I decided to stop eating meat right before the pandemic began in 2020. I was living at Pace University and ate most of my meals in the cafe, so it was a pretty seamless transition. However, with the lockdown and moving back home, I had to learn how to cook fairly quickly, as I didn’t want my family to feel they had to change their food habits to accommodate my dietary choice. At that point, I would describe myself as an okay cook – I could follow a recipe just fine but wasn’t confident enough to know where to tweak for my preferences or how to develop a recipe from my own ideas. Being at home almost all the time gave me the perfect opportunity to begin experimenting and developing my skills. It was at this time that I became comfortable in the kitchen.
I self-describe myself as a “bad vegetarian.” Just because I don’t eat meat, doesn’t mean I have a relatively healthy diet. I will admit there will be days when I realize that I relied a bit too heavily on carbs, especially pasta, and begin to question when the last time I had a vegetable was. Instinctually, I often gravitate towards easy meals, with minimal prep and work required. As the country moved to this stage of the pandemic, where life is back to its fast pace and there wasn’t seemingly endless time at home, simple recipes became my routine. However, this semester I am taking all of my classes asynchronously, giving me the time to get back in the kitchen. My goal this time around is to find recipes that aren’t just easy, but also deliciously flavorful and move beyond the simplicity of pasta with butter and cheese. This recipe is one of the first that I tried out, and has remained one of my favorites.Â
Lasagna soup rose in popularity as a trending meal on TikTok. Essentially, it is a deconstructed lasagna with a tomato-based broth. After seeing countless renditions of the dish, I set out to find my perfect recipe. I wanted a specific blend of my love for garlic and Italian tradition with the excitement of spice, all in the comfort of a soup. It’s often difficult to find meatless soup recipes, and trying to modify meat-based recipes doesn’t always work well. My attempt before this was chicken-less chicken noodle soup (I don’t recommend it, the sad noodles in the vegetable broth with carrots were utterly disappointing). However, this recipe definitely doesn’t disappoint.
What I love most is that the soup comes together in only one pot and takes less than an hour to fully construct. Plus, this meal has the potential to be tweaked to preference. For instance, this recipe reflects my meatless diet, but sausage or ground beef could easily be added. If you prefer less spice, nix the red pepper flakes. Or, you can add more or less ricotta to find the perfect thickness of the broth. I firmly believe this recipe will be loved by everyone for its ease, taste, and possibilities.Â
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic – minced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can of crushed tomatoes
4 cups of vegetable broth
â…” cup of half and half (or â…“ cup of milk and â…“ cup butter)
½ cup of ricotta cheese
1 tsp red pepper flakes
8 oz box of pasta
- Any shape will work, I have used lasagna and pappardelle noodles broken into smaller pieces.Â
Spices to taste:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Thyme
Garnish:
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Red pepper flakes
Directions:
- Cook all in one pot
- Heat oil and garlic cloves
- Cut cherry tomatoes into fours
- Add in cherry tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook until it darkens.
- Add broth and bring to a boil
- Add pasta and reduce to a simmer.
- Cover and let it sit for 20 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Add spices
- Slowly stir in half and half, followed by ricotta
- Serve with garnishes.