Ingredients
Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 lb ground beef, 80/20
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp tomato paste
25 oz tomato basil pasta sauce
28 oz diced canned tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth, more if you want a thinner soup
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
12 lasagna noodles, dried, broken into 2″ pieces
½ cup heavy cream
Garnishes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
½ cup ricotta cheese
6 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion until soft. Add the beef and brown it all over, then stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook until the paste darkens.
Stir in the pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Add the broken lasagna noodles and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Push the pieces under the liquid, reduce the heat, and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.
Take the pot off the boil and stir in the heavy cream. Add 1-2 cups extra chicken broth here if you want a thinner soup.
Ladle into bowls and top each one with mozzarella, parmesan, a spoonful of ricotta, and fresh basil.
Notes
Use dried lasagna sheets, not oven-ready. No-boil noodles are pre-cooked and fall apart in a simmering broth.
Keep the noodle pieces submerged while they simmer, or the floating edges stay hard.
Refrigerated leftovers keep 4 days, but eat them within 2-3. The noodles keep absorbing broth the whole time. If you are cooking specifically for leftovers, make the base without noodles and boil them fresh.
Freeze without the noodles and without the cream, up to 3 months. Both fail on thawing: the noodles collapse and the cream separates.
Slow cooker: brown the beef and onion in a skillet, add the garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt, then transfer to the slow cooker with the sauce, tomatoes, and broth. Cook High 4 hours or Low 8. Boil the noodles separately and stir them in with the cream during the last 30 minutes.
Instant Pot: brown the beef and onion on Saute, add the garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cancel Saute, add the sauce, tomatoes, broth, remaining salt, and broken noodles. Cook 15 minutes on Soup mode, quick release, and stir in the cream.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker, Instant PotStovetop, Slow Cooker, Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian