Spicy lasagna Soup with tofu crumbles

Lasagna but make it a soup and make it spicy! Now, thats my kind of a meal. This spicy lasagna soup is tomato-ey, brothy, creamy and studded with chunky lasagna pieces. I mean what more could you want from a warm meal on a weekday night. These also make a great leftover lunch and is even freezable for using later when you are just not in a mood to cook/busy days. I am actually a huge fan of lasagna and dont mind putting in the effort to make one. However there is something about a warm bowl of soup especially with all of the same ingredients. Also this is a one pot dish so how can you go wrong! 🙂

Making this spicy lasagna soup plant based

I have used grated tofu as the main protein component in this soup. You can use medium to firm tofu which is well drained and pressed. This will help remove moisture and help brown it faster. If you do not want to use tofu, then try seitan, textured vegan protein(TVP), tempeh, soy crumbles or any other plant based crumbles. If you are allergic to soy products or dont want to use them, then you can also use pre cooked lentils which will add a protein boost to the soup.

To prepare the tofu, I covered it with a paper towel and placed a heavy plate over it. I removed the plate after 30 minutes or so and gently squeezed the tofu to remove any remaining water. If you want, you can let the tofu sit under weight earlier in the day so that it is ready for you use as soon as you start cooking.

Also make sure the marinara or any other tomato sauce you are using is completely plant based. The same also goes for lasagna/pasta that you choose to use. If you prefer to keep it gluten free, choose a good gluten-free lasagna or pasta to use instead.

Besides these, the process for making the lasagna soup pretty much remains the same. One pot, pantry staples and 30-40 minutes later, you will have a delicious family friendly meal ready.

Step by step process

This recipe makes 4 servings for a main meal or around 8 servings as a small side.

We will first start off by adding the grated tofu to the Dutch oven and sauteing in some oil. You will initially see the moisture being cooked off and slowly the tofu will start browning a little bit. Once you notice the color has changed to golden brown, then add the finely chopped onion followed by the garlic.

Once the aromatics have cooked a bit, add the canned peeled tomatoes with the sauce. You can roughly break it down in to smaller pieces with the spatula. Now to make this spicy, I used a spicy marinara sauce (I used the Trader Joe's Chunky Spicy Tomato Sauce with Peppers with the black label) but if you are using a regular marinara sauce, then add some red pepper flakes to give it a heat kick.

To give it more flavor, I added dry herbs including thyme, basil, parsley, oregano. I also mixed in a teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder. At this point, you can add any vegetables you want to the soup. I chose to go with shitake mushrooms and baby spinach sicne they dont need mcuh time to cook. Saute the vegetables for a minute or so. Now we will add the broth and season the soup. Spoon in the balsamic or white vinegar and mix everything well. Before adding the lasagna, I broke the sheets into roughly big chunks before mixing it in. I closed the lid to let the soup simmer for around 10 minutes. Once the pasta is just done, I topped the soup with some parmesan and cheddar. Let the cheese melt in before serving the soup.

Serving and storage suggestions

This lasagna soup on its own makes a great meal. It has protein, carbs, veggies and not to forget amazing flavors. If you want something more filling, then try

• Some fresh cheesy garlic bread

• You can also pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich

• Serve with a salad

• Serve with some cooked cannelini gently tossed in olive oil and herbs

This soup lasts well for 3-4 days refrigerated. The lasagna or any pasta you use will tend to lose structure the longer it is stored. You can also freeze the soup and let it thaw overnight before reheating. Again the only issue would the pasta might get mushy due to the freezing and reheating process.

Recipe