One-Pot Lasagna Soup

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup brings the beloved taste of traditional lasagna straight to your dinner table, but without all the fuss and lengthy preparation.

Imagine a rich, hearty soup brimming with robust Italian sausage, vibrant stewed tomatoes, and a luscious marinara sauce, all perfectly seasoned and simmered to perfection. This incredible Instant Pot Lasagna Soup delivers deep, complex flavors that taste like they’ve been simmering for hours, yet it’s miraculously ready in under 30 minutes thanks to the magic of your Instant Pot. It’s the ultimate quick and easy family dinner for those busy weeknights when you crave ultimate comfort food without the extensive cooking time.

Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup isn’t just another meal; it’s a culinary revelation for anyone who adores Italian comfort food but needs a faster, simpler solution. Here’s why this delicious one-pot recipe is destined to become a staple in your kitchen:

• Unbeatable Flavor in Record Time: Experience the profound depth of flavor typically found in slow-simmered dishes, astonishingly achieved in less than 30 minutes. The Instant Pot efficiently infuses every ingredient with remarkable taste, creating a truly rich and satisfying broth.
• Effortless One-Pot Convenience: Everything, from sautéing the sausage to pressure cooking the pasta, happens in a single pot. This significantly minimizes cleanup, making it a dream come true for busy cooks seeking a hassle-free dinner solution.
• Hearty and Hugely Satisfying: Packed with savory Italian sausage, perfectly cooked pasta, and a robust tomato base, this Instant Pot Lasagna Soup is incredibly filling and satisfying, easily serving as a complete meal on its own.
• Highly Adaptable for Every Palate: This versatile recipe can be easily customized to fit various dietary preferences or what you have on hand. Whether you’re making it gluten-free, adding extra vegetables, or adjusting the spice level, it adapts beautifully.
• Ideal for Any Occasion: While it shines as a quick and comforting weeknight dinner, its impressive flavor profile and inviting appearance make it equally suitable for serving to guests or contributing to a potluck.

Expert Tips for Crafting the Best Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

To ensure your Instant Pot Lasagna Soup achieves perfection with every batch, pay close attention to these critical insights:

• Opt for Italian Sausage for a Flavorful Foundation: While ground beef is a permissible alternative, utilizing Italian sausage (choose hot or mild based on your preference) is paramount for building an incredibly flavorful soup base. The inherent spices in Italian sausage permeate the entire dish, lending an authentic, robust taste that plain ground beef simply can’t achieve without significant additional seasoning.
• Prioritize Marinara Sauce for Enhanced Depth: The choice between marinara sauce and basic tomato sauce makes a substantial difference. Marinara sauce comes pre-seasoned with a harmonious blend of herbs and spices, providing an instant and profound depth of flavor to your lasagna soup with minimal extra effort. This strategic ingredient swap saves time while dramatically elevating the overall taste profile.
• Master the 5-Minute Controlled Pressure Release: Many pressure-cooked soups benefit from a natural pressure release. However, this Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe is a crucial exception. To prevent the pasta noodles from becoming overcooked and mushy, it is imperative to perform a quick pressure release *exactly* 5 minutes after the cooking cycle concludes. Adhering to this precise timing guarantees perfectly al dente noodles, preserving their ideal texture within the soup.
• Thorough Deglazing is Non-Negotiable: After you’ve finished sautéing the sausage and aromatics, always thoroughly deglaze the Instant Pot’s inner pot with a splash of broth. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to scrape up *all* the browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom. This vital step not only prevents the dreaded “Burn” warning but also ensures that all those delicious caramelized flavors are fully incorporated into your soup, enriching its complexity.

How to Make Instant Pot Lasagna Soup: A Detailed Guide

This recipe gracefully translates the beloved layers of classic lasagna into a comforting, quick-cooking soup. If you’re new to the world of electric pressure cooking, don’t fret – the Instant Pot is remarkably intuitive! For general operational insights, you might find an Instant Pot beginner’s guide helpful. Below, you’ll find a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough, with the full, printable recipe card including precise measurements located at the very bottom of this page.

