Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 white or yellow onion (peeled and diced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 24 ounce jar pasta sauce
  • 8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth (divided)
  • 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 uncooked lasagna noodles roughly broken into 1 to 2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
  • Garnish: shredded mozzarella cheese, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese

Instruction

  • In a large soup pot or Dutch oven cook the ground beef and onion over medium high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces. Cook until the meat is fully browned.
  • Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat.
  • Stir the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, dried basil, dried parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper into the meat and onions.
  • Add the pasta sauce, 6 cups of the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
  • Add the broken lasagna noodles and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low to medium heat cooking until the lasagna noodles are tender (about 20-25 minutes). Stir the soup occasionally (it will become thick as it simmers, so be sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot).
  • Remove and discard the bay leaf and stir in heavy cream (optional) plus an additional 2-4 cups of chicken broth to reach desired consistency.
  • Garnish by topping the soup with ingredients of your choice, such as mozzarella cheese, dollops of ricotta cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.