Lasagna is one of those classic comfort foods that everyone loves, but let’s be honest, it’s also one of those dishes that requires significant time, effort, and patience to make properly. Enter Instant Pot Lasagna Soup, a genius creation that captures all the rich, cheesy, tomatoey goodness of traditional lasagna but in a fraction of the time and with none of the fussy layering. This soup has everything you crave from lasagna, with ground beef or Italian sausage, broken lasagna noodles, marinara sauce, Italian herbs, and three kinds of cheese all swimming together in a bowl that’s pure comfort. The Instant Pot pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting, transforming raw ingredients into a deeply flavored, satisfying soup in under 30 minutes. It’s the perfect solution for weeknight dinners when you want something hearty and homemade but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.
This recipe serves six to eight people and takes just 35 minutes total including pressure building time, making it one of the fastest ways to get a complete meal on the table. Each serving contains approximately 420 calories, giving you a filling, balanced meal that satisfies both your hunger and your soul.
1. Ingredients for the Soup
- Ground beef – 1 pound (or Italian sausage)
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Yellow onion – 1 medium (diced)
- Garlic cloves – 4 (minced)
- Crushed tomatoes – 1 can (28 ounces)
- Tomato sauce – 1 can (15 ounces)
- Beef broth – 4 cups
- Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
- Dried basil – 2 teaspoons
- Dried oregano – 2 teaspoons
- Italian seasoning – 1 teaspoon
- Red pepper flakes – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
- Bay leaf – 1
- Lasagna noodles – 8 to 10 sheets (broken into pieces)
- Fresh spinach – 3 cups (packed, optional)
2. Ingredients for the Cheese Mixture
- Ricotta cheese – 1 cup (whole milk or part-skim)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – 2 cups (divided)
- Grated Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup
- Fresh basil – 1/4 cup (chopped, for garnish)
- Fresh parsley – 2 tablespoons (chopped, for garnish)
3. Brown the Meat
Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté function and let it heat up for a minute or two. Add the olive oil and let it warm until it shimmers. Add the ground beef or Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook the meat for about five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking it into small crumbles as it browns. You want most of the pink to be gone, though it doesn’t need to be completely cooked through since it will continue cooking under pressure. If you’re using Italian sausage, remove the casings first and crumble the meat directly into the pot. If your meat releases a lot of fat, you can drain off some of the excess, leaving just a tablespoon or so for flavor.
4. Sauté the Aromatics
Add the diced onion to the browned meat and cook for about three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and becomes translucent. The onion will pick up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it becomes fragrant. Make sure to stir constantly once you add the garlic so it doesn’t burn. If you see any stuck-on bits on the bottom of the pot, scrape them up with your spoon because those are pure flavor and will prevent the dreaded burn warning on your Instant Pot.
5. Add the Tomatoes and Seasonings
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and add the tomato paste. Stir everything together, making sure the tomato paste is fully incorporated and not sitting in clumps. The tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor and helps thicken the soup. Add the beef broth and stir to combine. Sprinkle in the dried basil, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Drop in the bay leaf. Stir everything together thoroughly, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any remaining browned bits. This deglazing step is crucial for preventing the burn notice and adds tremendous flavor to the soup.
6. Break and Add the Noodles
Take your uncooked lasagna noodles and break them into roughly two-inch pieces. You don’t need to be precise, just snap them into bite-sized pieces that will be easy to eat with a spoon. Add the broken noodles to the pot, pushing them down into the liquid so they’re mostly submerged. Don’t stir them in too much or they might stick together, just make sure most of them are covered by liquid. The noodles will cook perfectly under pressure and release their starch, which naturally thickens the soup and gives it that characteristic lasagna texture.
7. Pressure Cook
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, making sure the sealing ring is properly in place. Turn the valve to the sealing position. Cancel the sauté function if it’s still on. Select the pressure cook or manual function and set the time to 4 minutes at high pressure. Yes, just four minutes is all you need. The Instant Pot will take about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure, during which time the ingredients will continue cooking. Once it reaches pressure, it will beep and the countdown will begin. The short cooking time prevents the noodles from becoming mushy while still cooking everything through perfectly.
8. Quick Release
When the cooking time is complete and the Instant Pot beeps, carefully turn the valve to the venting position to do a quick pressure release. The steam will shoot out forcefully, so keep your hands and face away from the valve. It will take about one to two minutes for all the pressure to release. Once the float valve drops down, it’s safe to open the lid. Remove the lid tilting it away from you so any condensation drips back into the pot rather than on you. Give the soup a good stir. The noodles should be tender and the soup should be thick and hearty.
