Spicy Lasagna Soup

Spicy Lasagna Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 (13.8 oz) container of Pomi's crushed tomatoes with chili peppers
• 1 (4.6 oz) tube of Pomi's double concentrated tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (16 oz) box of lasagna noodles (broken into bite-size pieces) or Mafalda pasta
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
• ½ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the meat and sausage. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks until browned all over, 10 minutes. Feel free to drain the fat from the meat if desired.
3. Once the meat is cooked through, add tomato paste and stir in well. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, fennel seed, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
5. While the soup is cooking, prepare the lasagna noodles in a separate pot according to the package directions. Drain and add back to the pot after adding the cheeses and whipping cream. Remove bay leaves.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with ricotta, parmesan, and fresh parsley. Enjoy!

If you prefer a milder soup, switch out hot Italian sausage with mild, eliminate the red pepper flacks, and use Monterey jack cheese instead of pepper jack.