American
Sausage Lasagna Soup with Ricotta
Italian sausage, tomato, herbs, and broken lasagna noodles simmer into a robust soup finished with spinach and individual spoonfuls of lemony ricotta.
6 servings · 20 minutes prep · 42 minutes cook
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Noodles and Greens
- 8 ounces dried lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
- 5 ounces baby spinach
Ricotta Finish
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Directions
Brown and Build the Broth
- Brown the italian sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 7–9 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F / 71°C. Transfer with a slotted spoon, leaving 1 tablespoon fat.
- Cook the yellow onion with half the kosher salt for 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and tomato paste; stir for 2 minutes until the paste darkens.
- Add the red wine and scrape up the fond. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until reduced by half, then add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, dried oregano, sausage, and remaining salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Cook the Noodles
- Add the dried lasagna noodles pieces to the steadily simmering broth and cook uncovered, stirring gently every 2 minutes, until just al dente, about 10–12 minutes. Stir in the fresh spinach until wilted, then remove from heat.
Mix the Ricotta and Serve
- Combine the whole milk ricotta, lemon zest, and half the parmesan. Rest the soup 3 minutes, adjust salt, and ladle into bowls. Top each with ricotta mixture, low moisture mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan.
Cool, Store, and Reheat
- For the canonical direct-cook method, divide the combined soup into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Expect the noodles to thicken the soup; loosen gently with broth while reheating to 165°F (74°C). For planned make-ahead service only, cook and chill the noodles separately and combine them with reheated soup at service.
