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Every year I host a Christmas cookie baking day for a group of ladies. We spend all day baking, dipping, and decorating. By lunchtime, we are ready for a hearty, satisfying lunch. And because my kitchen is full of baking sheets, sprinkles, and cookies in various stages of preparedness… I need something easy!
My standby is a crock pot full of soup. Maybe cheesy potato, maybe creamy chicken and rice. I like to serve something that I can prepare in advance. Then at lunchtime, all I have to do is heat up some rolls or breadsticks and we’re all set!
This year I made lasagna soup. And there was not a drop left. None. That’s a good sign, right?!
Lasagna Soup
The night before cookie baking day, I browned up a pound of mild Italian sausage with one chopped onion. I stashed it in the fridge overnight. In the morning before my guests arrived, all I had to do was drop stuff in the crock pot and let it heat until lunchtime.
I tossed in one of my frozen basil cubes, but it is equally yummy with just the dried herbs and spices.
Wait to add the pasta, though, until about 30-40 minutes before you want to eat. Otherwise it’ll get really mushy. I used a twisty spiral fusilli pasta (anyone else automatically think of Jerry Seinfeld when they hear fusilli? Just me?)…but you could use any pasta of similar shape/size.
What makes this soup taste really lasagna-y is that you add a scoop of ricotta cheese when you serve it. A sprinkle of parmesan is nice, too.
I served this with rosemary breadsticks from the bakery and it made for a yummy, filling lunch.
I might’ve had a mint brownie for dessert. Maybe.
This soup was easy to mix up, and was perfect by lunchtime cooked on high. But if you needed it to simmer all day, just set the crock pot to low. But be sure to turn it to high when you add the pasta.
What is your favorite hearty soup to serve in the winter?
If you just can’t get lasagna off the brain, check out my husband’s favorite Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel and my super veggie packed Summer Veggie Lasagna.
Here’s this easy soup recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot, your preference)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes, if you like it chunkier)
- 1 can tomato paste
- About 10-12 cups chicken stock
- I Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 pound spiral fusilli pasta (or other similar sized pasta)
- Ricotta cheese for serving
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Brown sausage (removed from casings if using links) and chopped onion in a skillet
- Add to crock pot along with spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes), tomato paste, and spices
- Add chicken stock. Be sure to leave room for pasta to be added to crock pot. It will seem quite liquid-y but remember that the pasta will absorb some of the liquid
- Stir, cover, and heat on high for 4 hours or low for 8.
- 30 minutes before serving time, turn crock pot to high (if it was on low) and add pasta.
- Serve with a scoop of ricotta cheese, if desired, and a sprinkle of shredded parmesan
This recipe, like all my recipes, is shared in the Meal Plan Monday link up. You can find the link in my sidebar – or right here!
Looks amazing!
That looks so so good!
It was! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Yum. This sounds amazing. So glad you joined us at Family Joy Blog Link Up Party this week. Have a great rest of your week!
Oh my goodness, stop it with the lasagna goodness! They are going to have to roll me out of the house soon! 😉
This looks delicious! I love crock pot recipes! Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂
Good morning! Just a little note to let you know that this post has been *FEATURED* today on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! Have a lovely week and we hope to see you at this week’s link up! 🙂
What a great way to start my day–Thanks so much! I already have it open in a tab to check out today’s link up. I’ll see you there!
Yum, this looks wonderful. We make lasagna with boiled cabbage as we have some “starch free” requirements in our family. I am going to try it with the cabbage instead of the noodles. The ricotta sounds scrumptious. Thanks for sharing.
I would love to know how that turns out, so I can share with others who may have dietary restrictions!
my favorite is chicken bacon chowder but I will definitely try this!
Yum. I’m going to see if I can make this dairy and gluten free by substituting! Great recipe!
Let me know what changes you make and how it turns out…I’d love to be able to share with others who have dietary restrictions. 🙂
Very delicious! My husband was a little skeptical when I said we were having lasagna soup, but he went back for a second dish!
Yay! So glad he liked it! It’s perfect on a chilly night.