Rachael Ray's Lasagna Soup

• Salt
• 8 oz. lasagna noodles with curly edges, broken into pieces
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 12 oz. ground beef (80% lean)
• 12 oz. sweet Italian sausages with fennel, casings removed, or bulk sausage
• Pepper
• 1 tsp. (about 1/3 palmful) dried oregano, lightly crushed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 qt. chicken stock
• 1 can (28 oz.) whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 cups passata (uncooked tomato puree) or tomato puree
• A few leaves of fresh basil, torn
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ¼ to 1/3 cup heavy cream, crème fraîche, or mascarpone cheese
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the noodles. Cook until a few minutes shy of the package directions. Drain and rinse.

Step 2

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil, two turns of the pan, over medium-high. Add the beef and sausage. Cook, occasionally stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the oregano. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and whole tomatoes. Use a spoon to smash the tomatoes. Add the passata and basil. Cook until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Add the noodles to the soup. Cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, Parm, and cream. Season with salt.

Step 4

Serve the soup in bowls. Top each serving with a fat dollop of the cheese mixture. Garnish with parsley.