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Cheesy Ground Beef Lasagna Soup

Cheesy ground beef lasagna soup with broken lasagna noodles simmered in a rich tomato-broth base, then finished with melted mozzarella and cheddar. Each bowl is topped with warm ricotta and parmesan for a thick, creamy layer.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot, then drain the fat. Keep the heat at medium-high until the beef is no longer pink.
Build the tomato base
  1. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes, stirring as it softens. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the onions and beef. Cook until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a boil. Boil until you see steady bubbling across the surface.
  2. Add the broken lasagna noodles and simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally so the noodles don’t stick.
Melt the cheeses and season
  1. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the mozzarella and cheddar (or American) until melted. Keep it at a gentle low simmer just until the cheese fully smooths into the broth.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavors read balanced.
Ricotta dollop and serve
  1. Stir ricotta with parmesan and basil to make a dollop topping. Mix until evenly combined and creamy.
  2. Serve the soup with a generous ricotta dollop on top. Add extra basil if you like for a fresh finishing touch.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat low when adding the mozzarella and cheddar so the cheese melts smoothly instead of turning grainy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because the noodles and cheese can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef and part-skim cheeses to reduce fat while keeping the same melty finish.