Lasagna soup is one of any number of soups that may imitate the flavor profile of lasagna, or use similar ingredients. The classic lasagna is a dish composed of wide, thin noodles with meat, tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and other ingredients layered together. In a soup version, cooks may use the same wide, thin noodles with traditional ruffled edges, adding other Italian cooking elements according to specific recipes.
In terms of its base, lasagna soup will often utilize a tomato base, since the lasagna dish relies heavily on tomato sauce. Chicken or beef stock may be added to enhance the soup base. This will often be simmered along with various vegetable elements; onions, carrots and celery are common choices.
Aside from the above ingredients, many forms of lasagna soup will use the bulb of a garlic plant. Bulbs or cloves of garlic give these dishes an intense flavor, while adding nutritional value. Different types of spring onions or other similar vegetables may also be used.
Many cooks add meat elements to lasagna soup. Italian sausage is a favorite, where sausage links may be deconstructed into small pieces to complement the dish. Other cooks use ground chuck or other kinds of ground beef.
Another traditional element of these types of dishes is cheese; several varieties of cheese used in Italian cooking will often be used to thicken or flavor the soup. One of these is parmesan cheese. The dried, powdered form of aged parmesan cheese can often be added to the soup without compromising its texture. Other varieties of cheese that cooks might add to lasagna soup include mozzarella or ricotta, although ricotta, commonly used in traditional lasagna, may not translate as well to a soup without some creativity.
In general, lasagna soup represents one of many options for using the specific noodle types that the traditional lasagna dish is built on. When cooked, these noodles provide a soft, unique texture that can add appeal to a soup dish. Lasagna soups are often hearty, stomach-filling menu items that display some of the same flavor profiles of other Italian dishes. The use of specific combinations of tomatoes, cheeses, onions, garlic, olive oil, and red or green bell peppers, as well as other classic Italian ingredients, gives these dishes particular tastes for culinary audiences. Herbs like oregano and parsley also add to the authenticity of lasagna soup dishes.