Description
This Family Low Sodium Lasagna Soup is a comforting and hearty dish that brings the beloved flavors of classic lasagna into a warm, flavorful soup. Made with a blend of ground beef and pork, fire-roasted tomatoes, broken lasagna noodles, and a medley of Italian herbs, this recipe carefully balances robust taste with a low-sodium approach, making it a perfect meal for the whole family. Rich cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan add creamy, melty goodness, while fresh basil and a splash of red wine vinegar brighten the flavor profile.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 1.25 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
Broth and Liquids
- 8 cups chicken broth (Swanson unsalted recommended)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pasta
- 16 oz lasagna noodles, broken into 1 to 2-inch bite-sized pieces
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5 tbsp garlic, minced
- 28 oz fire roasted tomatoes
- 6 oz tomato paste (Hunt’s recommended)
Herbs and Spices
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1.5 tsp basil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp fennel seed (crushed for flavor)
Cheeses and Garnishes
- Ricotta cheese (to taste for serving)
- Mozzarella cheese (to taste for serving)
- Parmesan cheese (Galbani preferred, to taste for serving)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Brown the meats: Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pot with the aromatics. Break the meat apart with a spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary to keep the soup light but flavorful.
- Add tomato elements and spices: Stir in tomato paste, fire roasted tomatoes, red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, basil, black pepper, and crushed fennel seeds. Mix well to combine and let simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
- Deglaze and add liquids: Pour in the red wine vinegar, water, and unsalted chicken broth. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to enhance flavor. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- Cook the noodles: Once simmering, add broken lasagna noodles to the pot. Stir frequently to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 12-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with additional black pepper if needed.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with generous spoonfuls of ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan cheese. Finish with fresh basil leaves as garnish for a vibrant, fresh taste.
Notes
- Use unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level in this soup.
- If you prefer a spicier soup, add more red pepper flakes incrementally.
- Breaking the lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces helps simulate the texture of traditional lasagna layers in soup form.
- Fresh herbs enhance flavor, but dried herbs can be substituted with a smaller quantity.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground meat with plant-based crumbles and use vegetable broth.
