Beefy One Pot Lasagna Stew

All the flavors and textures of lasagna, but eaten with a spoon! I love lasagna - tender noodles, thick, rich sauce, seasoned beef, and (of course) LOADS of cheese. But sometimes I think the ratio is off. I always seem to want more sauce. I researched recipes for lasagna "soup" and I thought, "Interesting, but... no". Too brothy. That lead me to this lasagna STEW! It's got the perfect noodle-sauce-cheese ratio. And the best part? It comes together on the stove-top in 1 pot, in less than 20 minutes.

I used beef, but...: If you like sausage in your lasagna, use sweet or hot Italian sausage instead of the beef. It's as easy as that.

Want a meat-free version? Leave out the ground beef and add 10 ounces of baby spinach leaves to the mixture when you fold in the parmesan cheese (right at the end). Since it's a stew, you can add practically any vegetable you want - I think zucchini and green peas would be great in there too.

Beefy One Pot Lasagna Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef or Italian sausage (mild or hot)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups beef broth or chicken broth
2 cups tomato sauce
8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces (about 10 noodles)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling over top if desired
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh parsley or basil leaves, optional

Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat.
Add the oregano, basil, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Add the broth and tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally to make sure the noodles don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and simmer until the cheese melts.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the mozzarella cheese and parsley or basil leaves (if using). Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side if desired.

Serves 4