Easy Lasagna Soup

This soup is part of the soup subscription I gifted my sister for Christmas— and the whole year of soups is worth it just for this one. Lasagna was a favorite comfort food in our family when we were kids and turning it into a soup dials the coziness right up to ten. This comes together in under an hour and makes 6 servings. I make it with mafalde corte noodles that I find at Whole Foods, which I think work like perfect miniature lasagna noodles, but in a pinch, any pasta shape will do. Do NOT skimp on the ricotta topping, it really makes the whole dish. Enjoy!

Note: Like most noodle soups, this thickens quite a bit if you leave it for leftovers. No worries— just add a little water before you reheat to thin it out.

Ingredients

Soup:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 4 large cloves garlic, minced

• Olive oil

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried italian herbs

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 jar marinara sauce

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 1/2 pound mafalde corte pasta, uncooked

• 6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Ricotta topping

• 16 ounces ricotta cheese

• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

• 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• Pinch salt

Directions

1. Begin by making the ricotta topping. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, parsley, and salt and mix together. Taste for salt and set aside.

2. To make the soup, add the onions and olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat and gently sweat them for 5-6 minutes until they begin to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and salt, pepper, and herbs. Sauté until fragrant.

3. Add the tomato paste and stir until it coats the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the ground beef.

4. Cook the ground beef until no longer visibly raw, breaking it up with a spatula so that it incorporates with the tomato paste and onions.

5. Add the marinara sauce and veggie stock. Cover the pot and let it come to a boil over high heat.

6. When the soup comes to a boil, give it a stir and add the pasta. Cook at a gentle boil over medium heat for ten minutes or according to package instructions for al dente.

7. After ten minutes, turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the fresh spinach, then the heavy cream. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.

8. Serve the soup in wide bowls with a hearty dollop of the ricotta topping in the middle. Stir the ricotta in before eating. Enjoy!