Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the beef
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot until no longer pink, then drain the fat. Visual cue: the crumbles should look evenly browned.
Build the tomato base
- Sauté the diced onion in the same pot for 4 minutes until softened. Visual cue: the onion will look translucent and glossy.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Visual cue: the mixture will darken slightly and smell fragrant.
Simmer the soup
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, then bring to a boil. Visual cue: bubbles should roll across the surface.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles, reduce heat, and simmer 10-12 minutes until tender. Visual cue: the noodles will soften and the broth will thicken slightly.
- Season with salt to taste and stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking. Visual cue: the soup will look cohesive with noodles moving freely.
Make the cheese dollop and serve
- Mix the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil until combined. Visual cue: a creamy, scoopable mixture should form.
- Serve the hot soup in bowls and add a very generous spoonful of the cheese dollop to each bowl. Visual cue: the dollop should partially melt on contact with the hot broth.
Notes
Pro tip: broken lasagna noodles can absorb broth fast, so keep the soup at a gentle simmer and stir every few minutes during the 10–12 minute cooking window. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of beef broth or water to loosen the noodles. Freezing is not recommended because noodles can become soft and grainy after thawing. For a lighter swap, use 93% lean ground beef and part-skim mozzarella in the dollop.
