same pot for 4 minutes. Stir often until the onion softens.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Cook until fragrant with no raw tomato-paste taste.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, then bring to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  2. Add the broken lasagna noodles, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking.
  3. Season with salt to taste and stir to combine. Taste and adjust before serving.
Make the cheese dollop and serve
  1. Mix the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan into a thick cheese dollop. It should be scoopable for topping.
  2. Serve the soup in bowls and add a very generous spoonful of the cheese dollop per bowl. Top with fresh basil so it melts slightly into the hot broth.

Notes

Pro tip: use lean ground beef and stir often once the noodles go in to prevent clumping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if the noodles absorb too much liquid. Freeze soup without the cheese dollop for up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat before topping with fresh ricotta-mozzarella. For a lower-fat option, use part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella in the dollop.