Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown sausage
- Brown hot Italian sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain the fat so the broth stays rich but not greasy.
Sauté aromatics
- Sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes in the same pot. Add minced garlic, minced jalapeños, and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened at the edges.
Bloom spices
- Stir in red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring so the spices smell toasty rather than burned, about 60 seconds.
Simmer the soup
- Add crushed tomatoes, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning, then bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a steady simmer.
- Add broken lasagna noodles and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. The soup should thicken slightly as the noodles soften.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste after the noodles are tender so the heat level and salt balance are just right.
Make the cooling cheese dollop and serve
- Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil until a thick, spreadable dollop forms. Serve it cooling on top so it contrasts the hot broth.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle chili oil over the top, and add a cooling ricotta dollop. Finish with a final peppery pinch only if needed.
Notes
Pro tip: after simmering, let the soup stand 2-3 minutes off the heat so the noodles absorb broth and the texture turns more stew-like. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of chicken broth if it thickens too much. Freezing is not recommended because lasagna noodles can soften further and the topping may separate. For a lighter option, use chicken broth and swap part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella in the cooling dollop.