Step 1: Sauté Your Sausage and Aromatics

1. Initiate the cooking process by selecting the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot. Add a half tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the inner pot and allow it to heat for approximately 30-60 seconds until shimmering.
2. Carefully add your pound of ground Italian sausage (mild or hot, as preferred) to the heated pot. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula, diligently break up the sausage into small, uniform bits as it cooks. Continue to sauté until the sausage is nearly fully browned, developing rich, caramelized flavors.
3. Stir in the minced yellow onion and diced carrots. Continue to sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, allowing the onions to soften and become translucent, and the carrots to begin releasing their natural sweetness into the mixture.
4. Finally, incorporate the 2 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté for just 1 minute more, until the garlic becomes wonderfully fragrant. Be vigilant to prevent the garlic from burning, as this can impart an undesirable bitter taste to your finished soup. Once sautéing is complete, press “Cancel” to turn off the Instant Pot’s sauté function. If you notice any excessive grease from the sausage, you may carefully remove the inner pot and drain it off before proceeding.

Step 2: Deglaze the Pot and Thoughtfully Layer Ingredients

1. Thoroughly Deglaze the Inner Pot: Pour approximately 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock into the inner pot. Immediately use a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula to vigorously scrape up any and all browned bits that have adhered to the bottom surface of the pot. This is a paramount step to prevent a potential “Burn” warning and ensures that every last flavorful particle is incorporated into your delicious soup. Once thoroughly deglazed, add the remaining chicken stock to the pot.
2. Carefully Layer the Remaining Ingredients: Into the pressure cooker, gently add the 15-ounce can of Italian stewed tomatoes, 1 cup of marinara sauce (or your preferred spaghetti sauce), 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and the optional ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Give the mixture a gentle stir, just enough to combine the seasonings with the liquids.
3. Add the Pasta (Without Stirring): Finally, strategically add your 1 cup of dried pasta (whether it’s rotini, elbow noodles, or broken lasagna sheets) on top of the sauce mixture. It is crucial to **DO NOT STIR** after adding the pasta. Keeping the pasta positioned on top helps prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot, which could otherwise contribute to a “Burn” notice from the Instant Pot.

Step 3: Pressure Cook, Release, and Finish with Spinach

1. Initiate Pressure Cooking: Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring it is properly locked into place. Turn the steam release knob to the “Sealing” position (or ensure it’s in the locked position, depending on your specific Instant Pot model). Set the Instant Pot to cook on “High Pressure” for precisely 4 minutes using the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button.
2. Execute the Exact 5-Minute Natural Release, Followed by a Quick Release: Once the 4-minute cooking cycle has completed, allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR) for *exactly* 5 minutes. After this precise 5-minute period, carefully move the pressure release knob from “Sealing” to “Venting” (or press the quick release button on newer models) to swiftly release any remaining pressure. Always stand back to protect yourself from the burst of hot steam that will escape. This meticulously controlled release method is vital for preventing the pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy.
3. Incorporate Fresh Spinach: Once the pressure has fully released and the float valve has dropped, indicating it’s safe to open, carefully remove the lid. Stir in the 2 cups of fresh spinach (if you are using it). Replace the lid (without sealing it again) and allow the soup to sit for just 2-3 minutes; the residual heat from the soup will perfectly wilt the spinach, integrating it seamlessly into the dish.

Step 4: Serve and Savor Your Homemade Lasagna Soup!

1. Serve with Irresistible Toppings: Ladle generous portions of the steaming Instant Pot Lasagna Soup into individual bowls. This hearty soup truly calls for a lavish topping of freshly shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. For an extra layer of creamy indulgence, a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese is also a magnificent addition that enhances the traditional lasagna experience.
2. Complete Your Italian-Inspired Meal: To create a truly memorable and authentic Italian-inspired feast, complement this robust and satisfying soup with a crisp Caesar salad or a refreshing, vibrant Olive Garden-style salad. And, of course, no Italian meal is complete without the essential side of warm, buttery homemade garlic toast or classic Olive Garden breadsticks, perfect for dipping into the rich broth. This thoughtful combination guarantees a delicious meal that your entire family will enthusiastically rave about!

