Paula Deen Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

Paula Deen Tastes Like Lasagna Soup brings all the comfort of lasagna into a one-pot soup that feeds 8 in about 20 minutes. Ground chuck, broken lasagna noodles, and two kinds of cheese simmer in a tomato broth that hits the table with bubbly broiled mozzarella on top. It is the kind of bowl that belongs at every fall supper.

The broiler step is what separates this from any other beef and noodle soup. Ladling it into ovenproof bowls and melting mozzarella until it browns and bubbles gives each serving a French onion soup finish. Skip that step and you lose the best part of the whole dish.

Brown the beef well and drain it completely so the broth stays clean. Make the garlic crostini while the soup simmers to save time. The noodles keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so serve it right away or add a splash of broth when reheating.

Paula Deen Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

590

kcal

A thick tomato and beef soup loaded with broken lasagna noodles and topped with broiled mozzarella and garlic crostini.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chuck
  

• 1 chopped onion
  

• 1 chopped green bell pepper
  

• 3 cloves minced, plus 2 cloves smashed garlic
  

• 1 teaspoon thyme
  

• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
  

• 1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
  

• 2 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
  

• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 2 cups broken lasagna noodles
  

• 1 (5 oz) package grated Parmesan cheese
  

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  

• 1 thin French baguette
  

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• Brown the beef: In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and 3 cloves minced garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.
• Simmer the soup: Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
• Broil with cheese: Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.
• For the garlic crostini:
  
• Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Bake the crostini: Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with 2 smashed garlic cloves.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Mercer Millennia 10-inch bread knife, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can you use regular pasta instead of lasagna noodles?

You can use penne, rigatoni, or any short pasta that holds up in broth. The flat lasagna pieces catch more cheese and sauce, so the soup will taste a little different with tubes or shells. Cook times vary by shape, so check the noodles a couple minutes before the package says they are done.

How do you store leftover lasagna soup?

Keep the soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The noodles will soak up liquid overnight, so stir in extra chicken broth when you reheat it on the stove. The crostini do not store well and should be made fresh.

Do you need ovenproof bowls to make this?

Yes, regular bowls can crack under a broiler. Ceramic crocks or cast iron bowls work best. If you do not have ovenproof bowls, spread the mozzarella on a sheet pan, broil it until bubbly, then spoon it over each serving.

Why add brown sugar to the soup?

A tablespoon of brown sugar balances the acidity from three cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce. Without it, the broth can taste sharp after simmering. It does not make the soup sweet, just rounds out the flavor.

Can you make this soup ahead of time?

You can make the base through simmering and refrigerate it without the noodles. Add the noodles when you reheat so they do not turn mushy. The garlic crostini can be baked a day ahead and stored in a paper bag at room temperature.