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I mean, learning how to swing from a cable car has got to be a more valuable for her than history and math, right?
Their lasagna is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth, and was a huge inspiration for me when I was developing my ultimate Lasagna recipe last year. As I sat blissfully eating in the restaurant yesterday, I found a piece of carrot, and was so pleased. Carrot is not a typical ingredient in Americanized Lasagna, but is definitely found in my recipe. And it’s definitely found in today’s soup!
The thing that sets my Lasagna apart is the Bolognese Sauce, which takes quite a while to make, which is why people are always cheating on Lasagna and using marinara. I get it, I get it, but good things come to those who wait.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait as long for this soup. I basically took my recipe for Bolognese sauce and soup-ified it, then added lasagna noodles and a ricotta topping. I mean, I’m happy to eat this sauce all over some pasta, why not eat a version of it in a bowl? It was a good choice. I mean, how many times do I have to say ricotta swirls?
Annoyingly, it is not made in one pot, because I insist on cooking the lasagna noodles separately. They just get too mushy if you add the dry noodles straight to the soup. If you are really short on time, I do include instructions for this method, but just know that your leftovers will be kind of soggy-sad.
I even included a slow cooker version, if you are rolling with the crock pot these days. You still have to start on the stove, but it’s a great way to front load your day if you know you’ve got a busy afternoon.
Pulse until they are finely minced. There are always a couple pieces that refuse to be chopped, the problem child, you know. You don’t want to just keep blending, or it will end up pulverized, and we are looking for a mince. Just take out the naughty pieces and chop them by hand.
Start sauteing the veggies in a soup pot, and add all your spices. The fennel is optional, especially since there is already some in the sausage we are using. But I love the stuff. Let this cook for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your rosemary and garlic. I love to use fresh rosemary in this soup, it brings such an amazing aromatic flavor. Let that saute for a minute…
Then add in the sausage. Once that is cooked and crumbled, add in the cream. YES, CREAM!
The wine, then the tomato paste. Don’t hate me for my cooking wine, just use the wine you like best, I don’t keep wine in the house so this works for me :)
This is where the magic happens. Most lasagna soups don’t have these ingredients (cream, wine), this tastes more like a Bolognese sauce. But I love to make my lasagna with Bolognese sauce, so that’s why I added it here!
Finally, add in the crushed tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon base, and balsamic vinegar for a little extra punch of flavor.
That’s it for the soup. Boil your noodles separately if you hate soggy noodles! I hate soggy noodles more than I hate those shopping carts with a wonky wheel (you know the ones). More than I hate drying off with a damp towel. More than I hate a crisply sharp pencil with no eraser. So it’s worth it to me to boil the noodles separately. If you are in a rush, just toss the dry noodles into the soup with an extra cup of water and keep simmering an extra 25-30 minutes or so, and call me the next day when you are eating soggy leftovers for lunch so that I can mock you.
Now for the best garnish known to mankind: ricotta + parmesan + salt and pepper. I could eat this stuff with a spoon, for days!
And that’s it my friends. A pot of goodness just for you.
The Best Garlic Butter Bread » my mouth is watering thinking about dipping this crusty garlic bread into lasagna soup! Green Salad with Feta and Beets (The Fanciest No-Chop Salad Ever) » feels gourmet, but takes 5 minutes to throw together Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing » nice and light to complement the hearty soup Cheddar Biscuits » hold the bus, because these are so freaking good. Cheesy, flaky perfection Lemon Almond Green Beans » Easy to make ahead with tons of flavor Easy Roasted Broccoli Recipe » roasted broccoli goes with everything imo, and we eat this recipe a LOT Quick and Easy French Bread Recipe » golden, crusty goodness done in about an hour! Strawberry Spinach Salad » it’s a chopped salad, which makes it the best version ever Everyday Salad from Gimme Some Oven Homemade Sourdough Bread from Alexandra’s Kitchen
To reheat the entire amount, add all the soup back into a large pot on the stove over medium heat until hot and serve over noodles in a bowl. For single serving, spoon the soup and noodles into a bowl and cook in the microwave, stirring every minute, until hot. Add your toppings and you’re ready to eat! To thaw, place all the bags in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours. If you are reheating a large portion, add the soup to a pot and cook over medium heat until hot, then pour over noodles in a bowl. For an individual portion, add soup and noodles to a bowl and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute. Add as much ricotta and mozzarella as you like, and you’re all set.
Crockpot Beef Barley Soup » probably my all-time favorite comfort food and go-to soup Creamy Potato Soup » easiest and best tasting potato soup ever. period. Sausage and Kale Soup (Zuppa Toscana) » I could eat this stuff for days, so soul-satisfying Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles » nostalgia in a bowl, and 1000x better tasting than canned Creamy Tomato Soup » this soup and grilled cheese = heaven Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup (Weight Loss Soup) » this soup is healthy but does not sacrifice at all in the flavor department Minestrone with Sausage and Pesto (Stovetop or Slow Cooker) » it’s hard to believe I used to think minestrone was boring… this recipe is the best you’ll try! How to make Italian Wedding Soup » another Italian based soup that is PACKED with the goods Hot and Sour Soup from The Woks of Life Argentine Locro (stew) from Notes From a Messy Kitchen
This really is a problem for me, since I cook constantly. Almost every day Eric walks in the door after work and I say, I’m making dinner. Sorry about the mess. Then he proceeds to clean it up. After being at work for 9 hours. The man truly is a saint. Or maybe he’s part house elf. Seriously though. I’m kind of like a tornado in the kitchen. I leave destruction in my wake. Eric is like disaster cleanup. He comes in and saves the day. Maybe I should get him one of those Helping Hands t-shirts. It would probably be more appropriate than wearing an apron. A friend of mine revealed to me the secret of the oven. If you have a sink full of dishes and company coming, stick them in the oven to get them out of the way. Why didn’t I think of that? Genius. Then she told me about the time she used this trick just before a potluck at her house. One guest arrived and said, My casserole needs to keep warm. Do you mind if I stick it in your oven? The lesson here? It’s for you people: don’t ask to use my oven when you come over, unless you are part house elf.
