Paula Deen lasagna soup hits the table with the same comfort as a bubbling pan of lasagna, but with a spoonable broth that carries all the best parts: savory sausage, tender noodles, rich tomato flavor, and that thick, creamy cheese topping melting into every bite. It’s the kind of dinner that eats like a full meal and still feels a little playful, especially when you get a bite with both ricotta and mozzarella in the same spoonful.
What makes this version work is the layering. The butter goes in with the meat, which gives the broth a rounder, richer base right from the start. Tomato paste cooks with the onion and garlic long enough to lose its raw edge, and the broken noodles simmer directly in the soup so they pick up flavor instead of tasting boiled and plain. The cheese topping isn’t an afterthought here; it’s the finish that gives each bowl its lasagna personality.
Below I’ve added the small details that keep the noodles tender instead of mushy, plus the best way to serve it if you want that dramatic, melty cheese pull on top.
The broth turned out rich and the noodles stayed tender without falling apart. I loved how the ricotta and mozzarella topping melted into the soup instead of sitting on top in clumps.
Save this Paula Deen lasagna soup for nights when you want a rich tomato broth, hearty sausage, and a big blanket of melted ricotta on top.
The Step That Keeps the Noodles from Going Mushy
The biggest mistake with lasagna soup is treating the noodles like an afterthought. Once they go in, they keep drinking broth, even after the pot comes off the heat. That means you want them just barely tender when you shut the burner off, not fully soft and collapsing in the pot.
The other place this recipe earns its keep is the meat base. Browning the sausage and beef together with the butter gives you a deeper, fuller broth than using lean meat alone. If the pot looks greasy after browning, drain some of the fat, but leave enough behind to carry the onion, garlic, and tomato paste. That little bit of fat is what helps the tomato flavor taste cooked instead of sharp.
What the Cheese Topping Is Really Doing Here
- Italian sausage — This brings the seasoning and enough fat to make the broth taste full-bodied. Mild sausage works fine, but hot sausage gives the soup a little more backbone.
- Ground beef — The beef rounds out the sausage and makes the soup taste more like layered lasagna than a simple sausage tomato soup. Use 80/20 if you can, since extra-lean beef can taste flat here.
- Butter — This is one of the signature touches in this style of soup. It softens the edges of the tomato and adds a silky richness you won’t get from oil alone.
- Tomato paste — Cook it with the onion and garlic until it darkens a shade. That short step removes the raw taste and gives the broth a deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Whole milk ricotta and mozzarella — The ricotta makes the topping creamy, while the mozzarella gives you that classic stretch. Low-fat ricotta works in a pinch, but the topping won’t melt as luxuriously.
Building the Pot in the Right Order
Brown the Meat First
Start with the sausage and beef in the butter and cook until the meat has lost its pink color and picked up a little browning. That browning matters because it gives the broth depth before anything else goes in. If there’s a lot of grease in the pot, spoon some off before adding the onion so the soup doesn’t feel heavy in a greasy way.
Cook the Onion and Tomato Paste Together
Add the onion to the pot and let it soften for about 4 minutes, scraping the bottom as it cooks. Then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more. You’re looking for the paste to darken and smell sweet, not sharp; if the garlic starts browning hard, the heat is too high.
Simmer the Broth Before the Noodles Go In
Add the tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and basil, then bring everything to a boil before lowering it to a steady simmer. This gives the broth time to come together before the noodles start releasing starch. If the soup looks too thick at this stage, thin it with a splash more broth before the noodles go in, because they’ll absorb liquid fast.
Finish with Tender Noodles and a Heaping Cheese Topping
Drop in the broken lasagna noodles and simmer until they’re tender but still hold their shape, usually 10 to 12 minutes. Stir often enough to keep them from sticking to the bottom, especially as the pot gets thicker. Season with salt and pepper at the end, then pile the soup into bowls and top with a large spoonful of the ricotta-mozzarella mixture so it melts into the hot broth instead of sitting in a cold mound.
How to Adapt This for a Different Kitchen or a Different Crowd
Make It Dairy-Free
Skip the butter and use olive oil for sautéing, then top the bowls with a dairy-free ricotta-style spread if you have one that melts well. The soup base still works, but you’ll lose some of the plush richness that makes the original feel so indulgent.
Use All Sausage Instead of Beef and Sausage
All sausage makes the soup a little more assertive and spicier, which works well if you want a stronger Italian flavor. The broth will still be rich, but it’ll lean less toward the layered, meaty balance of a classic lasagna.
Gluten-Free Version
Swap in gluten-free lasagna noodles and cook them just until tender, since some brands break down faster than regular pasta. If the noodles absorb more broth than expected, add a little extra chicken broth near the end to loosen the pot back up.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 4 days. The noodles will keep absorbing broth, so expect a thicker soup the next day.
- Freezer: The soup base freezes well, but the noodles get softer after thawing. For the best texture, freeze the soup without the noodles and cook fresh noodles when you reheat it.
- Reheating: Warm it gently on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of broth to loosen it. The common mistake is boiling it hard, which turns the noodles limp and can make the cheese topping separate.
Answers to the Questions Worth Asking
Paula Deen Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Brown the Italian sausage and ground beef together in a large pot with the unsalted butter, then drain excess fat. Keep the heat high enough to develop browning on the meat.
- Sauté the diced onion in the browned meats for 4 minutes. Cook until softened and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly so the garlic toasts without burning.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and dried basil, then bring the mixture to a boil. Watch for vigorous bubbling across the surface.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles and reduce to a simmer, cooking for 10-12 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally so noodles don’t stick.
- Season the soup generously with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust at the end for balanced seasoning.
- Mix the whole milk ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil together for the generous cheese topping. Stir until evenly combined.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a very large, heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture. Let the hot soup begin to melt the cheese on top.
