Lasagna Soup

I am a lasagna lover and those of you who follow Simple Preparations on Instagram (simple.preparations) have seen this soup more than a time or two. Usually, I make it out of left-over lasagna, but this post will have you making it from scratch.

Lasagna soup is very easy to make. It is a combination of tomato sauce, noodles, plant-based ricotta (often tofu), and whatever cheeses I have on hand. Whether I have homemade or store-bought plant-based mozzarella and parm, I make sure they are in there. Though I did not list this, you may put any veggie that you love in lasagna in this soup, but when making it from scratch, I usually just make it plain and we’ll have a side vegetable or veggies.

This dish is really a combination of my tomato sauce and grounded beef meat substitute with noodles and tofu ricotta. It is super easy if I have all of these ingredients already made. Just sauté the meat substitute with onions, garlic, and pepper and add the broth (made from water, liquid aminos, and no-chicken broth powder)! As soon as I am able to get a photo of it, I will remove the recipe for the tofu ricotta from this write-up, but adding it in now because I have yet to post the recipe.

I really hope you like this as much as I do. Without further ado, here is the recipe …

Lasagna Soup (Plant-Based)

Ingredients

For the Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cups plant-based ground beef substitute (See recipe)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon liquid aminos
2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) tomato paste
1/3 cup honey (or agave nectar/cane sugar, to taste)
3-4 cups water
3-4 cups no-chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (or plant-based parmesan)
1 package lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
1-2 cups plant-based mozzarella

For the Tofu Ricotta

10 ounces firm tofu, drained
½ cup plain soybean milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon pure salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon Monk’s pepper (chasteberry, to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Tofu Ricotta

Crumble the drained tofu into a bowl.
Blend about 1 cup of the crumbled tofu with soybean milk , nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Monk’s pepper and olive oil until smooth.
Pour the blended mixture back into the bowl with the remaining crumbled tofu.
Stir into a ricotta-like consistency. Adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside.

2. Cook the Soup

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent.
Stir in minced garlic, green bell pepper, and plant-based ground beef substitute.
Pour in liquid aminos and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and liquid evaporates.
Sprinkle in oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), stirring for another minute.
Pour in crushed tomatoes, water, and no-chicken broth. Stir in tomato paste and bring the mixture to a boil.
Mix in honey, salt, cilantro, and nutritional yeast (or plant-based parmesan). Reduce heat and let simmer for 7 minutes.
Add broken lasagna noodles, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10-12 minutes until the noodles are al dente but tender, not mushy.
Stir in the prepared tofu ricotta and 1 cup of plant-based mozzarella. Let mozzarella melt for about 2 minutes. Then, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Sprinkle the remaining plant-based mozzarella over the hot soup, cover, and let it melt.

3. Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls.
Garnish with fresh basil or serve with a side of cooked greens such as mustard, collards, spinach, or kale (optional).

(Per serving, based on 6 servings – values may vary depending on ingredients used.)