Easy Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive oil (Use up to 2 tablespoons, or preferred oil.)
• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1 Onion (Large, diced.)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Minced.)
• 15 oz Diced tomatoes (One can; do not drain.)
• 15 oz Tomato sauce (One can; tomato puree may be used instead.)
• 0.333 cup Tomato paste (About half of a 6-ounce can.)
• 4 cup Chicken broth
• 1 cup Water (Use 1–2 cups to adjust consistency.)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp Salt (Add more as needed to adjust flavor.)
• Black pepper (To taste.)
• 8 oz Bowtie pasta (Uncooked; similar sturdy pasta may be substituted.)
• 0.5 cup Ricotta cheese
• 2 oz Mozzarella cheese (Shredded; about 1/2 cup.)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (Shaved, shredded, or freshly grated.)
• 0.25 cup Fresh parsley (Chopped, for garnish.)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it is shimmering.

2. 2

   Add the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté, stirring as needed, until the beef is cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.

3. 3

   Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and uncooked pasta. Stir until the tomato paste is incorporated and the ingredients are evenly combined.

4. 4

   Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking together, until the pasta reaches your preferred tenderness.

6. 6

   Add water or additional broth in small amounts as needed to adjust the soup's consistency.

7. 7

   Allow the soup to cool slightly. Either stir the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan into the whole pot, or serve the cheeses on the side so they can be added to individual bowls.

8. 8

   Garnish the soup with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

9. 9

   To store, cool the soup completely and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 90 days. To reheat, add water or broth as desired because the noodles will have absorbed some of the liquid.

Notes

Sturdy pasta shapes such as bowtie, penne, rigatoni, or macaroni hold their shape well. Lasagna noodles may be broken into pieces, but they soften more quickly. Ground meat can be substituted for the beef using the same method. For a thicker tomato broth, use crushed tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes. A shortcut is to use a 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce with about 1 cup of water in place of the individual tomato products. The source also provides pressure-cooker instructions, but the available instructions only cover the sauté and deglazing portion, not the complete pressure-cooker method.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• Italian-inspired
• one-pot
• comfort-food
• make-ahead
• leftovers
• family-friendly