This Lasagna Soup has most of the elements, and flavors, of a time-consuming Lasagna Casserole. Using a pressure cooker makes one pot soup a breeze to make in less than 30 minutes. I’ve also included how to adapt this recipe on a stove top. It’s hearty, flavorful and freezes well.
At last, California’s drought has finally ended. We’ve had torrents of rain, wind and chillier temperatures than we are used to. Soup Season continues on!
One of my favorite comfort foods is Spaghetti and Meatballs. I love the tomato flavor of a homemade marinara sauce! An authentic lasagna involves a bit of work involved, though the effort is well worth it. I have made an easier version for a pressure cooker. You can view that recipe here.
There are countless versions of Lasagna Soup all over the internet. I decided to wing it, and make my own. Pantry staples, in our home, always includes tomato sauce, tomato pasta and crushed tomatoes. When I pop into “Cost Plus” stores, a bag or two of these Mini Lasagna noodles are on my shopping list. Otherwise, just break up regular (not no-cook) lasagna noodles. NOTE: If you don’t own a pressure cooker, this recipe can be adapted for a more traditional stove top. I’ve included instructions in the recipe card. Here we go:
Using the saute functions, brown the beef. Add chopped onion, then minced garlic. Add Italian seasoning, sugar, tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the saute’ function. Add beef broth.
Add the broken lasagna noodles.
Be sure that the noodles are gently submerged into the soup mixture.
Lock the pressure cooker lid on, set a manual timer for 4 minutes (it’ll take an additional 15 minutes for the soup to come to pressure. Once the Instant Pot beeps, allow for a natural pressure release of 10 minutes.
In the meantime, make the Ricotta cheese mixture.
Taste the soup and adjust your salt and pepper seasonings according to your palate.
There are two ways to use the Ricotta cheese mixture: 1) Pour a serving of soup into a bowl, and top with the cheese mixture 2) My preferred way is to dollop the cheese mixture into the pot of soup, but don’t stir and mix. The heat of the soup will melt the cheeses, making the broth creamy and flavorful.
The aroma in our kitchen had my husband sniffing the air. It’s time to eat!
Ooh, look at that melted cheese! The soup is thick and hearty.
The noodles are perfectly cooked, too.
TASTING NOTES: Yes, you can simply add a jar of commercially made marinara sauce. However, my homemade version is so flavorful and doesn’t take but a few minutes to open cans and seasoning! Wow! This is such a hearty and flavorful soup. There’s a lot of versatility, too. Spinach could be a nice addition. Cottage cheese works as a substitute for Ricotta cheese. Ground turkey could work, instead of ground beef. Chicken broth could work, instead of beef (though I prefer the richness of beef broth). This soup freezes really well. (I tend to add a splash more of broth, when I fill my deli containers for the freezer.)
Fast and Easy Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker Stove Top instructions are also included
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef alternately, can use combination of ground beef and Italian sausage
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 14.5 ounce crushed tomatoes see notes
- 1 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes don't drain!
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 3 cups lasagna noodles broken into bite size pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese can substitute with cottage cheese
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley plus more for garnish; or fresh basil
Instructions
For the Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
- In a small bowl, combine mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, and parsley. Season with salt, to taste.
- Turn Instant Pot on to SAUTE and add olive oil.
- Once hot, I, cook ground beef and sausage (if using) until browned. Drain grease
- Add the Italian seasoning
- Add the onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- CANCEL the saute' setting.
- Add the broth, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles into the liquid and and gently submerge them under the broth.
Pressure cook steps:
- Place lid on pot, and lock into place. Set valve to sealing.
- Pressure cook on manual (high pressure for 4 minutes. (It will take about 15 minutes for the pressure to build, before cooking.)
- Allow for a natural release for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.
Stove top:
- Bring the soup to a boil, then add the lasagna noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender (7-8 minutes)
- Open the pot and evenly dollop the Ricotta cheese mixture. Stir, very gently, but don’t mix!
Final steps:
- Taste the soup, and add additional salt or pepper, according to your preference.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, if desired.
Notes
This looks amazing