Lasagna Noodle Soup
When we have visitors in town, I typically adapt this take them to do some of our favorite things + use said visitors as an excuse to visit our favorite restaurants mindset. & also use it as an excuse to have a few weekend cocktails. But here’s the difference this time around - having friends come to visit as business owners becomes our excuse to step away from work for a weekend. So needed & I could not be happier to have a weekend of fun with Jordan that doesn’t involve being behind the bar.
This was a weekend of firsts for us. The first time visiting the newly opened Tacoma Baking Co., first time making a Winter walk down to the waterfront by our house, and first time going out to the Tacoma Night Market. My takeaway was that sometimes it’s nice to have an excuse to take a break from the regular routine of our life, & use an opportunity for a weekend off to just have some fun. In this case, our excuse was wanting to show out-of-towners a good time. But the selfish part of us wanted to combine our weekend off & entertaining our friends with checking out the things we’ve wanted to check out, but haven’t had the opportunity to make time for. Regardless, it lead to a lot of fun, a lot of new experiences in our hood, and a moderate amount of public PDA. Even just reminiscing about it gives me all the feels. So maybe the takeaway is just a reminder that taking time to have fun is the best way to hit the reset + re-charge button. Once our Sunday alone time hit, I was ready to just cuddle up at home, and I was so grateful for a weekend of new memories.
not pedestrian chicken noodle soup
So Sunday dinner - one of the coziest + warming soups in my repertoire - Lasagna Noodle Soup. This soup is the remedy for wanting somethnig classic, like chicken noodle soup, but creating the most delish, veggie filled, adult version of a classic. Creamier, herbier, and more veggie loaded than a regular ol’ chicken noodle soup, and all of those things just make it that much more delicious.
A mix of onion, red pepper, green pepper, + carrots (carrots cut in disks and cooked to tender - my fav!) is one heck of a veggie blend. All sauteed in butter until soft as step one of the cook making process, and seasoned with cumin + paprika + salt + pepper. Amazing!
Crucial to note - it’s a sans chicken kind of noodle soup. I still use a ton of chicken broth, so you get that distinct chicken noodle soup flavor, but no hunks of meat here. This is as vegetarian as it gets. I add in cauliflower florets the last 10 minutes of cook time, just enough time to get them tender. A lovely sub for a hunk of meat, and the cauliflower soaks up all the flavor of the broth.
Lasagna noodles for the win
Broken up lasagna noodles are so satisfying to eat. They’re thick, making for a solid bite, and they, like the cauliflower, absorbs all the flavor of the broth. Holding raw sheets of lasagna over the hot pot & cracking them right into the soup is oddly satisfying. You get some are big noodles, some a super small noodles, and I just love the variety in my bowl.
The most flavorful broth
The soupy broth is the best part, & the time to season it and make it flavorful is very necessary. Creamy + herby - that’s what you’re going for. Two cups of half-n-half + a ton of parsley is the key. The broth adds that base, savory layer, and these extras pair well.
Finishing touch - a sprinkle of cheese right on top. Our go-tos - mozzarella (because it makes for the perfect melty cheese layer right over the top) + pepperjack (because a touch of spice is always a good choice). & your favorite hot sauce. We’re loving TRUFF hot sauces right now, and it was so so good with this winter favorite.
4 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into disks
2 tbsp EVOO (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt + pepper
3 tbsp corn starch or potato starch
2 tbsp flour
12 c. chicken broth
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 c. half-n-half
1/4 parsley, plus a little extra for garnish
Shredded cheese for garnish
Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat, adding in the butter. Once melted, add in the onion + peppers, cooking until veggies are soft. Add in the carrots + EVOO, cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the paprika, cumin, + a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to coat the veggies with the seaasoning, and let spices cook for another minute. Add in the flour + starch, stirring until a paste like substance forms. Add in the broth, turn the heat to high, and let the soup come to boil. Once boiling, add the broken lasagna noodles, letting them cook in boil water until they’re al-dente. Heat should remain at medium - high. Once noodles are al dente, add in the cauliflower. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Uncover, stir in the cream + parsley, keeping the soup covered and over low heat until you’re ready to eat.
Scoop your ready to go soup into bowls, making sure to get lots of veggies + noodles with a heathy amount of broth. Top with shredded cheese of choice, a sprinkle of parsley, & a couple dashes of hot sauce. Too die!
