Vegetarian Lasagna Soup | Meatless Comfort Bowl

Quick Info

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
• Total Time: 40–45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Course: Dinner / Soup
• Cuisine: Italian-inspired, meatless
• Skill Level: Easy
• Special Equipment: Large Dutch oven or soup pot, ladle, microplane zester

Introduction

On chilly evenings, my crew starts asking for “the noodle soup that tastes like lasagna.” Enter this Vegetarian Lasagna Soup—a meatless comfort bowl that gives you all the cozy layers (tomato, garlic, herbs, melty cheese) without the baking project. The first time I made it, we were decorating paper snowflakes at the table, and I served steaming bowls with little clouds of ricotta on top. My youngest took one bite and declared it “lasagna with a blanket.”

This soup is hearty enough to be the whole meal: tender pasta, a tomato-basil broth rounded with a splash of cream, and a generous mix of mushrooms and spinach for plant-powered goodness. Add the “lasagna trio” (ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan) as a dollop that melts right into each bowl—comfort turned up to eleven.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (or sub diced zucchini)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp dried basil (or extra Italian seasoning)
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, gentle heat)
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted if possible)
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 8–10 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (about 6–7 oz; or use mafaldine/farfalle)
• ½ cup milk (2% or whole) + ¼ cup cream (or use ¾ cup oat/almond milk for dairy-light)
• 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 packed cups baby spinach (or chopped kale)
• Zest of ½ lemon + 1–2 tsp lemon juice

Cheesy Dollops (for serving, highly recommended)

• ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
• ½ cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
• Pinch salt & pepper

To Finish

• Extra Parmesan, torn fresh basil, and cracked black pepper

Optional / Variations

• White Bean Boost: Stir in 1 can cannellini beans (rinsed) for extra protein.
• Roasted Veg Route: Add 1 cup chopped roasted bell peppers or roasted eggplant to the pot.
• Creamy But Light: Skip cream and whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch into the milk before adding for body.
• Gluten-Free: Use GF lasagna sheets or short GF pasta; cook separately and add to bowls.
• Herb Swap: Finish with pesto (1–2 tbsp) instead of basil for a bright, herby pop.
• Mushroom Lovers: Use 12 oz mixed mushrooms and a dash of soy sauce to deepen savoriness.
• No Ricotta? Mix 1 cup cottage cheese (blended smooth) with Parmesan for a similar vibe.
• Spice It Up: Add ½ tsp Calabrian chili paste with the tomato paste.

Instructions

Step 1: Build a Flavor Base

Warm olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt; cook 4–5 minutes until soft and sweet. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3–4 minutes more until they release moisture and start to brown. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. (This is the point when my husband “checks” the pot and steals a mushroom. Every time.)

Step 2: Toast the Tomato Paste & Deglaze

Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring to caramelize slightly. Pour in crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add sugar if using, salt, and pepper. Bring to a lively simmer.

Step 3: Cook the Pasta Right in the Soup

Stir in the broken lasagna noodles. Simmer 9–11 minutes, stirring occasionally so pieces don’t clump, until just al dente. If the soup thickens too much before the pasta is tender, add ½–1 cup hot water.

Step 4: Make It Silky & Bright

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in milk and cream (or your dairy-free milk). Simmer 2 minutes to meld. Fold in spinach to wilt, then add lemon zest and lemon juice to lift the richness. Taste and adjust salt/pepper and heat.

Step 5: Mix the Cheesy Dollops

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt & pepper. (If you like it extra-herby, stir in 1 tsp chopped basil or parsley.) This mixture melts into the soup like little lasagna layers.

Step 6: Ladle & Serve

Ladle soup into warm bowls. Add a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture to each and let it soften into the broth. Shower with extra Parmesan, a few basil leaves, and lots of black pepper. At our table, there’s a ritual: one stir for silky swirls, two stirs if you want full-on cheesy clouds.

Tips & Variations

• Pasta Timing: Cook just to al dente; it keeps softening as the soup sits. Making it ahead? Boil pasta separately and add to bowls before ladling the hot soup.
• Depth Without Meat: Mushrooms bring umami; a ½ tsp soy sauce or tamari intensifies savoriness (you won’t taste “soy”).
• No Cream Needed: For an ultra-light version, skip dairy and blend ½ cup of the soup until silky; stir back in for body.
• Broth Balance: If leftovers thicken, reheat with a splash of broth or water and a squeeze of lemon.
• Kid-Friendly: Skip chili flakes and serve the flakes at the table. I also set out mini bowls of mozzarella so the kids can add their own “snow.”
• Make-Ahead: Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Add fresh basil and cheese dollops at serving so flavors stay bright.
• Freezer Note: Dairy + pasta can get grainy when frozen. If you want to freeze, stop before adding milk/cream and pasta; freeze the base up to 2 months. Reheat, add pasta fresh, and finish with milk/cheese.
• Greens Swap: Kale takes longer—add it 5 minutes before pasta so it gets tender.
• Pesto Finish: A teaspoon of pumpkin seed pesto on each bowl is holiday magic (and nut-free!).
• Slow Cooker Adaptation: Sauté aromatics/mushrooms on the stovetop, then transfer to a slow cooker with tomatoes and broth; cook LOW 4–5 hours. Add pasta for the last 25–30 minutes, then finish with milk/greens/lemon.

Nutrition

(Per serving, with dairy and cheese dollops; estimates.)

• Calories: 450
• Protein: 20 g
• Carbs: 56 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Sodium: 870 mg
• Sugar: 10 g

Final Thoughts

This Vegetarian Lasagna Soup is the sweater-weather version of everyone’s favorite pasta—comforting, saucy, and weeknight-easy. It’s the soup I serve when neighbors drop by to trade cookies, or when we need something that feels like a hug after a long day. The spinach keeps it fresh, the lemon keeps it lively, and those melty cheese clouds? They’re the reason bowls come back for refills. Make it once, and I suspect it’ll join your winter rotation right alongside chili and tomato soup.

Save this for vegetarian lasagna soup, meatless comfort bowl, easy weeknight soups, 40-minute dinners, and cozy Italian-inspired recipes. From my twinkle-lighted, noodle-loving kitchen to yours—buon appetito!