Description
Pioneer Woman Lasagna Soup brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with a hearty, cheesy twist on classic lasagna. Layers of rich tomato broth, tender pasta, and melted cheese create a soul-warming meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (1 lb) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 cup (8 ounces) fresh ricotta cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Liquids and Dry Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 lasagna noodles, broken into 1– to 2-inch pieces
- Black pepper, to taste
- Italian bread, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatic base by warming olive oil (29.5 milliliters / 2 tablespoons) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Crumble Italian sausage into the pot and cook until the meat loses its pink hue, approximately 5 minutes.
- Incorporate minced garlic and diced onions, sautéing until vegetables soften and become translucent, around 3 to 4 minutes. Pour white wine into the mixture, allowing it to simmer and reduce by half, which takes roughly 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and water to the pot. Sprinkle in dried oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and let it thicken slightly for about 7 minutes.
- Break lasagna noodles into uneven pieces and add them to the simmering soup. Cook until the pasta reaches an al dente texture, approximately 6 to 7 minutes.
- Fold fresh spinach and torn basil leaves into the soup, allowing the greens to wilt and release their flavors, which takes around 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if necessary.
- For the ricotta dumplings, blend ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, finely chopped basil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Gently drop approximately 2 tablespoons (29.5 milliliters) of the ricotta mixture on top of each portion. Finish by sprinkling extra grated parmesan cheese over the surface.
- Serve the lasagna soup immediately while piping hot, accompanied by crusty bread or a side salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- Customize Sausage Flavor: Swap between sweet and hot Italian sausage to match your spice preference, enhancing the soup’s depth by removing casings for smoother texture.
- Control Tomato Texture: Hand-crushing tomatoes lets you create a personalized soup consistency, from chunky to silky smooth based on your taste.
- Concentrate Wine Essence: Slowly reducing wine intensifies the soup’s flavor profile, adding complexity that simple broth cannot achieve.
- Preserve Dumpling Lightness: Gently fold ricotta mixture to maintain airy texture, avoiding overmixing which creates dense, heavy dumplings.
- Adjust Seasoning Carefully: Sample the soup before salting, recognizing that sausage and cheese naturally contribute saltiness to the dish.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg