Instant Pot Lasagna Soup – a comforting, one-pot vegan lasagna-inspired soup made with red lentils, broken lasagna noodles, vegetables, and fresh basil. Nut-free and easily adapted to be gluten-free. Jump to Recipe
Pasta, tomatoes, herbs, red lentils, pesto and garlic bread—this combination is hard to beat. This thick, satisfying lasagna-style soup comes together in one pot with minimal active time, making it perfect for busy weeknights. You can make it in an Instant Pot (pressure cooker) or on the stovetop in a saucepan (see notes). I love serving it with garlicky crusty bread or a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil and a generous spoonful of pesto or fresh basil. Red lentils provide the protein; if you prefer brown lentils, use pre-cooked brown lentils so they don’t overcook while the pasta cooks. Veggie crumbles also make a great substitute for extra texture and protein.
To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta or omit the pasta and add more lentils or cooked quinoa. This versatile, flavorful soup is easy to customize and appeals to many tastes.
Subscribe to My Youtube Channel for more videos.
This hearty soup behaves more like a lasagna casserole than a thin broth-based soup. You can adjust its thickness by adding more or less liquid, and you can enrich the flavor by stirring in vegan mozzarella or ricotta before serving. Toppings build the final flavor, so don’t skimp—pesto, fresh basil, and vegan cheese make it taste truly lasagna-like.
More one-pot meals from the blog
- Fettuccine Alfredo with mushrooms, GF option
- Fajita Pasta with taco-spiced veggies and chickpeas, GF option
- Roasted red pepper pasta with black pepper chickpeas
- Garlicky Korean Mac & Cheese
Instant Pot meals on the blog include several easy pressure-cooker dinners and stews that pair well with the flavors in this soup.
Step by step photos
Don’t skip the vegan cheese (mozzarella or ricotta) and pesto—these transform the soup into a true lasagna experience.
Tips for making great Lasagna Soup in a pressure cooker
- Break the lasagna noodles into small pieces and mix them thoroughly into the sauce before sealing so they don’t stick together under pressure.
- Doubling the recipe: Cook time stays the same, but use slightly less than double the pasta and consider crinkly noodles or other shapes if sticking is a concern. Increase seasonings proportionally as volume can dilute flavor.
- Prevent burn errors: Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom when you mix ingredients. Scorched vegetables at the bottom can trigger burn errors when pressure cooking.
- Use split red lentils (masoor dal) for this recipe because they cook very quickly. Whole lentils require much longer and should be used pre-cooked to avoid overcooking the pasta and vegetables.
- When making very large batches, be aware the pot takes longer to reach pressure and that extra heat time can affect noodles, lentils, and vegetables.
- For a more lasagna-like finish, fold vegan mozzarella into the hot soup and top with more for serving—pesto is highly recommended.
Instant Pot Lasagna Soup – Vegan Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup mixed veggies (peppers, carrots, zucchini)
- 1/4 cup red lentils (uncooked split red lentils/masoor dal)
- 1 cup tomato purée (or marinara/pasta sauce/passata)
- 1 to 1.5 cups diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (approx. 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp oregano, parsley, pinch of thyme/sage/rosemary)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth (2.5–3 cups for soupier texture or whole-grain noodles)
- 5 oz lasagna sheets, broken into small pieces (or pasta of choice; no-boil lasagna sheets work best)
- Dash black and white pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste (about 1/3 tsp)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup packed spinach (optional)
- Vegan pesto, vegan ricotta or mozzarella, and garlic bread to serve (optional)
- Optional add-ins: 1 tbsp tomato paste, a squeeze of lemon, or 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
Instructions
- Heat oil in the Instant Pot on sauté. When hot, add onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant. (See notes for saucepan instructions.)
- Add the mixed vegetables and stir. Add red lentils, tomato purée, diced tomatoes, salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine. If using, stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste for extra depth.
- Add the broken lasagna pieces and water or broth, mixing thoroughly so the pasta pieces are separated and submerged.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
- Stir in black and white pepper, red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast. Taste and adjust salt, herbs, or acidity (a squeeze of lemon) as needed.
- Fold in spinach if using, and let the soup rest a minute. Serve topped with pesto or basil and dollops of vegan ricotta or shredded vegan mozzarella. Garlic bread makes a perfect accompaniment.
Video
Notes
Pressure cooking time: Adjust based on your pasta. A good rule is to pressure cook for about half the package’s listed stovetop boil time. No-boil lasagna sheets often give the most consistent results.
Variations: Add 1/4 tsp fennel seeds for a sausage-like flavor. To boost protein and texture, add 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa and 1/2 cup extra water when adding lentils.
Burn errors: Mix thoroughly before sealing to lift any browned bits from the bottom. If the bottom is scorched it can trigger a burn warning during pressure cooking. Add more liquid if needed.
Using longer-cooking lentils: If using brown or green lentils or dried beans that require longer cooking, use pre-cooked or canned versions (for example, 3/4 cup cooked brown lentils, white beans, chickpeas, or veggie crumbles).
Saucepan method: Follow steps 1 and 2 over medium heat in a large pot. Add 3 cups water (do not add lasagna sheets yet). Partially cover and bring to a boil, then add broken lasagna sheets and cook 10–12 minutes or until pasta and lentils are tender. Finish with the last steps.
Gluten-free: This works with gluten-free lasagna sheets or other GF pasta—adjust cooking time to the brand’s recommendation and use lighter vegetables to avoid weighing down the pasta.
Nutrition values are for one of three servings and do not include optional toppings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.