45-Minute Lasagna Soup

This is an easy, quick soup that has the taste of lasagna, but the satisfaction of a hearty soup.  It’s so simple – coming together in just 45 minutes (including prep) – it’s a quick weeknight dinner without all the fuss.

You can switch around a few things if you want.  I used regular canned diced tomatoes, but you can use fire-roasted tomatoes for a deeper, richer flavor (even substituting one can would do the trick).  Also, you can use hot sausage instead of the sweet.  I just prefer sweet sausage – and I just added some cayenne at the end to add a little heat.

The recipe makes a lot, but the leftovers are wonderful; the time overnight gives the flavors time to marry.

Enjoy!

45-Minute Lasagna Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 1 cup diced onion yellow or Vidalia
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 6 cups chicken stock plus 1 to 2 cups, if needed
• 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
• 2 14.5- ounce cans diced tomatoes and juice
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• 8 ounces dried lasagna noodles 8 to 10 noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese divided
• 1 cup parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

 

• In a large dutch oven or stock pot, saute the sausage and onions in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. The sausage should be cooked through, and the onions should be golden brown.
• Add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Stir frequently - you don't want the garlic to burn.
• Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, tomatoes and their juice, dried basil and oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper, cayenne (if you're using it) and the lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling for about 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
• At this point, you might want to add 1 to 2 cups more chicken stock (you could add water instead), depending on how thin you like your soup.
• Add the salt and pepper, and adjust seasonings as you like them. Remove the bay leaves.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Serve immediately.
• Soup (without the cheese added) will keep for about a week in the fridge and for up to six months in the freezer.