Lasagna Soup

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WHAT A GREAT SPIN ON TRADITIONAL LASAGNA. YOU CAN OMIT THE CHEESY PART IF YOU ARE ELIMINATING DAIRY AND IT'S JUST AS GOOD! 

Yield-4 Prep-20 minCook- 1hr

Ingredients:

Soup:

·         2 tsp. olive oil

·         1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage- without the casing.

·         3 c. chopped onions

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 tsp. dried oregano

·         1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

·         2 T. tomato paste

·         1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

·         2 bay leaves

·         6 c. chicken stock

·         8 oz. Brown Rice lasagna noodles broken into bits by hand

·         1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cheesy yum: (optional- I don’t but for great for people that can eat dairy)

·         8 oz. ricotta

·         1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

·         1/4 tsp. salt

·         pinch of freshly ground pepper

Additional cheesy yum:

·         2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large Dutch oven (I love any heavy bottom pots like La Creuset), heat the olive oil over medium- heat. Now add the sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and cook thoroughly. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Mix it all together. Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over-cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Highly recommend- cook the noodles separately, and then add noodles to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This is great for left overs because then the noodles don’t get too mushy if you keep them separate.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. This is the cheesy yum.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, then the noodles if you kept them separate, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Or if you omit the cheesy yum just combine noodles and soup mix and enjoy!

 

adapted from: http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2011/03/24/lasagna-soup/