Lasagna Soup
I can’t think of a single person who doesn’t love lasagna. It’s hard not to love, with the luscious layers of red sauce, pasta, and multiple cheesiness. But what’s odd for me, is that I rarely make it. In fact, if I do make it, it’s for a post-funeral family get-together or such. I make it for other people. I can’t remember the last time I made it for my own family.
Sure, making lasagna is a bit tedious, but there’s nothing difficult about it. But unless there’s another funeral to cook for, I may never make lasagna again, thanks to my girlfriend. Years ago she showed me a recipe from a cooking magazine, and since then I’ve been hooked on making lasagna soup!
It’s got all of the elements of lasagna – pasta, red sauce, a few cheeses, plus a few extras. It’s hearty and delicious, and a big pot of this soup goes a long way. It’s great for company.
I don’t have the original recipe, but here’s what I did today. As with most of my recipes, you can put your own stamp on it by substituting ingredients. Just as you keep the soup tasting like lasagna, it will be delicious!
Lasagna Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 – 1 pound packages bulk Italian sausage
19.2 ounces of ground turkey
2 onions, finely chopped
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 – 32 ounce cartons beef broth
10 ounces baby spinach
1 – 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cheese(s) – you can use ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, or any combination thereof
For the lasagna soup, I chose a combination of Italian sausage and ground white-meat turkey, but you could use beef and pork if you prefer.
Begin by adding the oil to a large stockpot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meats, and spend about 10 minutes slightly browning and cooking them.
I have a wonderful tool that this same girlfriend gave me last Christmas that helps cut up ground meat into smaller pieces. Grab one of these if you spot one.
Lower the heat to medium and add the onions. Stirring occasionally, cook the onions for about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms.
Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and give it a stir. Then add the broth.
Break up the lasagna noodles and place them in the broth.
Submerge the noodles as best you can, cover the pot, and lightly simmer the noodles for about 30 minutes. I used whole-wheat noodles. If you’re using white noodles, be careful not to overcook them.
Add the spinach, and carefully stir it into the broth until it wilts. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the seasoning.
Give everything a good stir. Spinach and mushrooms aren’t necessarily traditional in lasagna, but in this soup the vegetables are a great addition, making the soup a little healthier by stretching the meat.
Heat the soup through and taste for seasoning. Serve hot so all of the cheeses melt.
In the past, when I have made this soup for a crowd, I offered cheese choices so everyone can customize his/her lasagna soup. You can place a little blob of fresh ricotta in the bottom of your bowl, add the hot soup, then add a few fresh mozzarella pearls and freshly grated Parmesan. Or simply offer grated mozzarella. It’s all good. But some cheese is absolutely necessary or it won’t be lasagna soup.
Today I placed grated fresh mozzarella in the bottom of the bowl, and topped the soup with finely grated Parmesan. When you stir the melted cheese with the soup, you’re tasting lasagna. And it’s fabulous!
* Which herb or herbs to use in a red sauce that would be used in a traditional lasagna are widely debated. Some people only use oregano, some a mixture of basil and oregano. I just love the flavor of dried basil, when no fresh basil is available. Make this soup your own.
note: It’s important to add all of the broth to this soup. For one thing, it’s important for cooking the noodles. But secondly, you don’t want the soup so tomatoey thick that you’re eating spaghetti sauce instead of a soup. Keep a good balance between the crushed tomatoes and broth.
Yum! Can’t wait to try.
It’s good!
Seems absolutely decadent, and I know a certain gentleman in my home who would go crazy for this recipe!
Fabulous!!!
Such an interesting and original idea! :)
I know! I wish it was mine!
Wow this looks so delicious! My hubby and I would love this soup! I’m adding this one to my must make list!
It is so so good!
well, I guess you’re the single person who doesn’t love lasagna! I wouldn’t have believed it! But the soup is fabulous!
Oh my GOOOOOOOD Mimi
Hahahahahahaha! It is good, Stephane!
Good! You won’t regret it!
The photos are probably bad – it was from so long ago. I’m tooo scared to look at my post!
What a great idea! Makes me hungry.
Thanks! It will definitely happily satisfy hunger!
I love making lasagna soup! I usually use orecchiette noodles (cooked separately so the leftovers don’t swell into saucers) in the bottom of the bowl, then add a very similar soup on top. Then, I make a ricotta, parmesan & herb mixture to dollop on top. Now, I need to make it again. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love the idea of your ricotta mixture! That’s why I use whole-wheat noodles – they don’t keep absorbing liquid!!! However you make this soup, it’s really fabulous!
Definitely! It’s wonderful, if you love lasagna!
Oh yum! I am making this for lunches this week! :D
You’ll have to tell me how your family liked it!!!
I love that ground meat tool & will have to keep my eyes open for it. We practically lived on lasagna for years here although I’ve never made it once. After my husband got his mother’s recipe, he made it & since it was terrific, I convinced him that there was no way I could ever come close to replicating his. He’s such a sucker for compliments & I do love lasagna.
Wow. my husband has never cooked anything. Ever. I might compliment bad lasagna!
Thank you so much! And it’s so easy!!!
This looks great! I may have to make it sometime this week :)
Oh my!! This looks so fantastic. I love lasagna and cold weather soup and to put them both together is a marvelous idea. Yum!!
Thanks! My photos aren’t great; I should re-do them! But the soup is fabulous!