Beefy Vegetable Lasagna Soup

Here is another one of my favorite meals turned into a soup. The soup is easier than the meal! I love to make this soup, everyone in my family loves it!

I love soups, I eat the all year, but they are especially good when it is cold out side. We have had more than our fair share of rain lately so soup seems to be the answer to me constantly being cold. Especially after I have been out side and I am freezing.

You can make this soup quickly, just cook the vegetables longer in the beginning, before you add the rest. I like to cook it for hours so I briefly cook the vegetables then add the rest so I can smell the wonderful smell of it cooking for hours!

This soup can be cooked in your crockpot or on the stove top, I do both, it just depends on if I will be home while cooking it. First, I chop up all the vegetables, I usually use onions, carrots, celery and garlic. The great thing about this soup is, you can use any vegetables you want, or none at all. I love it with or without vegetables. I also start cooking the hamburger.

If you are going to use a crockpot, you can just put all the ingredients in it and let it cook, make sure to cook the hamburger first though! If you are going to eat the whole pot, you can even add the noodles at the end and they can cook in the broth.

My daughter claims to not like carrots, but she has no problem eating them in this soup. Neither of my kids eat celery except in this soup. The broth has such a great flavor, the vegetables absorb it and taste just like the broth! That is one reason I cook mine so long, I want the flavors of the broth to be in every bite!

Next, I add the tomato paste and garlic, I stir it really good and let it cook for a few minutes. Then I add the can of tomatoes. When the hamburger is done, I drain off any excess fat then carefully add it and red pepper and black pepper to the pot. I keep the pot on low just in case anything splashes. Then I let the whole pot cook for several hours, until the vegetables are done.

The soup can simmer for quite a while, so you can start it earlier in the day. I usually start mine in the morning and let it cook on low. The house smells great and at dinner time I only have to cook the noodles and any sides I want!

When it is time to eat, I put the noodles in the bowls first, then top with the soup, then I put cheese, usually mozzarella, parmesan or cheddar...or all three! Then I top that with ricotta cheese. The ricotta cheese is what really pulls the flavors together and gives you the great lasagna flavor. If you do not like ricotta you can use cottage cheese, it is delicious in this soup too!

I do not add the noodles to the soup pot because they tend to not hold up well if you have leftovers. I usually make enough soup to have leftovers the next day. If you are going to eat the whole pot, you can add the noodles to the pot.

Beefy Vegetable Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean hamburger, I used 4% fat
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
28 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 TBSP minced garlic or garlic powder
6 cups chicken broth (I used water and Better Than Buillon)
2 TBSP tomato paste
1/2 TBSP red pepper flakes
1/2 TBSP black pepper
1 lb noodles, egg noodles, mini penne noodles, rotini noodles, bow tie noodles, any bite sized noodles or larger broken up noodles will do
Toppings - ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook hamburger for about 10 minutes, or until browned through, drain any fat
While cooking hamburger, put onion, carrots and celery in pot, cook and stir for about 5 minutes
Add tomato paste and garlic to vegetables, cook for about 3 minutes, add can of tomatoes
Add chicken broth, stir, add red pepper flakes and black pepper, stir
When hamburger is done, drain the fat and add the hamburger to the pot
Continue cooking over low heat for several hours, until vegetables are tender
Cook pasta
Put pasta in bowls, top with soup, then top with ricotta cheese and other cheeses, if desired