Vegan Lasagna Soup: Hearty One-Pot Dinner

I broke a whole box of lasagna noodles into a pot last Tuesday because the oven was full of something else. Nobody at my table noticed the missing layers. They just asked for more broth.

This is the soup version of lasagna, and it works because the lentils do the job the meat usually does. You get a thick, tomato-heavy broth, soft pasta and a handful of spinach that wilts in the last minute.

One pot, six bowls, about 45 minutes. The only thing you need to watch is the lentils, and I will tell you exactly how to tell when they are ready.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soften the onion

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the pieces look slightly see-through at the edges.

2. Bloom the garlic and herbs

Add the garlic, tomato paste, dried basil and oregano. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. The onion should be fully soft and the paste should darken a shade and smell sweet.

3. Add liquid and lentils

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, then add the rinsed lentils. Bring it to a boil, turn the heat to medium-high and let it bubble for 10 minutes. The lentils should be partway tender.

4. Drop in the noodles

Snap the lasagna sheets into roughly 2-inch pieces and add them to the pot. Cook another 10 to 15 minutes. You are done when the pasta has a slight bite and the lentils crush easily against the side of the pot.

5. Wilt the spinach

Stir in the spinach in handfuls and let it collapse into the hot soup, about a minute. Ladle into bowls and scatter fresh basil on top.

Tips & Tricks

• Rinse the lentils in a strainer until the water runs clear. Skip this and the broth turns cloudy.
• Break the noodles over the pot, not on the counter, so the shards land where they belong.
• Stir the pot now and then while the pasta cooks. Noodles sink and stick to the bottom.
• The soup thickens as it sits because the pasta keeps drinking broth. Thin leftovers with a splash of broth or water.

Variations

Swap the Pasta

whole wheat shells, rotini or penne all work. Use the same 8 ounces and check them a couple of minutes early, since small shapes cook faster than broken sheets.

Add Heat

a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic gives it a little kick without changing anything else.

Make It Creamier

stir in a spoon of cashew cream or a dairy-free cream at the end, off the heat, so it does not split.

How to Store Vegan Lasagna Soup

Frequently Asked Questions

Vegan Lasagna Soup: Hearty One-Pot Dinner

A hearty one-pot soup with broken lasagna noodles, green lentils, crushed tomatoes and spinach. Everything a lasagna gives you, in a bowl.

15 minPrep time30 minCook time45 minTotal6Servings

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• ⅓ cup green lentils (rinsed)
• 8 oz dried lasagna noodles
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• thinly sliced fresh basil (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1Soften the onion — Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the pieces look slightly see-through at the edges.
2. 2Bloom the garlic and herbs — Add the garlic, tomato paste, dried basil and oregano. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. The onion should be fully soft and the paste should darken a shade and smell sweet.
3. 3Add liquid and lentils — Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, then add the rinsed lentils. Bring it to a boil, turn the heat to medium-high and let it bubble for 10 minutes. The lentils should be partway tender.
4. 4Drop in the noodles — Snap the lasagna sheets into roughly 2-inch pieces and add them to the pot. Cook another 10 to 15 minutes. You are done when the pasta has a slight bite and the lentils crush easily against the side of the pot.
5. 5Wilt the spinach — Stir in the spinach in handfuls and let it collapse into the hot soup, about a minute. Ladle into bowls and scatter fresh basil on top.

Cook's note: Taste before you add salt. Canned tomatoes and vegetable broth vary a lot in how salty they are, and it is easy to overshoot.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Italian-American

Course: Soup

RecipesCooker15 minutes30 minutes45 minutes

Written by Priya Raman
Priya writes about eggs and breakfast casseroles, cookies and bars, and slow cook breakfasts that feed a crowd without fuss. Her angle is flexible, budget-minded cooking: one base recipe that scales for two or for a holiday table, with clear notes on freezing and reheating. She keeps the writing light and story-first, then lands on a tight recipe card.