Description
A comforting and hearty Italian-American lasagna soup featuring savory Italian sausage, tender broken lasagna noodles, and a rich tomato broth, finished with creamy ricotta, Parmesan, and melted mozzarella cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Dairy
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Liquids and Canned Goods
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Pasta
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
Seasonings
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), cooking for an additional minute to release their flavors.
- Add tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste, coating the sausage and vegetables evenly to deepen the flavor.
- Add liquids and tomatoes: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken or vegetable broth. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer the soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook the noodles: Add the broken lasagna noodles to the pot and continue simmering until the noodles are tender, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Season: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper according to preference.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a small bowl, mix together ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan cheese to create a creamy topping.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each serving with a scoop of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use gluten-free lasagna noodles to make this recipe gluten-free.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute Italian sausage with plant-based meat alternatives or sautéed mushrooms.
- Leftovers tend to thicken as they cool; add extra broth when reheating to return to desired consistency.
