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Healthy Beef Lasagna Soup - Cozy, Lighter Comfort Food

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90–93% lean)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional for extra veggies)
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried basil, oregano, and thyme)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6–8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite-size pieces (or use whole wheat)
  • 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Brown the beef. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink. Season lightly with salt and pepper. If there’s excess fat, drain it off.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Build the base. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to concentrate the flavor. Add crushed tomatoes, broth, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a lively simmer.
  4. Add the pasta. Stir in the broken lasagna noodles and zucchini. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente, about 10–12 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  5. Mix the “cheesy” finish. In a small bowl, combine ricotta and parmesan with a pinch of salt and pepper. This becomes your creamy topping.
  6. Serve. Remove the bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of the ricotta-parmesan mixture. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and a little extra parmesan if you like.