Lasagne Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used a pinch of flakes)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used 3 tablespoons)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces fusilli pasta 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Ricotta mixture

• 8 ounces ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.
2. Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring another 3-4 minutes or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
3. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves and chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaves, add pasta and cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
5. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
6. To serve, place a dollop of ricotta cheese mixture in each soup bowl; sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Serve hot.
7. Serves 6.

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

3 1/2 cups Swanson® Beef Broth (Regular or 50% Less Sodium)

1 can (about 14 .5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or rotini pasta

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Cook the beef, onion, garlic and parsley in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until the beef is well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
• Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil.
• Stir the pasta in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.