Lasagna Soup
I have this sweet little 3 year old who has a zeal for life like no one else I’ve known. She’s passionate about everything {including her opinions}…except cheese. I can’t even begin to imagine life without cheese, and at times I find my cooking techniques to be somewhat creative to create a meal everyone will enjoy if a recipe calls for cheese. We even go as far as making her homemade pizza sans cheese.
While I scratch my head a bit wondering how anyone could possibly not like cheese, I respect the difference in taste preferences. This meal is the perfect example of how I attempt to create something for everyone – but keep the option to maintain a standard ingredient the original recipe calls for. Lasagna without cheese:: epic fail…until now, anyway.
Technically speaking this dish still can have the layer of ooey, gooey melted cheese sprinkled atop, and my husband and I certainly indulged in said way. But truthfully, the flavors in this soup leave little to be desired and can certainly be enjoyed on its own. Who doesn’t love a meal with options? It’s also quick and hearty; perfect for a winter weeknight meal.
Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Serve with your favorite cheesy topping if desired. We used a combination of fresh mozzarella and parmesan because we aren’t ricotta fans – but the sky’s the limit. Go crazy.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of ground Italian sausage or ground beef
- large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 1/2 tsp black pepper (use the first 1/2 tsp to season the meat)
- 2 1/2 tsp garlic salt (use the first 1/2 tsp to season the meat)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like heat!)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
- 26 oz box of diced tomatoes (I used Pomi brand)
- 5 1/2 cups of organic chicken broth (I recommend Trader Joes brand!)
- 1 cup organic beef broth
- 7 oz elbow/macaroni noodles
- optional fresh cheese for topping
Method:
- Finely dice the onion and sauté with the meat in a Dutch Oven until fully cooked. Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp each of garlic salt and pepper: sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and beef broths, remaining 2 tsp. each of garlic salt and pepper, dried oregano, Italian seasoning and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chiffonade your basil and set aside.
- Remove the bay leaves and turn the heat up to a low boil. Add the fresh basil and pasta and cook 7-10 additional minutes until the pasta is done per your liking. Serve hot and top with your favorite cheese if desired.
