Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the beef
- Brown the lean ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat. Look for crumbled beef with no pink remaining.
Sauté aromatics
- Sauté the diced onion in the same pot for 4 minutes. Cook until the onion softens and turns translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir until fragrant and slightly darkened.
Build the soup
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.
- Season with salt to taste and continue to stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Keep the soup at a simmer until everything is evenly heated.
Make the cheese dollop and serve
- Mix the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan together for a thick cheese dollop. Stir until combined and scoopable.
- Serve the soup hot in bowls with a very generous spoonful of the cheese dollop. Top with fresh basil so it slightly melts into the hot broth.
Notes
Pro tip: break the lasagna noodles into small pieces so they cook tender in the 10-12 minute simmer without turning mushy. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is not recommended because noodles can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter option, use 93% lean or swap part of the beef for lean ground turkey while keeping the same broth and seasoning.
