Easy Turkey Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil (I usedPrivate ReserveGreek EVOO)
• medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• lb ground turkey
• garlic clove s, minced
• Salt and pepper
• cup slow-sodium, fat-free chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• cup swater
• cup sall-natural Tomato Sauce, no salt added
• dry bay leaves
• tsp dried oregano
• tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• oz broken lasagna noodles or Campanelle pasta, whole wheat or gluten-free if needed
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• to3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• tbsp part-skim shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Making this easy lasagna soup uses almost the same ingredients as the traditional casserole, meaning that it has all the flavor combinations you would expect. But, what really sets this recipe apart are a few key ingredients:
2. I chose ground turkey meat as a leaner protein option with less fat and calories compared to beef or pork. Whenever possible, I like to use white meat turkey breast for this recipe, as it has even less fat and calories than using a blend of ground white and dark.
3. That said, if you prefer to use another option for meat, ground chicken, beef or pork will work, of course.
4. Tip: This dish is actually the perfect way to use up leftover meat from your holiday turkey (like my Thanksgiving approved Garlic Herb Roast Turkey Breast ) or even from a quick weeknight roast chicken. Just skip over the step for browning the meat and toss it in with the broth and tomato sauce.
5. Tomatoes here are essential and they help give the lasagna soup the rich flavor base you expect. For this reason, start with quality tomato sauce that you love that all natural and salt free.
6. Adding flavor to the tomato sauce here are a host of tasty flavor makers including sauteed onions and garlic, dried oregano, paprika (lots of depth), bay leaf, and fresh herbs including basil and parsley.
7. Bay leaf may be the surprising addition here. If you’re not familiar, bay leaves are a type of laurel plant. They are herbal and slightly floral with a similar flavor to oregano, and they’re often used in Mediterranean soups and stews to add depth of flavor to the broth. You can find dried bay leaves in your local grocery store’s spice section (they come in packages of 5 7 leaves per package).
8. In this lasagana soup, we don’t fuss with a bechamel sauce, but we still need a dollop of cheese to enjoy it!
9. Ricotta is the obvious choice here, added at the end to give this lasagna soup a silky, creamy texture.
10. To lighten things up without taking away from the flavor, I used part skim ricotta.
11. Now, if you don’t like ricotta, you can absolutely substitute it with cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, or even crème fraîche.
12. Using whole wheat noodles,rich in fiber and minerals like magnesium and selenium, is a healthier option here for this lasagna soup. Whole wheat noodles are a heart healthy alternative that might even make it more satisfying. But you can use regular lasagna noodles or even gluten free lasagna noodles, if you need to. satisfying!