Where some soups say they eat like a meal, this one truly delivers! Cheesy, beefy, and rich in tomato flavor, it’s quickly become a family favorite. The fact that is has 1/3 the calories, and a mere fraction of the usual fat of a similar sized serving of lasagna, well, that’s simply a bonus!
Campanelle pasta is more spoon-friendly, but lasagna noodles are fun, so I leave that choice up to you. I personally like this soup made with lean ground beef, but if you are looking to keep the “points” to a minimum (a mere 3 for a hearty 1 1/2 cups), you can use extra lean ground turkey. When doing so, I found a a couple teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce sauteed into the meat will give it a beefier color and flavor. To add even more cheesy goodness, mix 6-ounces of low-fat ricotta with a pinch of each salt and pepper, and spoon two tablespoons into each bowl before adding the soup. Wowza, lasagna!
Makes Six Servings
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 pound lean ground beef (or extra-lean ground turkey*)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 (14-ounce) can, or
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup dry campanelle curly edged pasta or 4 lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes or until translucent. Add the red pepper, sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Crumble in the beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, beef broth, red pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add the pasta (breaking the lasagna noodles into pieces), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Stir in the Parmesan.
3. Ladle 1 1/2 cups of soup into bowls, top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese.
DARE TO COMPARE: The lasagna soup recipe that inspired this makeover packs 625 calories and 900 milligrams of sodium in each one-cup serving!
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 1/2 cups) Calories 260 | Carbohydrate 25g (Sugars 7g) | Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 4g) | Protein 28g | Fiber 5g | Cholesterol 55mg | Sodium 510mg | Food Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat, 2 Vegetable 1 Starch | Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2 | Weight Watcher Plus Point Comparison: 7 | SmartPoint Comparison 5 (made with extra lean ground turkey = 3)
