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One-Pot Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Dollops (Easy Light Recipe)

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This One-Pot Lasagna Soup with Ricotta Dollops is my answer to cold nights when I want lasagna but don’t want the work or the heavy feeling afterward. It’s got all the classic flavors—savory beef, tender pasta, melty cheese—but in a brothy, spoonable form that feels like a hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb (450g) lean ground turkey or ground beef (93% lean)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 28 oz (800g) canned crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 8 oz (225g) lasagna noodles, broken into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 cup (240g) part-skim ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup (50g) fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ cup (60g) fresh mozzarella pearls, halved (optional)
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat (5 minutes): Heat your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey (or beef) and cook, breaking it up with your spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Sauté the aromatics (4 minutes): Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrot, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrot has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the zucchini and tomato paste (2 minutes): Stir in the diced zucchini and cook for 1 minute. Then add the tomato paste and stir constantly for another minute.
  4. Build the broth (5 minutes): Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and the balsamic vinegar. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned meat to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Taste the broth here and add salt and pepper.
  5. Cook the pasta (10-12 minutes): Add the broken lasagna noodles to the simmering broth. Stir well to make sure they’re submerged. Cook according to the package directions, usually 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
  6. Make the ricotta dollops (2 minutes): While the pasta cooks, prepare the ricotta topping. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, half of the grated Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Stir until smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
  7. Finish the soup (1 minute): Once the pasta is tender, remove the pot from the heat. Taste the soup one more time and adjust the seasoning. If it’s too thick for your liking, add a splash of hot water or broth to thin it out.
  8. Serve and top (2 minutes): Ladle the soup into bowls. Drop a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture into the center of each bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and the halved mozzarella pearls (if using). Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you’re planning to have leftovers, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual bowls before ladling the broth over it. This keeps the pasta from getting mushy as it sits in the fridge. The soup is delicious on day one, but day two is where the magic happens. The garlic mellows, the herbs infuse deeper, and everything comes together in a more cohesive way.

Nutrition

Keywords: lasagna soup, one-pot soup, easy dinner, light lasagna, ricotta dollops, comfort food, quick meal, healthy soup

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/one-pot-lasagna-soup-with-ricotta-dollops-easy-light-recipe/