TASTE • DINE
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WITH JAN D’ATRI
Lasagna soup
A
llow me to introduce you to my new favorite dish! If you love lasagna, you’re going to be absolutely giddy over making this simple soup that tastes exactly like lasagna. I can’t stop making it for friends and family, and I get a kick out of watching them come back for seconds — and thirds — and then holding their tummy because they’ve eaten too much. Be prepared for the same reaction! This lasagna soup is just scrumptious. I often hear that folks love lasagna but only order it in restaurants
because it’s rather tedious to assemble. With lasagna soup, it’s a one-pot wonder of deliciousness without the stress. In fact, you don’t even cook the lasagna noodles ahead of time. You simply throw the raw noodles into the soup! It’s just as delicious whether you use turkey, beef, Italian pork sausage or a combination of all three! One of the things that really makes it taste like lasagna is the ricotta mixture that you dollop on top of the soup when you plate it! If you like Italian cuisine, if you like easy, if you like to please people with a hearty dish that they will adore, then I hope you make lasagna soup soon.
Lasagna soup Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cloves of garlic, minced • 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped fine • 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, beef or Italian sausage (I prefer half beef or turkey with half sausage) • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce (prefer Rao’s Tomato Basil) • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or half a pint of fresh cherry tomatoes, chopped • 1/2 cup chopped basil, plus more for topping • 1 teaspoon oregano, dried or fresh • 4 cups chicken broth • 1 cup water • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon pepper • 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (about 10 noodles) • 1 cup whole milk ricotta • 1 cup shredded mozzarella • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Directions
In a pot, heat the olive oil, and sauté the garlic and onion until soft and translucent. Add the turkey, beef or sausage and cook until browned. Add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, chopped basil, oregano, chicken broth, 1 cup of water, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often. Break the lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces (about 1- to 2-inch pieces) and add them to the pot. Stir occasionally until the noodles are tender. (Do not overcook the noodles. They should be al dente, or a bit firm but cooked through.) Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, mixing to combine. When the soup is done, spoon it into a bowl, top with a big dollop of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh basil. Bon appétit!
Watch Jan D’Atri’s how-to videos at https://bit.ly/JanDAtri 36
APRIL 2022 | MAY 2022 NORTHVALLEYMAGAZINE.COM
