Hearty Lasagna Soup

There is a play on words here in this recipe title from Raddish Kids, meaning not just that the soup is hearty and will fill you up, but also that it’s meant to be shared with those you “heart” and love. So there was no better time than a family day of “social distancing” to whip up a big pot of it! Travis loved getting silly as we cooked, including tasting the concentrated flavor of tomato paste…

…and making lasagna noodle “beards”!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 8 lasagna noodles
• 8 basil leaves, minced
• 1 cup shredded non-dairy mozzarella

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, zucchini, and salt; cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
2. Add the mushrooms, tomato paste, and oregano; cook for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil.
4. Meanwhile, place the lasagna noodles in a zip-top plastic bag. Use a mallet to crush the noodles. This is bound to be your kids’ favorite step!
5. Add the noodles to the pot; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
6. Stir in the basil and then ladle the soup into bowls. Top with mozzarella, if desired!

The recipe card also included fun facts about pasta shape names (Travis giggled over “orecchiette”, or “little ears”), and stovetop safety tips.

More importantly, though, there were some nice suggestions for how to express love to family members, whether with kind words, special surprises, thoughtful gifts, or physical snuggles. And of course, spending quality time together! We’re all going to have lots of that in the days of self-quarantine ahead, so here’s to loving moments. And if you go stir-crazy, just bash up some more lasagna noodles!