This High Protein Lasagna Soup is a rich, hearty one-pot meal loaded with seasoned ground beef, crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, and tender pasta — all the flavors of classic lasagna in a cozy, protein-packed bowl. Ready in under 45 minutes and perfect for meal prep, this healthy soup is your new weeknight dinner obsession.
Okay, real talk — I made this for the first time on a rainy Tuesday night when I was craving lasagna but absolutely did not want to deal with layering noodles and waiting an hour. One pot, 30-ish minutes, and suddenly my whole kitchen smelled like an Italian grandmother lived there. This High Protein Lasagna Soup has been on weekly rotation ever since, and honestly? I’m not even mad about it.
It’s everything you love about a classic lasagna soup recipe — the savory beef, the herby tomato broth, the melty cheese situation — but easier, faster, and loaded with enough protein to actually keep you full. If you’re looking for a protein dinner that doesn’t taste like “health food,” welcome home.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Lasagna Soup Recipe
This isn’t just another healthy soup. It’s a full-on comfort bowl that hits every savory note you want on a weeknight. The ground beef brings serious staying power, the crushed tomatoes create a deeply rich, almost meaty broth, and those reginetti noodles (or broken lasagna sheets) give you that classic lasagna vibe in every single spoonful.
Top each bowl with a generous dollop of creamy ricotta and a shower of Parmesan, and you’ve got a High Protein Lasagna Soup that genuinely tastes indulgent — no sad diet vibes here. It’s also incredibly meal-prep friendly, so make a big batch and thank yourself later.
Love easy high-protein pasta dinners? Check out this Creamy High Protein Beef Pasta for another weeknight winner!
High Protein Lasagna Soup
Equipment
- Large pot
- Instant Pot
- Crockpot
- Skillet
Ingredients
Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
Aromatics
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 6 cloves
Sauce & Broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes low or no sodium
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
Spices
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Pasta
- 2 cups reginetti pasta or broken lasagna noodles about 5 oz
For Serving
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese optional
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the ground beef and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until fully browned.
- Add the minced onion and garlic and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, beef broth, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally.
- Add the pasta and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for half the time recommended on the pasta package, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup sit uncovered for 5 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking in the broth.
- Discard the bay leaf, ladle the soup into bowls, and top with ricotta and grated Parmesan if desired before serving.
Notes
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need — nothing fancy, just good honest pantry staples and a pound of quality ground beef.
| Group | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Base | Ground beef (ButcherBox recommended) | 1 lb |
| Aromatics | Minced onion | ½ cup |
| Aromatics | Minced garlic (about 6 cloves) | 2 tablespoons |
| Sauce & Broth | Crushed tomatoes (low or no sodium) | 28 oz |
| Sauce & Broth | Low sodium beef broth | 4 cups |
| Sauce & Broth | Water | 2 cups |
| Sauce & Broth | Bay leaf | 1 |
| Spices | Dried basil | 1 teaspoon |
| Spices | Dried parsley | 1 teaspoon |
| Spices | Dried oregano | 1 teaspoon |
| Spices | Black pepper | ½ teaspoon |
| Spices | Red pepper flakes (optional) | ¼ teaspoon |
| Pasta | Reginetti pasta or broken lasagna noodles (~5 oz) | 2 cups |
| For Serving | Ricotta cheese (optional) | ¼ cup |
| For Serving | Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) | ¼ cup |
A quick note on pasta: Reginetti (those cute ruffled noodles) are the move here because they mimic lasagna sheets perfectly. Can’t find them? Just snap regular lasagna noodles into rough pieces. Totally works, zero judgment.
How to Make High Protein Lasagna Soup
Three methods, one delicious result. The stovetop is the winner here — fast, easy, and gives you the most control over your pasta texture. But I’ve included the Instant Pot and Crockpot versions too, just in case.
Stovetop Method (Recommended)
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. You want the oil shimmering and hot before the beef goes in — this is how you get that beautiful sear instead of a sad grey steam situation.
Add the ground beef and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until it’s fully browned. The smell at this point is absolutely ridiculous in the best way.
Once browned, toss in the minced onion and garlic. Sauté for another 2–3 minutes until everything is soft and translucent. Your kitchen will smell like a restaurant right now. You’re welcome.
Add the crushed tomatoes, all your spices (basil, parsley, oregano, pepper, that bay leaf), the beef broth, and water. Give it a big stir, cover the pot, and crank the heat to bring it to a boil. Stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Pro tip: Using low-sodium tomatoes and broth lets you control the salt level yourself. Much easier to add than to take away!
Once boiling, add the raw pasta and stir it in. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the soup uncovered for half the time listed on your pasta box, stirring occasionally.
This is the most important step: undercook the pasta on purpose. Once you pull the pot off the heat, the pasta keeps absorbing that gorgeous broth and will finish cooking perfectly in about 5 minutes. Pull it too late and you’ve got mush city — nobody wants that.
After the pasta has cooked for half the recommended time, remove the pot from the heat. Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf (or just warn your dinner guests like I always forget to do). Ladle into bowls and pile on the ricotta and Parmesan. Dig in!
Instant Pot Method
Heads up: The stovetop is genuinely better here, and it doesn’t actually save you much time. But if the Instant Pot is your ride-or-die, here’s how to do it.
Set your Instant Pot to Sauté for 13 minutes. Add olive oil, then brown your ground beef for 10 minutes. Add onion and garlic and sauté another 2–3 minutes.
Important: Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot before moving on — this prevents the dreaded burn notice.
