Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 1 ½ pounds Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ pound fusilli noodles, cooked and drained
Cheese topping:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large 4-quart pot, add the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking the pieces up with a wooden spoon or spatula while it cooks. I prefer the sausage in fairly small pieces. After about 3-4 minutes, add the onion. Cook the sausage and onion together, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease, if desired. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves and chicken broth. Add the basil, if using dried (if using fresh basil, add it in the next step).
- Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and the fresh basil, if using.
- For the cheese mixture, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and basil. Set aside.
- To serve the soup, add a scoop of cooked pasta noodles to a bowl. Top with a ladle or two of soup and dollop with a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve immediately.