Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Name: Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb Italian sausage (ground beef, or turkey); 1 onion (diced); 3 cloves –4garlic (minced); 4 cups –5low-sodium broth; 1 cups ½–2marinara sauce; 1 can diced tomatoes (14–15 oz); 8 oz –9lasagna noodles (broken); Italian seasoning (salt, pepper, optional red pepper flakes); Ricotta (mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil/parsley)

February 10, 2026 By Paule

You know those nights when you’re tired, hungry, and still want something that feels like a proper meal, not just toast and peanut butter? That’s exactly where Instant Pot Lasagna Soup shines.

You get the cozy taste of oven-baked lasagna, but it cooks in one pot, with simple steps and very little cleanup. No layering. No babysitting the oven. Just sauté, set, and let the pot do the heavy lifting while you clear the table or help with homework.

Let’s walk through it in a way that makes your next lasagna craving easy to handle.

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Think of this as “lazy lasagna,” but in the best, smartest way possible.

Weeknight-friendly, even when you’re tired
This recipe usually takes about 40–45 minutes from start to finish, but most of that time is just waiting for the Instant Pot. Your active time? Roughly 15 minutes of sautéing, stirring, and breaking noodles.
Everything in one pot
Meat, sauce, noodles, and broth all cook in the same place. No extra pans for boiling pasta. No baking dish. Fewer dishes means more breathing room after dinner.
Classic lasagna flavors
You still get the essentials:
- A rich tomato base
- Italian sausage or ground beef
- Ruffled lasagna noodles
- A creamy ricotta–mozzarella–Parmesan topping
  Every spoonful tastes like the middle of a lasagna slice.
Easy to make lighter or extra hearty
You can use lean ground turkey, add spinach and zucchini, or go full comfort with sausage and extra cheese. Both versions feel like real food, not a compromise.
Family-friendly and kid-approved
The flavors are familiar: tomato, mild Italian seasoning, cheese. You can keep the heat low or let adults add red pepper flakes at the table.

Honestly, once you make it once, it’s the kind of recipe that quietly slips into your regular rotation.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

You don’t need anything fancy. Most of this lives in a regular pantry or fridge.

For The Soup Base

1 lb (about 450 g) Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
4–5 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
1½–2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite jarred kind works great)
1 can (14–15 oz) diced tomatoes
1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½–1 teaspoon salt, to taste
¼–½ teaspoon black pepper
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika for a gentle kick

For The Noodles

8–9 oz dry lasagna noodles
- Broken into roughly 1–2 inch pieces so they fit well and cook evenly

You can also use mini lasagna shapes or other short pasta (like rotini or penne), but broken classic lasagna noodles really sell the “lasagna in a bowl” feeling.

For The Cheesy Topping

This is the part that makes the soup feel like actual lasagna:

¾–1 cup ricotta cheese
¾–1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼–½ cup grated Parmesan
Small pinch of salt and pepper mixed into the ricotta, if you like
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for sprinkling on top

You’ll add this cheese blend to each bowl when serving, not into the whole pot.

Optional Veggie Boosters

If you want to tuck a few more vegetables into dinner, here are easy add-ins:

1 medium zucchini, diced small
1–2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
1 cup sliced mushrooms

These soften and blend into the soup, so you still get a comfort-food bowl, just with a little extra color and nutrition.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s the thing: it looks like a lot of steps on paper, but in real life it’s a simple rhythm—brown, pour, press a button, then eat.

Step 1: Brown The Meat And Soften The Aromatics

Set your Instant Pot to Sauté.

Add a drizzle of olive oil if your meat is lean.
Add the sausage, beef, or turkey and cook for about 5–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon.
When it’s mostly browned, stir in the diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

If there’s a lot of grease, you can tilt the pot slightly and spoon off some of the fat. The soup will feel cleaner and less heavy.

Step 2: Deglaze And Build The Flavorful Broth

This step is small but important. It helps prevent the dreaded “burn” warning.

Hit Cancel to stop the sauté.
Pour in about ½–1 cup of broth.
Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Those are flavor, but they can also trigger the sensor if left stuck.
Once the bottom feels smooth, add the rest of the broth, the can of diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, salt, and pepper.
Give it a gentle stir.

At this point the soup already smells like something you’d happily eat with good bread.

Step 3: Add Noodles And Veggies

Break the lasagna noodles into pieces and scatter them over the surface of the liquid.
Gently press them down with the spoon so they’re submerged. Try not to stir too deeply; you want most of the tomato-heavy mixture a bit higher up to avoid burning.
If you’re using zucchini or mushrooms, you can add them now on top. Leafy greens like spinach or kale are better saved for after cooking, so they stay bright.

It’s a little messy-looking at this stage, but that’s completely fine. The pressure cooking evens everything out.

Step 4: Pressure Cook

Lock the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
Choose Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High for 3–5 minutes:
- 3 minutes if you like your noodles with some bite or plan to reheat leftovers.
- 4–5 minutes if you want very soft, “baked-lasagna” noodles.
Once the cook time is done, let it sit for 5–10 minutes naturally, then carefully flip the valve to Venting to release the remaining steam.