This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe is wonderfully flexible, making it easy to adapt to your specific taste preferences, dietary needs, or simply what ingredients you happen to have on hand:

• Gluten-Free Lasagna Soup: For those seeking a gluten-free option, I’ve consistently achieved the best results using Barilla gluten-free noodles. Other brands can sometimes release too much starch or become excessively soft when subjected to pressure cooking, so Barilla is a highly reliable choice for maintaining ideal pasta texture. Always double-check that your chosen Italian sausage and chicken broth are also certified gluten-free.
• Creative Noodle Alternatives: Don’t have any lasagna noodles on hand? No problem at all! This recipe works beautifully with various short pasta shapes, such as elbow noodles, rotini, or even bow-tie pasta. They all cook similarly in the Instant Pot and contribute a delightful texture to the soup. The key is to maintain roughly 1 cup of dried pasta.
• Achieving a Smoother Tomato Base: If you or members of your family prefer a smoother texture without the distinct bits of diced or stewed tomatoes, a simple trick is to blend or puree the Italian stewed tomatoes before you add them to your Instant Pot. This creates a velvety broth without compromising on the rich, tomatoey flavor. It’s a fantastic solution for accommodating picky eaters!
• Transform into Vegetarian Lasagna Soup: Easily convert this recipe into a delicious vegetarian lasagna soup by omitting the Italian sausage entirely. Instead, you can use a plant-based ground crumble, add extra sautéed mushrooms for umami, or incorporate other hearty vegetables, ensuring you use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.
• Stove-Top Preparation Option: If you don’t own an Instant Pot, you can still relish the comforting flavors of this dish! Follow my dedicated recipe for stove-top lasagna soup to achieve similar comforting results using traditional cooking methods.

Can I use ground beef instead of Italian sausage in this recipe?

Yes, you can certainly substitute ground beef for Italian sausage in your Instant Pot Lasagna Soup. However, as highlighted in our expert tips, Italian sausage provides a significant depth of flavor due to its inherent seasonings like fennel and garlic. If you opt for ground beef, we recommend enhancing the flavor profile by adding extra Italian seasoning, a pinch of fennel seeds, and more salt and pepper to better mimic the robust taste characteristics of Italian sausage.

What kind of pasta works best for Instant Pot Lasagna Soup?

This Instant Pot Lasagna Soup recipe is incredibly versatile when it comes to pasta shapes! While breaking up traditional lasagna noodles gives the most authentic “lasagna” experience, you can easily use other short pasta varieties. Excellent alternatives include rotini, elbow macaroni, or even bow-tie pasta. All these options cook similarly in the Instant Pot and contribute a wonderful texture to the soup. The key is to use approximately 1 cup of dried pasta for the recipe.

Is it possible to add more vegetables to the soup?

Absolutely! This soup serves as an excellent base for incorporating additional vegetables to boost its nutritional value and flavor. Consider adding finely diced bell peppers (red or green), zucchini, yellow squash, or even a handful of chopped kale or Swiss chard along with the spinach. Just be mindful not to overcrowd the Instant Pot, and ensure any harder vegetables are diced small enough to cook thoroughly within the given pressure cooking time.

How can I achieve a creamier Instant Pot Lasagna Soup?

For those who prefer a richer, creamier Instant Pot Lasagna Soup, you have a couple of fantastic options. After the pressure cooking cycle is complete and you’ve added the spinach, you can stir in a quarter cup of heavy cream, half-and-half, or even a dollop of cream cheese or mascarpone cheese. Stir continuously until the dairy product is fully melted and smoothly incorporated into the soup for a more luxurious and velvety texture.

Why is deglazing the pot such an important step for Instant Pot recipes?

Deglazing the Instant Pot’s inner pot is a crucial step for two primary reasons. Firstly, it allows you to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits (known as “fond”) that stick to the bottom of the pot after sautéing. These bits are packed with concentrated flavor and, when incorporated into your soup, add immense depth and complexity. Secondly, and critically important for Instant Pot functionality, thoroughly deglazing prevents a “Burn” warning. If food particles remain stuck to the bottom, the Instant Pot’s sensor can detect scorching, triggering an error message and halting the cooking process. Proper deglazing ensures smooth operation and a perfectly flavored dish.