One of my husbands most favorite soup recipes I've tried is this Lasagna Soup. It really does not disappoint!
Lasagna Soup:
for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
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. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the 'cheesy yum':
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up
into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and
cook until softened, 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. Stir to combine.
Bring to a 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. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground
black pepper.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle
some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.
