Lasagna Soup

I love lasagna but making it on a weeknight is just not going to happen, it just takes too long.

When I saw this recipe for lasagna soup I decided to give it a try.

It was great! Tasted just like lasagna but it took a fraction of the time

What you need,

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10 lasagna noodles broken into pieces

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

½ lb. Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casing removed

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. tomato paste

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 15oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 cup water

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

½ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup heavy cream

1 cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by combining the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, basil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. This is the cheesy topping for the soup, so just stash it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. When they are cooked, drain and set aside. Drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

In a large Dutch oven heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.

Add in the sausage, garlic and oregano and cook for 5-6 minutes until the sausage is browned and cooked through. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until it has darkened in color.

Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the noodles, basil, Parmesan cheese and cream. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of the ricotta cheese mixture and a side salad and you have a perfect dinner.

I really enjoyed this soup, it was warm and filling and easy!

My in house taste tester didn’t think there was enough meat in it, so you could easily add ½ lb. of ground beef or more sausage if you wanted. He thought tiny meatballs would be good. So maybe next time I will try that!

Enjoy!

Jen

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine