When You Think of the Comfortable-ness of this Dish, How Can We NOT?
With the last shreds of winter staring at us, soup is still a good idea, don’t you think? How can you beat the versatility and comfortable-ness of a hearty pot of soup?
When I say “versatility,” I’m referring to how it can be served (ceramic bowl, bread bowl, or a large mug). I’m referring to how it can be garnished (a dollop of sour cream, a dollop of pesto, a sprinkling of panko crumbs, a sprinkling of crushed crackers, a spread of croutons, a layer of shredded cheese, and so on and so on). I’m referring to how it can be made (on the stove top, in a slow cooker, in a pressure cooker, in the kitchen oven, or even outdoors in a Sun Oven). Lastly, I’m referring to its temperature; soup can be cold and soup can be hot (think of cucumber soup for supper on a balmy summer night).
And when I say “comfortable-ness,” I’m referring to the pleasure of actually making it. I’m referring to how it fills the house with delicious aromas as it’s simmering. I’m referring to the delight we have, knowing we’re making something so scrumptious for not very much money. I’m referring to how contented we feel when eating it.
So, with this said, comes the question, who can have too many tried-and-true soup recipes? I have one for you that I found on another of my favorite sites, www.food52.com. It’s called “30-Minute Lasagna Soup” and it is beyond delicious, and so much easier than making an actual pan of lasagna.
You may already know about this because lasagna soup has been around for a while. Do a quick Google search and you’ll find recipes from a few chefs, plenty of bloggers, and multiple publications. And it goes by a few different names, too, like “lasagna stew” or “lazy lasagna.”
As you look the recipe over, you’ll notice it does not chince on the cheese (that would be blasphemous). Instead of cheesy layers, though, this lazy version gets topped with a ricotta cream, made with fresh ricotta, a splash of heavy cream, and plenty of grated parmesan cheese. (This cream sauce, by the way, can be used with so many soup—tomato-basil, for one.)
Once the soup is ladled into bowls and dolloped with ricotta cream, it’s garnished with a little fresh parsley, some torn basil and more parmesan cheese. You’ll want to make plenty, because this is as I said above, “beyond delicious” and folks are sure to want seconds.
Finally, as you look the recipe over, you’ll also notice it’s not necessarily the least expensive soup you’ve ever made. But once in a while, it’s OK to splurge, yes? I mean, when you think of the overall comfortable-ness of this dish, how can we NOT?
1 pound lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus shavings for topping
chopped fresh parsley for topping
torn fresh basil for topping
Directions:
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When I say “versatility,” I’m referring to how it can be served (ceramic bowl, bread bowl, or a large mug). I’m referring to how it can be garnished (a dollop of sour cream, a dollop of pesto, a sprinkling of panko crumbs, a sprinkling of crushed crackers, a spread of croutons, a layer of shredded cheese, and so on and so on). I’m referring to how it can be made (on the stove top, in a slow cooker, in a pressure cooker, in the kitchen oven, or even outdoors in a Sun Oven). Lastly, I’m referring to its temperature; soup can be cold and soup can be hot (think of cucumber soup for supper on a balmy summer night).
And when I say “comfortable-ness,” I’m referring to the pleasure of actually making it. I’m referring to how it fills the house with delicious aromas as it’s simmering. I’m referring to the delight we have, knowing we’re making something so scrumptious for not very much money. I’m referring to how contented we feel when eating it.
So, with this said, comes the question, who can have too many tried-and-true soup recipes? I have one for you that I found on another of my favorite sites, www.food52.com. It’s called “30-Minute Lasagna Soup” and it is beyond delicious, and so much easier than making an actual pan of lasagna.
You may already know about this because lasagna soup has been around for a while. Do a quick Google search and you’ll find recipes from a few chefs, plenty of bloggers, and multiple publications. And it goes by a few different names, too, like “lasagna stew” or “lazy lasagna.”
As you look the recipe over, you’ll notice it does not chince on the cheese (that would be blasphemous). Instead of cheesy layers, though, this lazy version gets topped with a ricotta cream, made with fresh ricotta, a splash of heavy cream, and plenty of grated parmesan cheese. (This cream sauce, by the way, can be used with so many soup—tomato-basil, for one.)
Once the soup is ladled into bowls and dolloped with ricotta cream, it’s garnished with a little fresh parsley, some torn basil and more parmesan cheese. You’ll want to make plenty, because this is as I said above, “beyond delicious” and folks are sure to want seconds.
Finally, as you look the recipe over, you’ll also notice it’s not necessarily the least expensive soup you’ve ever made. But once in a while, it’s OK to splurge, yes? I mean, when you think of the overall comfortable-ness of this dish, how can we NOT?
Lasagna Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus shavings for topping
chopped fresh parsley for topping
torn fresh basil for topping
Directions:
1. Four or five pieces at a time, wrap the lasagna noodles in a kitchen towel. Using the edge of the counter as leverage, press the towel into the counter to break the noodles into roughly 1- to 2-inch shards. Repet with the remaining noodles. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat, heat the oil. Once hot, cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Stir in the salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Fully refill one of the empty cans with water and add to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the reserved noodles and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using a fork, mix the ricotta with the cream until smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the ricotta mixture and a few Parmesan shavings
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat, heat the oil. Once hot, cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Stir in the salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Fully refill one of the empty cans with water and add to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the reserved noodles and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using a fork, mix the ricotta with the cream until smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the ricotta mixture and a few Parmesan shavings
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
