Homemade Lasagna Soup Pressure Cooker or Stovetop

Welcome to the ultimate solution for busy weeknights: our incredibly delicious **Pressure Cooker Lasagna Soup**! Whether you’re an Instant Pot enthusiast or prefer another brand of electric pressure cooker, this recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort. But don’t worry, we’ve also included easy stovetop directions for those who prefer the traditional route. Get ready to transform your dinner routine with a comforting, hearty soup that captures all the beloved flavors of classic lasagna in a fraction of the time.

Life moves at an exhilarating pace, doesn’t it? One moment we’re navigating the demands of daily life, and the next, we’re wondering how we got here, juggling a seemingly endless to-do list. The search for genuinely quick, yet incredibly satisfying, weeknight dinner recipes becomes more than just a convenience – it’s a lifeline. This time of year, as schedules tighten and the air grows crisp, there’s a universal craving for warm, comforting, and flavorful meals that don’t require hours in the kitchen. This super-fast, super-easy, and supremely delicious pressure cooker lasagna soup is precisely what you need to bring warmth and joy to your family dinner table.

Amidst the beautiful chaos of family life, work, and everything in between, a delicious meal remains a constant necessity. That’s why I’ve taken my beloved stovetop lasagna soup recipe and given it a modern pressure cooker twist, specifically optimizing it for Instant Pot or similar devices. While traditional lasagna soup is already a relatively simple dish, the pressure cooker elevates it to an unparalleled level of convenience. It’s not just about speed; it’s about the magic of a “set it and forget it” meal.

Imagine this: no constant stirring, no worrying about boil-overs, and no tedious timer-watching for perfectly al dente pasta. The pressure cooker handles everything with remarkable efficiency, allowing you to step away and focus on other tasks – or simply enjoy a moment of peace. This hands-off cooking method delivers consistent results every time, ensuring your pasta is cooked just right and your sauce is deeply infused with flavor, all while you tackle your overflowing inbox or simply indulge in a moment of quiet reflection (perhaps with a square or two of that emergency dark chocolate stash).

Versatile Protein and Pasta Choices for Your Lasagna Soup

One of the many beautiful things about this pressure cooker lasagna soup is its incredible versatility. When it comes to protein, you have excellent options. Feel free to use either savory ground Italian sausage for an extra kick of flavor or classic ground beef for a more traditional taste. And for our vegetarian friends, this soup is absolutely delicious made entirely meatless – simply omit the meat and perhaps add some extra vegetables or plant-based protein for a hearty alternative. The rich tomato base and creamy cheese topping ensure it’s satisfying regardless of your protein choice.

The choice of pasta also offers endless possibilities, making this recipe highly adaptable to what you have on hand or what your family prefers. I’ve had fantastic results using both bowtie (farfalle) and rotini pasta in this lasagna soup. Their shapes hold up well in the soup and effectively capture the flavorful broth and cheese. For a truly authentic lasagna vibe within your soup, you can even break up regular lasagna noodles (making sure to use the kind that requires boiling, not the no-boil variety) into smaller, bite-sized pieces before adding them to the pressure cooker. This creates a wonderfully rustic texture that perfectly mimics traditional lasagna.

(Let’s be clear: I know true lasagna purists might raise an eyebrow at “authentic” lasagna soup. Rest assured, I’m not attempting to rewrite culinary history! This is simply a delightful home cook’s way of bringing the comforting essence of lasagna to the dinner table in a more accessible and fun soup form, perfect for those evenings when a full-blown lasagna just isn’t feasible.)

Mastering Pressure Cooker Pasta: The Secret to Perfect Lasagna Soup

This section holds the key to perfectly cooked pasta in your pressure cooker lasagna soup. Don’t be intimidated; it’s simpler than you think! The exact cooking time for pasta in a pressure cooker is a science, and it primarily depends on the specific type of pasta you’re using. You will calculate the ideal cooking time yourself, based on the package directions, ensuring consistently great results.

