This Vegetarian Lasagna Soup is loaded with veggies, is easy to make, and has all the cozy flavors of lasagna! Easily dairy-free and vegan, this hearty soup is complete meal all by itself!
I have been on a serious soup kick as of late. The “winter” weather (meaning it sometimes rains and temp lingers in the 40s and 50s) has recently rolled into Southern California and all I want after a busy day of work + homeschool + keeping my house is remotely livable conditions is a cozy bowl of hearty soup to warm up with.
Something that feels like a hug in a bowl. Nothing fancy, 100% delicious, and all of the comforting.
Lasagna is a classic comfort food, but it is a tad bit fussy (for my taste) to make on a busy Thursday night for dinner. This vegetarian soup is my easy peasy way to get all the cozy flavors of lasagna, but in a much easier dish that can be part of a regular dinner line-up. Loaded with veggies, easily vegan or dairy-free (if you need it) or gluten free when you use gluten free noodles…this veggie-loaded soup is the hug in the bowl I long for at the end of a hectic day.
Recipe created in collaboration with Heather Staller of Happy Kids Kitchen.
Why this recipe is amazing
- Love lasagna but just don’t have the time to make it? This recipe is a game-changer! This vegetarian soup rocks all the flavors of classic lasagna but with less work and time!
- This recipe packs in veggies in a delicious, cozy way. Getting your daily vegetables in never tasted so good or was ever so easy.
- It’s simple to make! While you can absolutely make your own tomato sauce, this recipe calls for store bought marinara to make it extra easy to make.
- This soup is a great make-ahead meal! Make it for meal prep and reheat and eat when needed. Or enjoy the dinner leftovers for lunch the next day!
Suggested Adaptations
Make this vegetarian lasagna soup with different vegetables. Like many of my recipes, this recipe is a great way to use what you have on hand. Lots of veggies would be great in place of or in addition to the ones listed in the recipe. Mushrooms, diced bell peppers, summer squash, green beans, chopped fresh spinach, and/or kale would all be delicious in this soup.
Use frozen spinach instead of fresh. Simply add 8-10 ounces of frozen spinach to the soup when you add the broth and sauce!
Add meat. If vegetarian isn’t needed, add a pound of ground turkey or lean beef to this lasagna soup. The meat can easily be added while sautéing the vegetables at the beginning of the recipe. Break the meat up with a spoon and cook until browned then continue with the recipe as directed.
Make it dairy-free. Just leave out the cheese or use a dairy-free cheese alternative. There is even some almond or tofu-based dairy-free ricotta on the market these days that would be great on top of the soup.
Add more protein to this soup. Although not traditional to lasagna, I think some white beans would be a delicious addition and give the meal more plant-based protein. Drain and rinse one can of beans then add to the soup with the marinara and broth.
Use canned tomatoes instead of marinara sauce. I use jarred pasta sauce because it adds a lot of flavor without much effort since the sauce already had onions, garlic, and seasoning cooked in. However, if you only have canned tomatoes on hand, I would use crushed tomatoes and add in 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning. Also, saute 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic with the zucchini.
Other veggie-loaded soup recipes you will love
- Creamy Potato Cauliflower Soup
- Chicken & Veggie Pot Pie Soup
- Instant Pot Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
- Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Slow Cooker Creamy Vegetable Chicken Stew
Loving this vegetarian soup but you’re hungry for more?
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Veggie-Loaded Lasagna Soup (vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion about 12/ a large onion
- 1 cup diced carrots about 2 large carrots
- 1 cup diced zucchini about 1 small zucchini
- 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups marinara or other tomato-based pasta sauce
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3-4 cups loosely packed baby spinach roughly chopped
- 6 ounces lasagna noodles (6-8 sheets), broken into about 2-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese optional, omit for dairy-free or vegan option
- shredded mozzarella cheese and/or ricotta cheese, for serving optional, omit for dairy-free or vegan option
- fresh basil, chopped for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add zucchini and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 more minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Add balsamic vinegar and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in marinara and broth and bring soup to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add broken lasagna noodles to the pot and cook until noodles are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes or according to the cooking time on the box for your lasagna noodles.
- After the soup is done cooking, stir in last 1/4 teaspoon of salt, spinach and grated parmesan (if using) and let the spinach wilt in the hot soup for a minute or two. Taste soup for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with a little shredded mozzarella and/or top with a dollop of ricotta cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with fresh basil and enjoy.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
We made this tonight for dinner. So delicious and quick. Thank for the recipe. 😀
I am so glad you liked it, Kristin! Have to love an easy dinner!
This is really good! Super easy too. We added ground turkey but I want to make it without next time. And there will definitely be a next time.
I am so glad, Trisha! Another successful recipe for you!
Made this for dinner last night. We loved it. We did add ground beef which was delicious. Love all the “hidden” veggies in this recipe. Will def be going into our dinner rotation!
So happy to hear that, April! We love it too!
delicious!! My only regret is not doubling the recipe. I puréed a couple of handfuls of spinach with the marinara sauce because I knew my toddler wouldn’t eat the big pieces. Didn’t have zucchini so I swapped for edamame.
I made this tonight and it is really good! Thank you so much! Just an FYI for your GF followers, I subbed Jovial brand GF lasagna noodles and they turned out great in this. They did need to cook longer than the specified 10-12 min but when they were done it was great! We LOVE all your veggie-loaded recipes!
I am so glad! How long the noodles need to cook does vary based on the kind of noodle you use…especially GF ones since they tend to take longer! I will add that note the recipe! Thank you!
This is a family favorite. I tweak it a bit towards minestrone using either cheese tortellini or pasta shells, and adding kidney or cannellini beans with a bit extra of the sauce/broth mixture. The parmesan really takes it to the next level. Thanks for the great recipe.
Oh I love that! I’ve been working on a minestrone soup with this vibe! So glad you love this soup as much as we do!