Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 32 ounce carton chicken broth
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups broken Mafalda pasta (or lasagna noodles)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese or ricotta cheese (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown and crumble the ground beef along with diced onion and green bell pepper.
- Add minced garlic during the last couple of minutes of cooking and stir. Avoid burning the garlic.
- Drain excess grease and return the beef mixture to the pot.
- Stir in ground thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, brown sugar, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in broken Mafalda pasta. Stir and continue simmering until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with shredded mozzarella or a dollop of ricotta, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Break pasta into your preferred size — smaller pieces work better for easier eating.
- Use ricotta for a more authentic lasagna flavor, or mozzarella for gooey, melty topping.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or sausage if preferred.
- Leftovers thicken over time — add extra broth when reheating if needed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 511
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
