One Pot Lasagna Soup

This One Pot Lasagna Soup is super cozy and filling thanks to the added protein. It makes the perfect weeknight meal and only takes 30 minutes from start to finish! Prep it for a hungry group of people or make leftovers for lunches and dinners in the days ahead. 

Why you should make this One Pot Lasagna Soup

If you love lasagna but don’t love the time, dishes or commitment that comes with it, this One Pot Lasagna Soup is about to be your new go-to. It has everything you want from classic lasagna: the rich tomato base, tender noodles, filling protein, and creamy ricotta, but in a weeknight-friendly format. It all comes together in a single pot, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy a warm, comforting bowl of something that tastes like it simmered all day.

One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. You can customize the protein by using ground beef, turkey or chicken depending on what you have on hand. For a boost of colour and nutrients, toss in a couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach at the same time that you add the ricotta cheese. You can also keep things simple and serve it with a side salad to turn it into a balanced meal.

If you’re lactose-intolerant or just not a fan of ricotta cheese, you can opt for an alternative or skip it altogether and still end up with an absolutely delicious dish. Whether you’re feeding a family, meal-prepping for the week, or just craving something cozy, this One Pot Lasagna Soup delivers big flavour with minimal effort!

Ingredients needed

To make this Lasagna Soup, you will need:

• Lasagna noodles
  • The noodles will cook in the soup so make sure you don’t cook them before adding them to the pot.
• Ground turkey
• Vegetable broth
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste
• Ricotta cheese
• Onion, garlic, olive oil
• Basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Substitutions and add-ins

In case you aren’t a fan of some of the suggested ingredients or you don’t have access to them right now, here are some suggested alternatives:

• Ground beef or chicken
  • Instead of ground turkey, you can use beef or chicken in this recipe. If using beef, I recommend opting for lean or extra lean beef.
• Vegetarian ground “meat” alternative
  • If you plan to make this recipe plant-based, you can use a vegetarian alternative to ground meat.
• Chicken or beef broth
  • You can absolutely use another type of broth if this is what you have available. However, if you plan on making this soup vegetarian, make sure to opt for the appropriate broth for this.
• Cottage cheese
  • An alternative to ricotta cheese is cottage cheese. It will add some creaminess and extra protein to the dish, however, it doesn’t melt as well so there may be some curds of cottage cheese in the soup.
• Butter
  • This can be used in place of olive oil.

How to make Lasagna Soup

Follow this step-by-step run through on how to make this delicious weeknight meal:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic
   • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant. This builds the flavour base for your soup.
2. Cook the ground meat
   • Add your ground meat of choice (beef, turkey or chicken) to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully cooked through and no longer pink.
3. Add the soup base ingredients
   • Pour in the vegetable broth, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir in the dried basil and oregano, then bring the soup to a boil.
4. Cook the lasagna noodles
   • Using your hands, break the lasagna noodles into small pieces directly into the pot. Cook them for about 10 minutes (stirring frequently so the noodles don’t stick) until they’re tender and al dente.
5. Finish the lasagna soup
   • Reduce the heat to low and stir in the ricotta cheese, salt and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
6. Serve and garnish
   • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese or an extra dollop of ricotta cheese. Serve hot and enjoy this easy, comforting one-pot dinner!

Storing and freezing

One of my favourite things about making big batches of soup is that it’s the perfect thing to keep in the freezer. It makes busy weekdays in the fall and winter so much easier when dinner is already made and just needs to be reheated. Here’s how to store and freeze this Lasagna Soup.

• If you plan to eat the soup within 3-4 days, allow it to fully cool before transferring it to an airtight container. You can then keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To reheat the soup from the fridge, you can use the microwave or stove. If using the microwave, place your portion of soup in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between each one.
  • The noodles soak up the liquid while it’s stored in the fridge so you may want to add some extra water or broth when reheating. Continue until the soup reaches your desired temperature.
• If you prefer using the stove, add the soup to a small saucepan and heat on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, or until the soup reaches your ideal temperature.
• If you want to freeze it for busy days coming up in the season, again, allow it to fully cool before transferring it to an airtight container. You could also use an empty and clean yogurt container. Don’t forget to label the container so you don’t forget what it is! Place it in the freezer and store it for up to 3-4 months.

Reheating soup from frozen

There are two ways to reheat your soup from frozen:

• Take the soup out of the freezer the night before and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. It’s helpful to put the container on top of a plate or bowl so that it catches the excess liquid when it thaws.
• Alternatively, take the soup out of the freezer 1 hour before eating and place it in a large pot or container that’s filled with hot water (I’ll often do this in the smaller side of my sink). After 10-20 minutes, the hot water will thaw the outside layer of soup, making it easier to transfer the soup to a pot. Place this pot on low heat with the lid on and cook until completely thawed and warmed.
  • Again, you may need to add extra water or broth if the noodles have soaked up too much liquid. Make sure you stir it every 5-10 minutes so the soup doesn’t burn. This can take around 30 minutes, depending on the size of the frozen soup

Nutrition

As a dietitian, I love making simple meals that are beneficial to our overall health. The nutrient content of this soup will vary, depending on what kind or cut of meat you choose to use. This recipe makes about 6 servings. 

If using ground turkey, one serving provides roughly:

• 23 grams of protein
• 4 grams of fibre
• A significant source of B vitamins, vitamin C, E and K.
• A variety of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.

Dietary considerations

This One Pot Lasagna Soup is already nut free but here are a few ways to make it fit within other dietary requirements.

• Gluten-free: opt for gluten free lasagna noodles.
• Lactose-free: use lactose-free ricotta cheese. 
• Dairy-free: use a plant-based ricotta or soft cheese, or omit the ricotta altogether. 
• Vegetarian: opt for a plant-based ground “meat” instead of ground turkey.

This soup was made in collaboration with Lepp Farm Market.

If you make this One Pot Lasagna Soup, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutritionkitchen!