Chicken Broth – I like chicken broth, but chicken stock or veggie broth can also work.
Ricotta – I recommend using a whole milk ricotta if possible. It adds so much flavor and a wonderful creamy texture to the finished bowls of hot soup. You can use low-fat too if you need to.
Parmesan – You can shred this yourself or buy pre-grated Parmesan. If you can’t find it, use Romano or Grana Padano instead.
Basil – A layer of freshly sliced basil is the perfect garnish, but you can leave it off it you want.
Recipe Tips
Drain the fat after browning – If you start with leaner ground beef and sausage, this may not be necessary. But, if you have a fattier meat, like 85/15 or 80/20, then you’ll want to drain off some of the extra fat that’s released during cooking. That will help prevent the soup from becoming greasy.
Note- you do not have to add olive oil or any cooking oil. The meat should have enough fat to cook well over medium heat without adding anything additional.
Use ALL the chicken broth – I know it seems like a LOT of chicken broth. The soup will look watery and diluted at first, but I promise it’s going to turn out perfect. We’re cooking the noodles in the tomato/broth mixture so they’ll absorb some of the liquid and release starches into the soup. Both of those things help create a luscious slightly, thickened soup. They’ll also be infused with flavor! If you use less broth, your soup can end up too thick.
Break the noodles into bite-sized pieces – Long, wavy noodles look gorgeous in the finished soup so if you don’t mind using your spoon to break them up while you eat, go for it! But I recommend breaking the lasagna noodles up into bite-sized pieces before they cook. It’s easier for serving kids and easier to eat.
Use the ricotta as a topping – If you want to make your full pot of lasagna soup creamy and cheesy you can mix the ricotta mixture right in and let it melt. Personally, I recommend you reserve it as a topping instead. I’ve found that it’s best to let the whole family choose how much cheese they want to add. Some of us like it really cheesy, while others prefer just a slight creaminess. Everyone can customize their bowls to their tastes that way.
Recipe Short Cuts
