This lasagna soup gets its depth from roasted peppers, onion, and garlic blended right into the sauce. It tastes like it simmered all day, but it's ready in under an hour.
Why This Soup Rocks
- Roasted veggie sauce = serious flavor
- Under an hour, start to finish
- Balanced and filling without reading "healthy"
- Totally customizable
- Even better as leftovers
A Recipe Inspired by Reality TV
I was a contestant on Guy’s Grocery Games in 2017 and despite not winning, I gained an important takeway. My dish lacked depth and the judges agreed that roasting the vegetables would have made it more flavorful.
And that makes sense! Roasting adds caramelization which equals flavor.
In this recipe it also means no chopping required, just roast whole red peppers, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan until caramelized and sweet, then blend them into a velvety sauce that tastes like it simmered all day.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Options
This soup is endlessly flexible. Here's where you can make it your own:
Protein - Italian sausage gives you the most classic lasagna flavor, but ground beef works beautifully too. I often do a 50/50 mix. For a leaner option, ground turkey or chicken are great swaps or replace with mushrooms to make it vegetarian.
The Roasted Veggies - Bell peppers and onion are the base, but you can add a few Roma tomatoes to the roasting pan if you want a more traditional tomato-forward flavor. The garlic is non-negotiable, tho! We’re garlic fanatics around here.
Zucchini - This adds bulk and fiber without changing the flavor. If you're not a zucchini fan, diced mushrooms or even baby spinach stirred in at the end work well.
Broth - I love making my own chicken stock and keep that in the freezer for soups. Otherwise, my top favorite is to make broth with Better Than Bouillon, specifically the vegetable flavor. It’s rich and tasty. You could sub water here, but it will make the final soup less flavorful.
Pasta - Totally optional. I serve it on the side so everyone can get what they want. Broken lasagna noodles are classic, but there are lots of tasty alternative pastas and shapes, too! Or skip it altogether. This soup is hearty enough without it.
The Cheese Situation - Ricotta dolloped on top is the move, but if you're dairy-free, cashew ricotta works. Parmesan adds salt and depth; skip it or use a dairy-free parm if needed.
How to Make Lasagna Soup
Get out your favorite soup pot, a baking sheet and a blender, and let's go!
- Roast the Vegetables. Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with olive oil and spread them on a sheet pan. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Pull the garlic out at the 10-minute mark so it doesn't burn.
I leave it in the papery skins and then once it’s cooled, then peel them. It’s easier to peel them cooked and they’ll be nice and soft.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer the roasted veggies to a blender along with the Italian seasoning, salt, tomato paste, and 1 cup of broth. Blend until smooth.
- Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking it into pieces as it cooks. Drain off excess fat if needed.
- Build the soup. Add the diced zucchini to the pot and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes.
- Simmer and serve it up. Pour in the blended roasted vegetable sauce and the remaining 2 cups of broth. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes so the flavors can meld.
Ladle into bowls with pasta and top with a dollop of ricotta, a sprinkle of parmesan, and fresh basil.
Tips For the Best Lasagna Soup
Don't overcook the zucchini. It should be just tender but still have a little bite. It'll continue softening in the hot soup, so pull it earlier than you think.
Cook pasta separately. This keeps the noodles from getting mushy and lets everyone customize their bowl. It also makes leftovers much better—pasta stored in soup absorbs all the liquid overnight.
Make it ahead (without the pasta). This soup reheats beautifully and honestly tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded. Just cook fresh pasta when you're ready to serve.
Joanie's Balanced Bites for Blood Sugar
This soup is built with balance in mind and naturally low-glycemic. No additions or swaps required!
The Italian sausage (or beef) brings protein, the roasted peppers and zucchini add fiber, and the olive oil provides healthy fat. That blended vegetable sauce is adding nutrition without making the soup taste "healthy."
How to Enjoy It
This is a full meal as-is. Ladle it into a bowl, add your toppings, and call it dinner.
If you want pasta, serve it on the side and add as much (or as little) as feels right. Chickpea or lupini bean pasta (seen in the photos) will add even more protein and fiber or enjoy it with a piece of crusty sourdough for dipping!
Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
Weeknight Dinner Recipes
Healthy Lasagna Soup with a Roasted Pepper, Onion & Garlic Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
All the comfort of lasagna in a weeknight-friendly bowl. Roasted peppers, onion, and garlic get blended into a rich, velvety sauce that makes this soup taste like it simmered all day. Naturally balanced with protein and fiber.
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 5 cloves garlic, not peeled
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds Italian sausage or ground beef (or half and half)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 2 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
For Serving: fresh basil, grated parmesan, ricotta cheese, cooked pasta of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roast the vegetables. Toss bell peppers, onion, and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove garlic at 10 minutes to prevent burning. Once the garlic cools, remove the skins. They're easier to peel after they're cooked.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Add Italian seasoning, salt, tomato paste, and 1 cup of the broth. Blend until smooth.
- Brown the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and/or beef, breaking into pieces, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Build the soup. Add diced zucchini to the pot and cook 2 minutes until just tender. Pour in the blended sauce and remaining 2 cups broth. Stir and simmer 10-15 minutes uncovered so the sauce thickens a bit.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls. Top with ricotta, parmesan, and fresh basil. Serve pasta on the side if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 4.9 g
- Sodium: 770.3 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 34.4 g
- Cholesterol: 90.4 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!