Lasagna Soup
Loaded with vibrant flavor. All the flavor of lasagna without all the work!
Servings: 6 -8
Calories:
Ingredients
- 8 ounces small pasta* or broken lasagna noodles see notes below
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage** see notes below
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup 4 ounces tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 15- ounce cans fire-roasted canned tomatoes*** see notes below
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- For the topping:
- 2 cups grated fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup coarsely grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and stir. Add the noodles and return to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes less than the amount of time directed on the package instructions. Remove one noodle and try it. Pasta should be cooked but still have a little bite (al dente). If needed, cook a minute or two longer. Don't overcook. Drain well then drizzle with a few teaspoons of olive oil. Toss till the noodles are coated and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add the Italian sausage and break into small pieces with with a metal spatula or the back of a large spoon. Add the garlic, oregano and basil. Cook until the sausage is well browned, about 15-20 minutes (if sausage is not browning well increase heat a bit.) If, after cooking, there's a lot of grease rendered, remove excess. Leave a little (about tablespoon) - it will give the soup great flavor.
- Add the tomato paste and wine. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan until tomato sausage mixture is a deep dark red color and most of the wine has evaporated, about 6-8 minutes
- Add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low but steady simmer and cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add fresh basil.
- If serving right aways add the pasta to the the soup. If making ahead, refrigerate the pasta and soup separately. Add pasta just before serving.
- Combine the parmesan and mozzarella. Set aside. Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until golden, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Serve the soup steaming hot, in shallow serving bowls. Top each serving with a generous scoop of the cheese mixture. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh chopped parsley leaves and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
* I like to use Campanelle or Mafalda. Campanelle a fluted bell-shaped pasta with a ruffly edge resembling lasagna noodles. Malfada is a flat pasta that looks just like miniature lasagna noodles. If Campanelle or Mafalda is not available any small pasta will work.
** If you can't find bulk Italian sausage, just use the kind in the casings but remove the casing before cooking
*** Fire-roasted tomatoes can be found in most larger groceries near the regular diced tomatoes. If you can't find them regular canned diced tomatoes can be substituted.
** If you can't find bulk Italian sausage, just use the kind in the casings but remove the casing before cooking
*** Fire-roasted tomatoes can be found in most larger groceries near the regular diced tomatoes. If you can't find them regular canned diced tomatoes can be substituted.