Lasagna Soup
A quick take on this Italian classic
When a steaming lasagna comes out of the oven, it usually brings great joy to the table. But especially on weekdays, time is often tight, and things need to go a little faster. This lasagna soup isn’t just the quickest—it’s also the tastiest alternative to classic lasagna. In no time at all, you can finally use up that half-empty package of lasagna sheets and whip up a delicious dish with just a few ingredients—one that tastes just like Mamma’s or Nonna’s.
Ingredients
For the ragù:
300 g mixed ground beef and pork (coarsely ground)
150 g pancetta (cured pork belly)
1–2 carrots
50 g celery stalks
1 small onion
1 can ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes (425 g)
1–2 tbsp ORO di Parma triple-concentrated tomato paste
100 ml dry white wine
200 ml beef broth
a little extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
a bunch of fresh basil
¼ bunch fresh oregano
6 lasagna sheets
For the béchamel sauce:
35 g butter
35 g flour
500 ml milk
1 bay leaf
1 pinch of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Step 1 : The Preparation
Tie on your apron and let's get started: For the ragù, chop the onion, carrots, and celery into very small pieces, then dice the pancetta. Finely chop the fresh herbs as well and set them aside in a small bowl for garnishing later. You won’t need them until the very end.
Step 2 : Ragù alla Bolognese
Now comes the moment when your kitchen fills with all those wonderful Italian aromas. In a large pot or deep skillet, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, pancetta, and tomato paste in a little olive oil. Once the ingredients are softened, add the ground meat. Sear all the ingredients already in the pot over high heat. Once the meat is nicely browned, add the white wine to deglaze the pan and let everything continue to simmer over medium heat. As soon as the wine has evaporated, add the chopped tomatoes and the broth to the pot. While the whole kitchen is already filled with the aroma, let your ragù simmer for a while longer over low heat—this will make the soup especially delicious later on. To pass the time while you wait, you can start working on your béchamel sauce.
Step 3 : Béchamel Sauce
To make the béchamel sauce, first melt the butter in a small separate saucepan. Be careful not to let it get too hot. Once the butter has completely melted, add the flour to make a roux and stir it in gently. Next, briefly remove the saucepan from the heat to gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Once the butter, flour, and milk have combined into a creamy sauce, you can return the saucepan to the heat. Now add the bay leaf and some grated nutmeg to the saucepan and let them simmer with the sauce for a few minutes. After about five minutes, season your béchamel sauce with salt and pepper to taste and remove it from the heat.
Step 4 : The Finale
The wait is over: In the final step, combine all the ingredients. To do this, break each lasagna sheet into three small pieces. Add them to the ragù and let them simmer for eight to ten minutes until they’re cooked through. Now you can garnish the soup with your béchamel sauce and the herbs you chopped at the beginning, then serve.
Buon appetito!
Ingredients
For the ragù:
300 g mixed ground beef and pork (coarsely ground)
150 g pancetta (cured pork belly)
1–2 carrots
50 g celery stalks
1 small onion
1 can ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes (425 g)
1–2 tbsp ORO di Parma triple-concentrated tomato paste
100 ml dry white wine
200 ml beef broth
a little extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
a bunch of fresh basil
¼ bunch fresh oregano
6 lasagna sheets
For the béchamel sauce:
35 g butter
35 g flour
500 ml milk
1 bay leaf
1 pinch of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