Here’s the straightforward formula for success: Locate the “al dente” cooking time on your pasta package. Take that number, divide it in half, and then subtract two more minutes. If you end up with a half-minute (e.g., 3.5 minutes), round up for slightly softer pasta or round down if you prefer it a bit firmer. For instance, if your pasta package recommends an al dente cooking time of 12 minutes, your pressure cooker time will be 12 / 2 – 2 = 4 minutes. If the package suggests 9 minutes for al dente, you’ll cook it for 9 / 2 – 2 = 4.5 – 2 = 2.5 minutes, which you can round to 3 minutes. This simple calculation guarantees pasta that is perfectly tender, yet still has that desirable bite.

Getting this right is crucial for avoiding mushy pasta and achieving the ideal texture that makes this lasagna soup so enjoyable. Once you understand this simple formula, you’ll be able to cook any type of pasta perfectly in your pressure cooker, opening up a world of quick and easy meal possibilities beyond just this soup.

Understanding Pasta Texture: Al Dente vs. Soft in Pressure Cooker Lasagna Soup

After your pressure cooker has finished its designated cooking cycle, the next crucial step is managing the pressure release. For this lasagna soup, it’s highly recommended to allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 10-15 minutes. This gradual release helps prevent any liquid from spurting out of the valve, ensuring a clean and safe process. After this initial natural release, you can then manually quick-release any remaining pressure. If you notice a bit of liquid spitting from the valve during the quick release, simply pause for a minute or two before continuing.

Alternatively, for maximum convenience (and often my preferred method, especially when I’m multitasking or stepping away from the kitchen), you can allow the pressure to naturally release all the way. It’s important to note that a full natural release will result in slightly softer pasta, as the noodles continue to cook gently in the residual heat and pressure. While Italian culinary traditions often champion “al dente” pasta with a firm bite, a slightly softer noodle can be wonderfully comforting and is often a favorite among children and those who prefer a less chewy texture. Don’t let rigid rules dictate your enjoyment! If you know in advance that your soup will undergo a full natural release or even sit on the “keep warm” setting for a while, consider shaving an extra minute or two off the initial pressure cooking time to prevent the pasta from becoming overly soft.

Ultimately, the choice between al dente and softer pasta is a matter of personal preference. Experiment with the cooking times and release methods to discover what works best for you and your family. The beauty of pressure cooking is its flexibility and ability to adapt to your desired outcome.

Elevating Your Experience: The Perfect Cheesy Topping for Lasagna Soup

While the lasagna soup, straight from the pressure cooker, is undeniably delicious on its own – rich, savory, and wonderfully comforting – the true magic happens when you introduce the creamy, cheesy topping. This simple addition is what transforms a “decidedly great” soup into a “pretty darn exciting” culinary experience. It’s the secret ingredient that truly brings the authentic lasagna vibe to every spoonful, adding a luxurious texture and an explosion of cheesy goodness.

Creating this irresistible cheese topping is remarkably simple, requiring just a few staple ingredients:

• Creamy ricotta cheese (or, for a lighter option, blended cottage cheese)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese for that classic melty pull
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a sharp, savory depth
• A touch of salt, pepper, and dried basil to enhance the flavors

Simply stir these ingredients together until they are well combined, and then keep the mixture chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Don’t worry if, once stirred into the hot soup, it becomes a delightfully messy, slightly “ugly” concoction. Aesthetics take a backseat to flavor here! The combination of the savory tomato broth, tender pasta noodles, and the ultra-creamy, cheesy topping swirled into every bite is nothing short of pure heaven. The warmth of the soup gently melts the cheeses, creating pockets of rich, gooey delight that make each spoonful an absolute pleasure.

This **Pressure Cooker Lasagna Soup** is not just a meal; it’s an invitation to customize and create. What kind of pasta will you choose? Will you boost the nutrition by adding some fresh spinach or other vegetables? Do you prefer a super-thick, almost pasta-like consistency, or will you thin it out with a bit more broth to make it a more traditional soup? The possibilities are endless, and your kitchen is the canvas. I’m genuinely excited to hear about your culinary adventures with this recipe. Please do share your adaptations and favorite ways to enjoy this incredible dish – those details are what truly bring a recipe to life!

