Meat Mixture:

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Soup Base:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 recipe homemade marinara sauce (or 24-ounce marinara sauce)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 7 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 9 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves (optional)
• 10 ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

For Serving:

• Fresh basil