Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the meats
- In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef together in the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Cook until no pink remains and the surface looks browned, then drain excess fat.
- Sauté the onion in the meats for 4 minutes, stirring until softened and lightly translucent. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, until fragrant and darker in color.
Build the soup
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and dried basil to the pot, then bring to a boil. Look for active bubbling across the surface before continuing.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until tender with no hard center visible in a noodle piece.
- Season the soup generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust so the broth is clearly seasoned, not bland.
Mix the cheese topping and serve
- In a bowl, mix the whole milk ricotta, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil into a thick, scoopable cheese mixture. Keep mixing until evenly combined with flecks of basil.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a very large, heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture. Serve immediately so the cheese starts melting into the hot broth.
Notes
For best texture, avoid overcooking the broken lasagna noodles—simmer only until tender in the 10–12 minute window, since they continue softening in the pot. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the noodles and cheese topping can turn grainy. If you want a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella and reduce the ricotta to 1 cup while keeping the soup steps the same.