A Look Back: Recipes to Explore From the Archives
One Year Ago: Fluffy Honey Oat Dinner Rolls
Two Years Ago: The Best Chicken {or Turkey} Pot Pie
Three Years Ago: Delicious Parmesan Cream Corn
Four Years Ago: Amazing Crustless Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie
Six Years Ago: Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon
Seven Years Ago: Chocolate and Coconut Cream Pie Bars
Eight Years Ago: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Pressure Cooker Lasagna Soup

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 6 minutes mins

Total Time: 21 minutes mins

4.88 stars (83 ratings)

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Ingredients

Soup:

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage or ground beef
• ½ cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
• ½ cup diced carrots, about 2 medium carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
• 3 cans (15-ounces each) crushed tomatoes (see note)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 dried bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
• Pinch of black pepper, I use coarsely ground
• 6 to 8 cups chicken broth, I use low-sodium (see note)
• 8 to 12 ounces (3-4 cups) bowtie or rotini pasta or broken lasagna noodles (see note)

Cheese Topping:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese or blended cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, plus more for serving
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

• For the cheese topping, stir together all the ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the soup, select the sauté function on the pressure cooker and cook the sausage or ground beef, onion, carrots, and garlic, for 2-3 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Stir well, making sure to scrape up any cooked bits on the bottom of the pot.
• Add 6 cups of the chicken broth and the pasta and stir to combine. Give the bottom of the pot another good scrape (otherwise any cooked food on the bottom of the pot may alert the burn warning when the pressure cooker comes to pressure).
• Secure the lid and set the pressure cooker to cook on high. Use this formula for the cooking time (and read the note below): take the al dente cooking time on the pasta package, cut the time in half and subtract two more minutes. For instance, for pasta that cooks al dente in 12 minutes, the pressure cooker time will be 4 minutes. Round up for 1/2 minutes.
• When the cooking time is finished, let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes (otherwise liquid may spurt out of the valve when releasing pressure). Manually release remaining pressure or let it naturally release all the way (pasta will be a bit softer if doing this since it will continue to cook a little as the pressure naturally releases).
• Stir the soup and add additional chicken broth to thin, if needed (I add about 1 to 2 additional cups). Serve the soup in bowls with spoonfuls of the cheese topping and additional mozzarella or Parmesan cheese on top.

Notes

Pasta: I’ve used both bowtie (farfalle) and rotini in this soup with good results. You can also use broken lasagna noodles (don’t use the no-boil lasagna noodles). The amount of pasta really depends on how thick and pasta-loaded you want the soup. I usually add the full 12 ounces and then thin the soup out, if needed, at the end with additional broth.

Pressure Release: if you know you are going to let the pressure naturally release all the way and maybe even have the soup sit on warm for a while, I would suggest a cooking time of just 1-2 minutes so the noodles aren’t overly soft and mushy.

Tomatoes: you can sub out some of the crushed tomatoes for tomato sauce for a richer, slightly thicker soup.

Pressure Cooker Burn Warning: it’s really important to scrape up any bits of cooked meat or other food on the bottom of the pot before pressure cooking. If your pressure cooker gives the burn warning quite often (and seems finicky), you might consider sautéing the meat, onions, carrots in a skillet on the stovetop before adding to the pressure cooker.

Stovetop Directions: in a 6-quart pot over medium heat, cook the sausage or ground beef, onions, carrots and garlic until the meat is no longer pink (break the meat into small pieces as it cooks). Drain any excess grease, if needed. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper, 6 cups broth and pasta. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add additional broth, if needed, to thin. Serve the soup in bowls with spoonfuls of the cheese topping and additional mozzarella or Parmesan cheese on top.

Author: Mel

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Method: Instant Pot

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 489kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 1630mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g

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Recipe Source: Inspired by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe’s classic lasagna soup.