white bean pesto lasagna soup

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced 
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (32-ounce) box low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 (16-ounce) jar marinara sauce (2 cups)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 ounces lasagna noodles (about 8 noodles)
  • 2 tablespoons pesto (I always use Gotham Greens), plus more for serving
  • 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese whipped in a food processor, or 1 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
  • fresh basil leaves, for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and several grinds black pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the broth, marinara sauce, and beans and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Break the lasagna noodles in half crosswise, then in half crosswise again, creating four (2 1/2 inch) pieces from each noodle. 
  • When the soup is boiling, add the noodles and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another or the bottom of the pot, until very al dente (they'll continue to cook off the heat), 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto.
  • Stir together the whipped cottage cheese and the Parmesan. Dollop onto individual servings of soup along with a drizzle of pesto. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.