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Cheesy Ground Beef Lasagna Soup

Cheesy ground beef lasagna soup with broken lasagna noodles simmered until tender, then finished with melted mozzarella and cheddar for a thick, cheesy surface. Simmering-style tomato-beef broth brings all the classic lasagna flavors into a fast, one-pot 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
  

Cheesy ground beef lasagna soup
  • 1.5 lb ground beef 80/20
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can (28 oz)
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes 1 can (14 oz)
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 8 count lasagna noodles broken into pieces
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or American cheese
  • 1 cup ricotta for ricotta dollop
  • 0.25 cup parmesan for ricotta dollop
  • basil fresh basil for serving; also used with ricotta dollop
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat.
  2. Visual cue: the beef should no longer look pink and the pot should have a cleaner surface after draining.
Build the soup base
  1. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Visual cue: the onion should soften and the tomato paste should darken slightly.
  3. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a boil.
  4. Visual cue: you should see active bubbling across the surface and around the edges of the pot.
Cook the noodles
  1. Add the broken lasagna noodles, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender.
  2. Visual cue: the noodles should soften and be easy to cut with a spoon.
Melt the cheese
  1. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the shredded mozzarella and cheddar/American cheese until melted.
  2. Visual cue: the soup should turn glossy and thick with cheese melting throughout the broth.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Visual cue: the flavor should feel balanced rather than flat, and the cheese should taste fully seasoned.
Ricotta dollop and serve
  1. Stir the ricotta with parmesan and basil to make a quick dollop mixture.
  2. Visual cue: it should look creamy and speckled with basil.
  3. Serve the soup hot with a generous ricotta dollop on top and fresh basil.
  4. Visual cue: a white ricotta mound should sit clearly on the red broth and melted cheese surface.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at low when adding the mozzarella and cheddar so the cheese melts smoothly instead of clumping. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is not recommended because the noodles can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef and reduced-fat mozzarella while keeping the same cooking steps.