🍲 Cheesy Lasagna Soup

🍲 Cheesy Lasagna Soup
Servings: 6
Time: 35–40 minutes
Style: One-pot comfort food

📝 Ingredients:
Soup Base:

1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage)

1 small onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

4 cups beef or chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pasta:

8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces
(or substitute with mafalda or bowtie pasta)

Cheese Topping:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated Parmesan

Chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions:
1. Cook meat and aromatics:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook ground beef and diced onion over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute.

2. Add liquids and seasonings:
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

3. Add pasta:
Break lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces and add to the soup. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender.

4. Make the cheese mixture:
In a bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

5. Serve:
Ladle soup into bowls and top with a generous scoop of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

🧡 Optional Add-ins:
Spinach or kale (stir in at the end)

Use ground turkey for a lighter version

Add crushed fennel seeds for a more sausage-like flavor