That short pressure time might seem too quick, but remember the pasta keeps softening in the hot liquid.

Step 5: Adjust Thickness And Taste

Carefully remove the lid.

Stir the soup; the noodles should be tender and scattered throughout.
If it looks too thick (almost like a stew), stir in a bit more hot broth or water until it reaches your favorite soup consistency.
If it feels a bit thin, turn on Sauté (Low) again and let it simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring now and then.
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and herbs. Sometimes just a pinch more salt and a crack of black pepper wake everything up. A small splash of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon can brighten the flavor too.

If you’re adding spinach or kale, stir it in now and let it wilt for 1–2 minutes.

Step 6: Build The “Lasagna” Bowl

While the soup rests for a minute, make your cheese mixture:

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with a little salt and pepper if you like.
Keep the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan nearby.

To serve:

Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
Add a spoonful (or two) of ricotta right in the center.
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.
Finish with fresh basil or parsley and maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes.

The cheese melts into the hot soup and gives you that stretchy, creamy lasagna experience with every spoonful. It’s pretty magical for a Tuesday night.

Tips for Success

Little details make this especially reliable for busy cooks.

Always deglaze after browning
Don’t skip the scraping step with broth. It takes one minute and helps prevent the burn warning.
Go easy on stirring once the noodles are in
You want the noodles submerged, but you don’t want a thick tomato paste layer sitting right on the heating element.
Use low-sodium broth
Between the broth, marinara, and cheese, salt adds up fast. Low-sodium broth gives you more control.
Turn off Keep Warm if you’re serving soon
Leaving the pot on Keep Warm for a very long time can make the noodles too soft. If you’re eating within 20–30 minutes, it’s safe to turn it off and just leave the lid on.
Want it lighter?
Use lean turkey, add extra zucchini and spinach, and top with a smaller spoonful of ricotta. You still get a cozy bowl, just a bit lighter.
Want full comfort mode?
Use Italian sausage, a little extra mozzarella, and serve with garlic bread. Not exactly “light,” but definitely soul-soothing.

What to Serve With Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

You don’t need much on the side, but a few simple things make the meal feel complete.

Bread for dipping
- Garlic bread
- Toasted baguette slices
- Even a simple buttered toast if that’s what you have
A fresh, crisp side
- Green salad with Italian or balsamic dressing
- Roasted broccoli or green beans
Drinks and a little treat
- Sparkling water with lemon or lime
- A medium-bodied red wine for the adults
- For dessert: fruit salad, a citrus sorbet, or a small brownie—whatever says “comfort” in your house.

FAQs

Can I make this ahead?
Yes. Make the full recipe and cool it quickly before storing. For the best texture, undercook the pasta by a minute if you know you’ll reheat it later, then add a splash of broth when warming it up.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Absolutely. Short pasta like penne, rotini, or bowties works well. Just keep the pressure cook time on the shorter side (about 3 minutes) and let it sit a little longer if needed.
Is this soup spicy?
Not by default. If you use mild sausage and skip red pepper flakes, it’s very family-friendly. If you like some heat, add hot Italian sausage or serve with chili flakes at the table.
Can I make it without an Instant Pot?
Yes. Use a large pot or Dutch oven:

Brown the meat and aromatics the same way.
Add liquids and noodles, then simmer gently on the stove, stirring often.
Cook until the pasta is tender, then finish with the cheese on each bowl.

Can I make it gluten-free or dairy-free?

Gluten-free: use gluten-free lasagna noodles and check labels on broth and sauce.
Dairy-free: skip the cheese or use dairy-free alternatives and finish with fresh herbs and maybe a drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition Snapshot

Numbers will shift based on your meat, sauce, and cheese choices, but for a typical bowl made with sausage, regular noodles, and cheese topping, you’re roughly looking at:

Calories: ~500–600 per serving
Protein: around 30–35 g
Carbs: around 55–65 g
Fat: around 20–25 g

Using lean meat, more veggies, and a lighter hand with the cheese can pull those numbers down while keeping the comfort factor high.

Final Thoughts

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup is one of those rare dinners that checks all the boxes: big comfort, real ingredients, and a process simple enough to handle on a hectic night. Once you’ve made it once or twice, you’ll start playing with it—switching meats, adding extra veggies, tweaking the cheese—until it feels like your own house special. So the next time that lasagna craving hits and the clock is not on your side, you’ll know exactly what to make: a warm, cheesy bowl of lasagna soup that makes the whole table go quiet for a minute… in the best way.

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Course

Main Course

Prep Time

10-15 minutes

Cook Time

3-5 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage ground beef, or turkey
1 onion diced
3 cloves –4garlic minced
4 cups –5low-sodium broth
1 cups ½–2marinara sauce
1 can diced tomatoes 14–15 oz
8 oz –9lasagna noodles broken
Italian seasoning salt, pepper, optional red pepper flakes
Ricotta mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil/parsley