You'll love this one-pot dairy free lasagna soup recipe for easy weeknight dinners. It's hearty, comforting, and ready in under 30 minutes. Enjoy all the flavors of classic lasagna in soup form!
I've become such a soup lover lately. They typically come together with a handful of simple ingredients that are already in my pantry, require minimal work, and make wonderful leftovers.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy: This meaty soup cooks in one pot, so the cleanup is minimal! Just cook the bulk sausage, add the tomatoes, stir in the broth, season, bring to a boil, cook noodles, stir in the secret ingredient (see below), and serve.
- Family favorite: We love this recipe because it's packed with rich and savory flavors, plus it's allergy friendly! Even if you aren't dairy free, you'll love this lightened up version.
- Ultra creamy: This lasagna soup without heavy cream uses cashew cream as a mild, nutty substitute. When developing this recipe and testing different ingredients, cashews blended with water to create a silky smooth alternative was the obvious answer. No overpowering coconut milk or dairy free milk needed!
Want more soup recipes? Try my dairy free pumpkin soup, potato soup, or butternut squash soup next!
Ingredient notes
- Meat: I'm only using pork sausage but feel free to use 50/50 ground sausage and ground beef, or just ground beef.
- Onion: I suggest yellow onion for its mild sweetness but feel free to use white onion or shallots instead.
- Garlic: Fresh is best, use more of less depending on preference.
- Tomato paste: This adds a umami flavor with concentrated tomato-forward notes.
- Crushed tomatoes: Many lasagna soup recipes call for marinara sauce but I prefer the vibrato fruity flavor of crushed tomatoes. I find it pairs perfectly with the sausage and you can use your own seasonings.
- Seasonings: Feel free to use an Italian seasoning blend or a mix of dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Broth: Use beef broth or vegetable broth, or even water if you're in a pinch.
- Uncooked pasta: Broken lasagna noodles give this lasagna soup its nostalgic look and feel. I’m going to be honest with you though, big thick chunks of noodles, even if you break lasagna sheets into 4 pieces, just aren’t my thing in soup. I’d much rather enjoy this soup with rigatoni or farfalle (bow tie pasta). So, all that to say, go ahead and use your favorite pasta shape.
- Cashew cream: My secret ingredient!! Don’t let this ingredient scare you off, it’s much easier than you might think. As you start prepping this meal, soak raw cashews in boiling water for 15-30 minutes. Blend with water and ta-da! If you don’t have cashews you almonds or macadamia nuts instead. For a nut-free version, use sunflower seeds.
How to make dairy free lasagna soup
The full directions for this lasagna soup are in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Cook the onion
Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Step 2: Cook the meat
Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Once cooked through, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes and broth
Add the seasonings and stir in the tomato paste. It will transform to a deep red color. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil.
Step 4: Cook the lasagna noodles
Once boiling, break the lasagna noodles into 3rds or 4ths, depending how big you want them, reduce heat to a simmer, and stir occasionally as the noodles cook.
Step 5: Stir in cashew cream
Stir in the cashew cream and serve lasagna soup warm! Garnish with fresh basil.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. See the recipe card for full instructions on how to make cashew cream and storage tips!
Variations
Try these simple swaps or put your own spin on the dish!
Add vegetables
When you add the broth, stir in veggies like zucchini, squash, and mushrooms then bring to a boil and add noodles.
Top with dairy free cheese
Top with store-bought dairy free mozzarella cheese or a dollop of homemade vegan ricotta cheese.
Gluten free lasagna soup
Use your favorite gluten free pasta!
Vegan lasagna soup
Omit meat and replace with a vegan sausage like Beyond, Impossible, or Lightlife.
Slow cooker lasagna soup
Brown the meat and cook the onion and garlic in a large pot or pan. Drain excess grease then transfer to a Crock Pot. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the pasta and cashew cream.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Break the lasagna noodles into smaller pieces and stir them in. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. Stir in cashew cream then serve warm.
Serving suggestions
Pair this wholesome soup with dairy free dinner rolls, dairy free bruschetta, zucchini scarpaccia, or air fryer green beans.
Related recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, try these other comforting meals next:
- Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana is an Olive Garden copycat soup recipe with Italian sausage, crisp bacon, and potatoes in a creamy broth. A must-make!
- Dairy Free Hamburger Helper is a 1 pot meal with flavorful ground beef in a creamy tomato sauce with macaroni noodles. It makes great leftovers the next day!
- Dairy Free Lasagna comes together with layers of hearty meat sauce and creamy almond ricotta. It's easy to make and ready in about 1 hour!
- Dairy Free Roasted Red Pepper Pasta blends red bell peppers, chickpeas, onion, garlic, and dairy free milk into an ultra creamy sauce that's delicious tossed with pasta.
- Dairy Free Gnocchi Bolognese comes together in 30 minutes with pillowy soft gnocchi and a meaty sauce.
- Dairy Free Beef Stroganoff is a fan favorite here on the blog! It combines savory ground beef and fresh mushrooms in a rich, creamy sauce. It's hearty, filling, and great for supper.
Dairy Free Lasagna Soup
Equipment
- Stainless steel dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 8 oz lasagna noodles
Cashew cream
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- If using cashew cream, which I highly recommend, soak 1 cup raw cashews in boiling water for 15-30 minutes. Drain the water, pour into a high-speed blender with water and blend until smooth. Set aside or let store in the fridge while cooking.
- Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Once cooked through, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Season with salt, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir in the tomato paste. It will transform to a deep red color. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, break the lasagna noodles into 3rds or 4ths, depending how big you want them, reduce heat to a simmer, and stir occasionally as the noodles cook, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cashew cream and serve lasagna soup warm!
Notes
Nutrition
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