I have the utmost respect for silky smooth pur\u00e9ed soups but, for me, a chunky soup that\u2019s like an all-in-one meal wins every time. That\u2019s one of the reasons I liked lasagna soup from the first time I tried it. It\u2019s a family-friendly main course I can easily pull together on a weeknight, comforting in all the ways I love in a soup.\n<\/p>\n
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What Is Lasagna Soup? <\/span> <\/h2>\n
Quite simply, lasagna soup is a soup that\u2019s made with all of the ingredients you love in a classic lasagna. You\u2019ve got a tomato broth base that\u2019s seasoned with Italian herbs, bite-sized lasagna noodles, crumbled Italian sausage, and a three-cheese topping to finish it off.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
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The Best Noodles for Lasagna Soup <\/span> <\/h2>\n
Lasagna noodles are, of course, the obvious choice for making lasagna soup. You\u2019ll want to break them into bite-sized pieces before cooking them, of course.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Alternatively, there are lots of other pasta shapes that will work well. Ribbon-shaped pastas such as reginetti and Mafalda, which look like mini ruffle-edged lasagna noodles, are great choices. Farfalle (aka \u201cbowtie pasta\u201d) and bell-shaped campanelle also pair well with hearty soups like lasagna soup.\n<\/p>\n
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Simply Recipes \/ Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek<\/p>\n
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Why Cook the Noodles Separately? <\/span> <\/h2>\n
While it does require the use of one more pot (and I know how we like a one-pot meal), I\u2019m going to make a case for boiling the noodles separately from the rest of your lasagna soup. The issue at hand is noodle mushiness\u2014and avoiding it.\n<\/p>\n
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Serving time flexibility.<\/strong> If you\u2019re planning to serve the soup immediately, you can cook the noodles right in the soup without having to worry about them becoming mushy. But if you let the noodles simmer for longer than about 10 minutes, they\u2019re likely to get overcooked. Keeping the cooked noodles separate from the broth gives you the option to delay serving the soup (even by just a few minutes), should you need the flexibility, without compromising the noodle texture.<\/li>\n
Better reheating.<\/strong> If you anticipate wanting to reheat this soup at a later time, you\u2019re better off cooking and storing the noodles separately so they don\u2019t soak up the broth and become, once again, mushy.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Variations <\/span> <\/h2>\n
You can tweak this very flexible soup recipe to your preferences. Here are a few ideas:\n<\/p>\n
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Add greens.<\/strong> You can easily incorporate baby spinach, kale, or other greens to this soup. In Step 4, once the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, add about 5 ounces (more or less, it\u2019s up to you) of baby or chopped greens and continue simmering until they\u2019re tender and wilted, about 5 more minutes.\u00a0<\/li>\n
Simmer with a Parmesan rind.<\/strong> If you\u2019ve ever enjoyed a soup that\u2019s been simmered with a Parmesan rind, you know the savory depth of flavor it can bring. If you\u2019ve got a rind in your refrigerator\u2015or perhaps you\u2019ll obtain one once you grate the Parmesan for this recipe\u2015go ahead and toss it in the pot in Step 4. Just remember to discard it before serving.\u00a0<\/li>\n
Switch up the sausage.<\/strong> Lighten up this soup a bit with Italian-style chicken, turkey, or plant-based sausage. Alternatively, you can omit the sausage entirely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Beloved Italian Soup Recipes <\/span> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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