Add tomatoes, spices, broth, and water. Stir well. Add pasta and gently press it down into the liquid without pushing it all the way to the bottom (you don’t want it glued to the pot floor).
Seal the lid, set to High Pressure for 2 minutes. It’ll take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once done, do a quick release. Discard the bay leaf, top with cheese, and serve.
Optional: Cook your pasta separately in a pot of boiling water if you’re worried about texture — stir it in at the end for perfect results every time.
Crockpot Method
Fair warning: The stovetop is still the best method, and pasta in a slow cooker can go sideways fast. That said, here’s how to pull it off.
Brown your beef in a skillet with olive oil for 10 minutes. Add onion and garlic and sauté 2–3 minutes. Transfer everything to your crockpot.
Add tomatoes, spices, broth, and water. Do NOT add the pasta yet. Stir to combine, then cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
In the last hour of cooking, add raw pasta directly to the crockpot, stir it in, switch to high, and cook for the remaining hour. Or — the safer move — cook your pasta separately and stir it in right before serving.
Discard the bay leaf, top with your cheeses, and serve it up.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best High Protein Lasagna Soup
Always undercook the pasta. I know I keep saying it, but it’s the difference between silky noodles and a bowl of glue. Half the box time, then let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
Use good quality ground beef. The fat and flavor in quality beef (ButcherBox is great) makes the broth so much richer. This is a protein dinner worth investing in.
Don’t skip the ricotta. Yes, it’s optional — but a spoonful stirred into each bowl makes this healthy soup taste genuinely luxurious. It melts right in and adds a creamy, dreamy layer.
Make it spicier. Love heat? Double the red pepper flakes, or add a pinch at the end to taste. This lasagna soup recipe handles spice like a champ.
Variations Worth Trying
Swap the protein. Ground turkey or ground Italian sausage both work beautifully here. Sausage especially adds an extra depth of flavor that feels very legit. For another fun spin on high protein bowls, this High Protein Chipotle Chicken Bowl is also worth bookmarking.
Go veggie. Skip the beef and use a can of white beans or lentils for a plant-based protein dinner that still hits hard. This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is proof that plant protein can be incredibly satisfying.
Add more veggies. Spinach, zucchini, or diced bell pepper all blend right in. Toss them in when you add the tomatoes.
Make it creamier. A splash of heavy cream or a couple tablespoons of cream cheese stirred in at the end takes this High Protein Lasagna Soup to a whole other level.
Troubleshooting
Soup too thick? Add a splash of beef broth or water and stir. The pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, so this is super common the next day.
Pasta too mushy? You cooked it too long! Next time, pull it at half the recommended time and let it finish off-heat. Also — cook pasta separately if you’re planning leftovers to avoid ongoing absorption.
Not enough flavor? Taste and adjust — a pinch of salt, more red pepper flakes, or an extra drizzle of olive oil at the end can make a big difference.
Storage Instructions
| Method | Container | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Airtight container | Up to 4 days |
| Freezer (broth only, no pasta) | Freezer-safe container or zip bag | Up to 3 months |
| Freezer (with pasta) | Freezer-safe container | Up to 2 months (pasta texture may change) |
Reheating: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen it up. Microwave works too — cover loosely and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each.
No-waste kitchen tip: If your pasta has soaked up most of the broth overnight, just add more broth when reheating and you’ve got a brand new bowl. It’s almost better the second day. Almost.
Meal prep hack: If you’re making this specifically for meal prep, consider storing the pasta separately from the soup base. Mix together fresh each day for the best texture. Check out this 40-Min Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep guide for more smart meal prep ideas!
Nutritional Information
Approximate values per serving (without optional cheese toppings). Based on 6 servings.
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~320 kcal |
| Protein | ~28g |
| Carbohydrates | ~30g |
| Fat | ~10g |
| Fiber | ~4g |
| Sodium | ~480mg |
Values are estimates and will vary based on specific brands and portion sizes used.
High Protein Lasagna Soup FAQs
Can I use a different pasta for this High Protein Lasagna Soup?
Absolutely! Reginetti is ideal because it mimics the look and texture of lasagna noodles, but broken lasagna sheets, pappardelle, or even rigatoni work great. Just keep an eye on cook time and stick to the half-time rule — different shapes absorb liquid at different rates.
Is this actually a high protein soup?
Yes! With a full pound of ground beef across the recipe, each serving packs around 28 grams of protein — making it a legit protein dinner that’ll keep you satisfied for hours. Add a scoop of ricotta and a sprinkle of Parmesan on top and that number climbs even higher.
Can I make this lasagna soup recipe gluten-free?
Totally! Just swap the pasta for your favorite gluten-free variety and double-check that your broth and canned tomatoes are certified GF. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Cook the pasta on the side to avoid it getting mushy, since GF pasta tends to fall apart faster.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes — the soup base itself is completely dairy-free. Just skip the ricotta and Parmesan toppings, or use your favorite dairy-free cheese alternatives. The broth is so rich and flavorful that it honestly stands on its own.
What goes well with this healthy soup?
A thick slice of crusty garlic bread is the obvious answer (and the correct one). A simple green salad on the side rounds it out nicely too. If you’re meal planning the whole week, pair it with something like this Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta for a solid rotation of high-protein dinners.
Give This Recipe a Try!
If you’re looking for a cozy, satisfying, and genuinely easy protein dinner, this High Protein Lasagna Soup is it. One pot, minimal effort, maximum comfort — it really doesn’t get better on a weeknight.
Made this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Drop a comment below with your thoughts, tweaks, or genius variations. And if you loved it, please save it to your Pinterest boards so other home cooks can find it too — it really does make a difference!
