baked ziti soup

1 yellow pepper minced
1 large onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional but added a wonderful kick)
frozen meatballs (you call on how many)
1 28oz can of whole tomatoes chopped (you could also use your favorite tomato sauce)
32oz box of chicken stock with an additional cup of water
handful of chopped parsley
handful of freshly chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of dried pasta
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parm
salt and pepper to taste
a tbl of fresh basil and parsley

i have seen recipes all over the internets for this one (they however call is lasagna soup). not only does paula dean make it but so do her sons (and a low fat version too). and then i came upon this link on pinterest the other day. i knew it was time to make it, it’ like a meal in a bowl…but it is soup (our fav).

i had a real rachel ray moment when i came across this recipe. can i make this quick? instead of sausage can i add frozen meatballs (this would save me at least 10 minutes)? ziti or cellentani instead of mafalda (which looks like tiny lasagna noodles)? it took on more of a baked ziti appearance then lasagna and my kids were even cooler with that since lasagna is not one of their favorites.

we always have frozen meatballs here, either turkey meatballs from shady brook farms or little party meatballs from trader joes. spaghetti and meatballs is a favorite here and both make for a quick yet healthy meal, especially since they are pre-cooked and there is no frying involved.

so a soup (which we all love here), with the addition of meatballs (which is another favorite), pasta (which we couldn’t live with out), and to top it off (my favorite) cheese.

this is truly a great combination. it’s easy to prepare, easy to make, and the taste, yummy. it tastes just liked baked ziti but had the comfort of soup. it was my rachel ray moment, i got dinner on the table quick and everyone enjoyed it.

just a note (vegetarian option): use veggie stock instead of chicken. i am a huge fan of morningstar farms. they make a wonderful crumble product that would be excellent in this dish. this would also be a great option if you are kosher.

lasagna soup

in a large stock pot or dutch oven add a tbl of olive oil. saute onion, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes for about 5 minutes or until onion is softened and transparent.
add your tomatoes to the pot as well as your stock, water and meatballs. throw in fresh herbs and season and salt and pepper. bring to a boil and then to a simmer. cook for 20 minutes.
meanwhile, prepare the cheese. mix ricotta cheese, grated parm, with salt and pepper to taste add a tbl of fresh basil and parsley and set aside.
to the soup pot add pasta. cover pot and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until pasta is done to your liking.
when pasta is done, ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese mixture.