Hearty Lasagna Soup

All the flavors of lasagna in a comforting, cozy soup with a dollop of ricotta goodness that gets melted right into the soup!

You’ll Need:

• 8 ounces elbows pasta
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

FOR THE RICOTTA MIXTURE

• 8 ounces ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
3. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat. Add garlic, onion, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well combined, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in pasta.
5. Serve immediately with a heaping spoonful of the ricotta mixture, sprinkled with mozzarella and basil.

Source: damndelicious.net