Lazy Lasagna Soup
If you’re anything like me and you love lasagna but hate all the meal prep and layering that comes with it, then you will love this recipe, which takes all the wonderful parts of a lasagna and makes them into a simple, delicious and hearty soup. It might sound strange but trust me, it works! The key to getting that iconic lasagna flavor is to add a generous dollop of the cheese mix on top of the soup, which just brings everything together so perfectly. Using ground pork and ground beef together provides great depth of flavor, but feel free to substitute the pork with ground turkey or use all beef if preferred. You can also bulk up the meat sauce with some veggies if you want to pack in some extra nutrition.
Serves6
Preparation Time5 min
Cooking Time - Text35 to 45 minutes
Ingredients
- For the Lasagna
- 400 grams (0.9 pound) lean ground beef
- 400 grams (0.9 pound) lean ground pork
- 2 medium brown onions, finely chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) Italian seasoning
- 2 (15-oz [400-g]) cans finely chopped tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups (480 g) passata or sieved tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
- 4 cups (960 ml) water
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
- 8 ounces (230 g) Mafalda corta pasta, or pasta of choice
For the Cheese Mix- 3/4 cup (185 g) ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped fresh parsley (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
-
Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the ground beef and ground pork and cook them for 4 to 5 minutes. As they cook, break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and mix them together until there is no pink remaining in the meat. Transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside.
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Discard most of the leftover fat, leaving only a thin layer in the pot. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook them for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Transfer the beef and pork back to the pot, then add some salt, black pepper and the Italian seasoning. Mix to combine, then add the canned tomatoes, passata, tomato paste, water and beef stock. Mix until everything is well combined and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Turn the heat up to medium, bring to a boil and add the pasta to the pot. Cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring often.
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Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan and fresh parsley until everything is well combined. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and top with a dollop of the cheese mixture.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Store the lasagna soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the thawed soup on the stove with a splash of water until warmed through.
Store the cheese mix in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or until either of the cheeses expire, if earlier.
