for @ow-my-skin @9-sheep-magdi @the-lost-alchemist and anyone else who's interested:
Lasagna Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef OR ground Italian sausage OR mix of both
Olive oil
1 chopped yellow onion
5 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
24oz marinara sauce (I make my own, if you don't want to do that I personally like Ragu traditional-style sauce)
7 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dried parsley (2 tsp), dried oregano (1 tsp), dried basil (1 tsp) (amounts here are suggestions, let your taste buds decide as you make it)
9 lasagna noodles broken into pieces
2 cups spinach leaves (optional)
10 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
Extra basil for garnish/serving
Instructions:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook ground beef/sausage. Season with salt/pepper as you cook, then drain and set meat aside.
In the same pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the diced onion for about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another couple minutes.
Stir in broth, marinara sauce, spices, and tomato paste. Return the meat to the pot.
Bring it to a boil and add the broken lasagna noodles (I snap them into fourths). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until noodles are tender. Add spinach.
In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan together into a thick paste. Serve the soup in bowls and top with a dollop of the cheese blend.
Every time I make this, it's a huge hit. It's fantastic for chilly evenings.