9. Add the Spinach
If you’re using fresh spinach, add it now to the hot soup. Stir it in and it will wilt down dramatically within a minute or two from the residual heat. The spinach adds color, nutrition, and a subtle vegetable flavor that balances the richness of the meat and cheese. You can also use frozen spinach that’s been thawed and squeezed dry, or skip the spinach entirely if you prefer. Remove and discard the bay leaf at this point.
10. Prepare the Cheese Mixture
While the spinach is wilting, prepare the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, one cup of the shredded mozzarella, and the grated Parmesan. Stir them together until well mixed. This creamy cheese mixture is what transforms this from a regular soup into something that truly tastes like lasagna. The combination of three cheeses provides different textures and flavors, with the ricotta adding creaminess, the mozzarella providing that classic stretch, and the Parmesan bringing salty, nutty depth.
11. Taste and Adjust
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. You might want to add more salt, pepper, or Italian herbs depending on your preference. If the soup seems too thick, you can thin it with a bit more broth or water. If it’s too thin, you can turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode and let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce and thicken.
12. Serve with Cheese
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of noodles, meat, and vegetables. Top each bowl with a generous dollop of the cheese mixture, placing it right in the center. Sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded mozzarella over the top of each serving. The heat from the soup will melt the cheeses, creating that gooey, stringy texture that makes lasagna so irresistible. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and parsley for color and a burst of fresh herb flavor.
13. Alternative Serving Method
For an even more dramatic presentation, you can stir half of the cheese mixture directly into the soup, making it extra creamy throughout, then top each individual serving with the remaining cheese mixture and mozzarella. Some people also like to broil their bowls for a minute or two to get the cheese bubbly and golden on top, though this requires oven-safe bowls.
14. Nutritional Information Per Serving
- Calories – 420
- Protein – 28 grams
- Total fat – 18 grams
- Saturated fat – 9 grams
- Carbohydrates – 38 grams
- Fiber – 4 grams
- Sugar – 8 grams
- Cholesterol – 75 milligrams
- Sodium – 980 milligrams
15. Helpful Tips
The type of meat you use significantly impacts the flavor of this soup. Ground beef provides a classic, hearty flavor, while Italian sausage, whether sweet or spicy, adds extra seasoning and a more complex taste. You can also use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option, or make it vegetarian by omitting the meat entirely and using vegetable broth instead of beef broth. If going meatless, consider adding extra vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers for substance. Breaking the lasagna noodles into pieces before adding them is important because whole sheets won’t fit properly and won’t cook evenly. Regular lasagna noodles work perfectly in this recipe, and there’s no need to buy special no-boil or oven-ready noodles. The starch released from regular noodles actually helps thicken the soup naturally. If you accidentally cook the noodles too long and they become mushy, you can still salvage the soup, though the texture won’t be quite as nice. For best results, stick to the four-minute cooking time. The quick pressure release is important for this recipe because a natural release would continue cooking the noodles and make them too soft. Always quick release for pasta dishes in the Instant Pot. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well after browning the meat and sautéing the onions. Any stuck-on bits can trigger the burn warning and prevent the pot from coming to pressure. If you do get a burn warning, carefully open the pot, add a bit more liquid, scrape the bottom thoroughly, and try again. The cheese mixture can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days, making it easy to prepare this soup even faster. You can also prepare the entire soup through step eight, then cool and refrigerate it for up to three days. When ready to serve, reheat it gently and add fresh cheese mixture. This soup actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to meld together. However, the noodles will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so you may need to add extra broth when reheating to return it to the proper consistency. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For freezing, this soup is best frozen before adding the cheese mixture. Freeze the soup base for up to three months, then thaw, reheat, and add fresh cheese when serving. If you want to add more vegetables, consider diced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, or grated carrots. Add heartier vegetables like carrots or peppers with the onions during the sauté stage. Quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms can be added after pressure cooking. This recipe is easily doubled if you have a larger Instant Pot, just make sure not to fill it past the maximum fill line. You can also halve the recipe for smaller households. Serve this soup with garlic bread, a Caesar salad, or a simple green salad with Italian dressing for a complete meal. The combination of carbs, protein, and vegetables makes this a nutritionally balanced one-bowl meal that requires minimal sides. For kids who are picky about vegetables, the spinach often goes unnoticed mixed into the soup, making this a sneaky way to add nutrition. This soup is perfect for potlucks, casual dinner parties, or meal prep because it’s easy to make in large quantities and everyone loves it.
