Rustic Lasagna Soup

Written by on in Soups & Stews

If your looking for a one pot easy weekday meal, look no further. Lasagna soup is the way to go. It has all the yummy flavors of lasagna without all the hassle. I must say it is one of my family’s favorites. How can it not be, its cheese saucy pasta with tons of flavor. The perfect comfort food.

Now, I have made lasagna more times than I can count. With all the prep, assembly, cooking and letting it sit once its done so that it can set up. It takes forever, or at least a day. Still way more time then my family likes waiting. With this lasagna soup its done in an hour from start to finish. The perfect amount of time for a weekday meal that is not only easy but also delicious.

So lets start by sautéing some onion and fennel in a large Dutch oven, yes I said fennel. Most people don’t know what to do with fennel. I love it sautéed with onion. It adds a certain sweetness to the dish. It’s my secret ingredient in most soups and stews, shhhh, don’t tell anyone.😁

Now let’s talk meat. In years past I would always use regular pork sausage, but for the past two years I have had to switch to chicken sausage because my husband got bite by the lone star tick and is now allergic to beef, pork or any hoofed animal but that’s a whole other story. To tell you the truth, we really enjoy the chicken sausage as well and probably wouldn’t go back. Just remove the sausage from its casing and with a wooden spoon break it up a bit.

You want to cook the sausage, chicken or pork until nice brown bits form. This is where I sneak a bite or two. Now this is the perfect time to deglaze your pan with a little white wine. Could the sausage get any better?

Now for the garlic and lots of it. Five to six cloves minced. Just throw it in with the sausage and sauté for 2 minutes.

To the sausage I add my spices. Be generous, you want to taste them. I also add my tomato paste. As for tomato paste I like to use the one that come in a tube. You can squeeze out what you need, replace the cap and throw it in the frig. If your using the one from a can you always have that left over that you put it in a container and hope that you will use before it goes bad.

Now I like fire roasted tomatoes but you can use what you have as long as they’re crushed. Add your chicken broth and there you go, its soup.

This will simmer for a bit before you add your noodles.

Now this is a rustic soup, no fuss no muss. Just break up the noodles by hand before cooking. Now you could use a different noodle, but this is lasagna soup so I am going to go with the good old lasagna noodle, but you do you.

At this point you are ready for the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and torn basil. Now all you need is a bowl.

Top with Parmesan cheese and a dollop of ricotta cheese and your done ready to serve.😋

Lasagna Soup:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Box lasagna noodles broken into pieces.
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Onion chopped.
  • I Fennel bulb chopped
  • 1 Pound of sausage, chicken or pork, casing removed
  • 5 to 6 Cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 Cup white wine
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 Cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 28oz. Can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup torn basil leaves
  • 1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/3 Cup Heavy cream
  • Ricotta Cheese for serving

Directions:

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat sauté onions and fennel in olive oil until slightly caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Add the sausage, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until brown bits form. Add the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove all the brown bits. Add minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook an additional 3 to four minutes. Add tomato past and stir to incorporate.
  3. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes
  4. In the mean time bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Place broken lasagna noodles in and cook until al dente.
  5. To the tomatoes add the heavy cream and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the noodles and the torn basil.
  6. Place in bowls and top with more Parmesan and a dollop of ricotta cheese.
  7. Enjoy