Kitchen Adventures || Lasagna Soup
So, between a wedding and the Super Bowl last weekend I got some meal prepping done, but not enough to get us through the week and I had NO idea what I was going to post of this week’s Kitchen Adventures. We had another lovely week with a 30 degree drop which changed what I wanted to eat. I meal prepped lighter things like taco salad for earlier in the week, but today had me wanting something warm and hearty.
This afternoon, lasagna popped in my head… It’s been a really long time since I’ve made lasagna… I like it, but I wasn’t really in the mood to do all the work to make it AND I wasn’t sure I really wanted all that cheese and pasta. I also thought about making another batch of some version of veggie soup… then…. Lasagna Soup came into my mind.
Y’all…. This is such a great alternate if you like lasagna. It’s not nearly as heavy. YOU control how much cheese goes in. I’m not a HUGE fan of the texture of ricotta so this was great because I could add just a little to my soup to get the creaminess and the flavor without going overboard! You also have the option of using a grain free or veggie based pasta if you like!
Anyway, this was quick to make and so insanely delicious. Enjoy!
Lasagna Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 LB Italian Sausage – I used FON Wild Boar and seasoned with Italian Seasoning
8-12 oz of pasta – I used a small penne veggie pasta
1-2 TBSP Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic – minced
½ yellow onion – diced
4 TBSP tomato paste
6 cups chicken broth
(1) 28 oz (or 2 14.5 oz) cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 cup mozzarella
Fresh basil – chiffonade
½ cup grated Parmesan
8 oz whole milk ricotta
Salt & Pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and open the cans first because this recipe moves pretty quickly so you’ll want to have everything ready to go.
In one pot, start some water to boil. Once boiling, cook the pasta according to the box. Drain and set aside. A little al dente is good for this because you’ll be adding it to a hot soup.
While the water is heating for the pasta, heat a tbsp of olive oil a large pot (as always, I used my enameled cast iron Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add the meat – if using the Force of Nature Wild Boar, add 2 TBSP Italian Seasoning and brown, crumbling as it cooks.
Once browned, drain any excess fat or add more olive oil as needed and add the onion. Cook for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften. Next, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Then, add the tomato paste and continuously stir for another minute.
Add the broth, bay leaves, tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then stir, reduce to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until it begins to thicken.
While the soup is working, mix the ricotta, parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the basil and shred the mozzarella (or open the bag… 😉 )
Finally, add the pasta and stir well! Serve in a giant bowl (or a normal sized bowl…) and top with a dollop of the ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella, and basil. Enjoy.