How to Make the Pioneer Woman Lasagna Soup Recipe at Home
Lasagna soup, a delightful culinary creation that both satisfies and feels like an indulgence, while still providing nourishment. This soup is perfect for a chilly evening or dinner party. If you’re curious about crafting the Pioneer Woman lasagna soup recipe at home, you’ve come to the right place. The following recipe highlights a Pioneer Woman-inspired lasagna soup that enables cooks of all levels to replicate the hearty flavors of this dish.
What Makes Pioneer Woman Lasagna Soup So Good?
Lasagna originates from a Greek term that refers to layers of sauce and pasta, but Naples was where the dish took its modern form. Assembling all those layers can be challenging, which is why lasagna soup is ideal for those with busy lives.
This soup is fantastic because it delivers the delicious taste of lasagna without the fuss and mess associated with traditional lasagna. Lasagna is well known as a soul food and the Pioneer Woman Lasagna Soup won’t disappoint in that respect either.
A Delightful Pioneer Woman Lasagna Soup Recipe
This appetizing recipe is inspired by the Pioneer Woman’s renowned lasagna soup recipe, and I’ve drawn on this inspiration to create a similar recipe that’s even simpler to make at home with common pantry ingredients. I want everyone to savor the taste of this soup without having to navigate a complex process to achieve the same flavor. The recipe takes approximately 45 minutes and serves about 6 people, but you can adjust the yield to suit your needs.
Ingredients:
For the soup:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 sweet onion
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 8 lasagna noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
For ricotta dumplings:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup grated parmesan, ¼ set aside for garnish
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Sprinkle of black pepper
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the soup base. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 3 more minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Deglaze the pot with red wine vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot. Cook for around 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and broth to the pot. Incorporate oregano, basil, salt, and pepper flakes. Simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the soup has begun to thicken. When thickened, add noodles and cook until al dente, typically taking around 7 minutes.
- Once pasta is cooked, add spinach and cook for 3 more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare ricotta dumplings. Combine parmesan, cheese, basil, salt, and pepper. Scoop soup into bowls and add dollops of ricotta dumplings. Garnish with parmesan.
- Serve your soup and enjoy!
Tips to Making This Soup Even Better
This amazing soup recipe will already satisfy the most discerning home chef, but with a little creativity, the soup can be even better. Use these ideas to get started:
- Use regular lasagna noodles rather than no-boil noodles. No-boil noodles are better for oven-baked lasagna, but simmering works better with regular noodles. The consistency of regular noodles better matches the textures you want with this soup.
- Choose sausage based on your preferences. Sweet sausage is classic, but I also love the taste of spicy sausage for added kick. You may be even more adventurous and use Argentinian or Colombian salsiccias instead of Italian sausage.
- Opt for full-fat ricotta instead of skim. Skim ricotta sacrifices flavor, while full-fat ricotta gives you the complete experience. Don’t be afraid to indulge!
- Grate your own parmesan for better flavor, but store-bought grated cheese is perfectly acceptable if that’s what suits your lifestyle.
- I’ve used dried herbs for this recipe, but if you have fresh herbs handy, fresh herbs often provide more flavor. Swap dried herbs for about ¼ cup of fresh herbs, and you’re good to go. I frequently grow my own herbs in a garden during the warmer months and then dry or freeze them for use in the colder months!
Can I Make Substitutions?
I’m a big fan of substitutions. While I enjoy making recipes as written to experience authentic and complete flavors, I understand that busy individuals may want to take shortcuts or not have time to shop for last-minute ingredients. Soup is an ideal dish for making substitutions because, with moderate adjustments, you can still have a delicious final product that warms and comforts you.
If you don’t have lasagna noodles, you’ll still get a fantastic soup using other noodles. I’ve used bow ties for this soup before, and they made a delightful variation for one of my favorite soup recipes!
To make this recipe vegetarian, I love swapping the meat for an eggplant, creating an eggplant parmesan-style dish. Roast the eggplant in the oven and add it just before serving the soup.
How to Serve Lasagna Soup
This soup is quite filling, so I usually serve it as a main course. It would be a bit too heavy as an appetizer, unless you’re choosing a light main course. While bread isn’t necessary, it’s always a welcome accompaniment to soup. If you’re looking to add some veggies, consider a salad or another vegetable side that provides nutrients without filling you up too much.
Is this Soup Healthy?
While this soup is heartier than many other soups, it can still be part of a balanced diet. Lasagna soup is satisfying, and research from Penn State University suggests that having soup helps people reduce their overall calorie intake at a meal. Thus, lasagna soup provides the indulgence of lasagna with the many health benefits of soup! Plus, this soup is good for the soul, so both your body and mind will thank you.
