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Paula Deen Lasagna Soup

Paula Deen lasagna soup with a rich tomato-broth base, browned sausage and beef, and broken lasagna noodles simmered until tender. Finished with a very generous ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese topping that melts into each bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 lb ground beef
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Tomato base
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Seasoning and noodles
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 8 lasagna noodles broken into pieces
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste
For generous cheese topping
  • 2 cup whole milk ricotta
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup parmesan
  • 1 fresh basil for mixing and garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the meats
  1. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the Italian sausage and ground beef together until cooked through; drain excess fat.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and keep the browned meat in the pot so the aromatics can be cooked in the remaining fat.
Build the tomato base
  1. Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and dried basil, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook the noodles
  1. Add the broken lasagna noodles and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  2. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste and briefly simmer 1 more minute to meld flavors.
Make the cheese topping
  1. Mix the whole milk ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil into a cohesive cheese topping.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a very large, heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture.

Notes

Pro tip: After draining the browned meats, taste the broth after simmering—adjust salt and pepper before serving for a well-seasoned bowl. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze soup (without topping) up to 3 months and reheat until hot, then stir on fresh cheese topping. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat ricotta and part-skim mozzarella (the texture will be slightly less rich, but still melty).