Ingredients (~9 servings)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed (can omit if using fennel sausage)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes
- 7 cups low-sodium beef stock (plus more to thin if needed)
- 1 rind Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3/4 pound lasagna sheets or mafaldine, broken into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup minced flat leaf Italian parsley
- 1/3 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese for serving
Brown The Meat
Using a heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Once heated, add the sausage and ground chuck, and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with the wooden spoon as you go.
Don’t rush this step — browning adds flavor.
Once the meat has browned sufficiently, use a slotted spoon to remove it to a dish and set it aside.
Build The Aromatics
To the pot, add the onion, fennel seeds (if using), and salt.
Cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Next, add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant, then add the red pepper flakes.
The fennel seeds will give off their fantastic aroma as they cook and will enhance the Italian sausage flavor.
Deglaze & Simmer
Once the onion has cooked down sufficiently, add back in the browned meat and mix well.
Pour in the red wine and turn the heat to medium-high.
Cook until the wine evaporates, about 3-5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
These browned bits are loaded with flavor — make sure to scrape them all up.
Add The Tomatoes And Stock
Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and the Parmesan rind to the pot.
Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 10 minutes.
The Parmesan rind will dissolve over time and infuse your broth with depth and richness.
Finish The Pasta & Soup
Stir in the broken noodles and cook to al dente according to package directions, about 10-12 minutes.
When finished, remove from heat and discard any large pieces of Parmesan rind that remain in the pot.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary, then stir in the chopped parsley, basil, and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
The residual heat will melt the cheese into your soup.
Serve
Ladle your soup into bowls, top with a dollop of ricotta, more grated Parmesan cheese, and crusty bread.
The ricotta cheese gives it the same creamy factor as traditional lasagna!
Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
~9 servings
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed can omit if using fennel sausage
- 1 large onion diced
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 can crushed plum tomatoes 28-ounce
- 7 cups low-sodium beef stock plus more to thin if needed
- 1 rind Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3/4 pound lasagna sheets or mafaldine broken into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup minced flat leaf Italian parsley
- 1/3 cup packed basil leaves chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese divided
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large pot and brown sausage and ground chuck for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove meat, leaving fat in pot. Add onion, fennel seeds, and salt; cook 7-10 minutes.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 2 minutes.
- Return meat to pot, add wine, and deglaze for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and parmesan rind. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Add broken pasta, cook 10-12 minutes until al dente.
- Remove from heat, discard parmesan rind.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley, basil, and 1/2 cup parmesan.
- Serve with ricotta, remaining parmesan, and crusty bread.
