If you love lasagna but don’t always have the time to layer and bake one, this creamy lasagna soup gives you all those cozy flavors in one pot. It’s loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, tender lasagna noodles and a rich tomato broth finished with cream and plenty of cheese. A big spoonful of creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan on top makes every bowl taste like lasagna straight from the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ lb ground beef
• ½ lb Italian sausage
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara or pasta sauce
• ½ lb lasagna noodles, broken into bite-size pieces
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Ricotta Cheese Topping

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook, breaking the meat into crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.
3. Season with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper, if using.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and marinara sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
6. Add the broken lasagna noodles. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.
7. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, ¾ cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Stir until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.
8. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.
9. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper.
10. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture. Finish with extra Parmesan, mozzarella or fresh basil, if desired.

Tip: Lasagna noodles continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. If the soup becomes thicker than you like, simply stir in a little extra chicken broth when reheating.