📖 Instructions

1. Brown the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown one pound of Italian sausage over medium-high heat. Make sure to break it up with a spoon as it cooks. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease—nobody needs that extra fat!
2. Sauté the vegetables: Add one diced onion, two cloves of minced garlic, and one diced bell pepper (any color you prefer) to the pot with the sausage. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the bell pepper is tender. I made the mistake of skipping this step once, and the raw onion flavor was a bit overwhelming, so don't skip the saute!
3. Add the liquids: Pour in 6 cups of chicken broth (vegetable broth works too!). Then, stir in one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, one 15-ounce can of tomato sauce, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients.
4. Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. I sometimes peek and stir, just to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
5. Add the noodles: Break 8 ounces of lasagna noodles into small, bite-sized pieces. Stir the noodles into the soup. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together. I find that using gluten-free noodles often requires a little extra cooking time.
6. Add the cheese: Stir in 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley. Mix well until the cheese is melted and evenly distributed throughout the soup. I like to save some of the ricotta and parm for garnish too. Makes for a nice presentation!
7. Serve and enjoy: Ladle the lasagna soup into bowls. Garnish with additional ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley, if desired. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes adds a nice kick. A crusty bread slice for dipping is perfect.
8. A tip about the cheese. I once added mozzarella to the pot, but it did not turn out that well. It clumped together, and it looked a mess. I suggest you don't add mozzarella to the pot.