Lasagna Soup
Why I Love This Recipe
I saw this in a magazine and made it.... its VERY good and actually does taste a lot like lasagna and we loved it...
When Meredith Deeds was working on her cookbook "300 Sensational Soups," her son, Kyle, came up with the idea of turning his favorite meal, lasagna, into a soup. The tomato-y broth, brimming with sausage and pasta, melts the mix of cheeses placed in each bowl before serving. A quick swirl of the spoon ensures diners will get a bit of gooey cheese in every bite.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (bulk or with casings removed) I used 3 sausages which was plenty
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
(I added shredded carrots and right before I added the broth and sauce I added red wine because that's how I make my normal sauce)
2 teaspoons oregano (skipped that)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( skipped this since I used hot Italian sausage)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used one large can of crushed tomatoes)
6 cups chicken broth (I used beef broth)
2 bay leaves
8 ounces fusilli pasta (I used the a pound for plenty of left overs)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I didn't have any basil so I used a little dried and lots of fresh parsley)
8 ounces ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Directions
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.
