Cheesy Short Rib and Sausage Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless short ribs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning mix
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 ounces dried ditalini or small fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lemon

Directions

1. Move your oven rack to the lower-middle spot and heat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large, oven-safe stockpot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs well with salt and pepper. Once the oil is shimmering, add the short ribs and brown them on every side until they’re golden, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a platter.
2. Add the Italian sausage to the pot and cook it until it’s almost cooked through, breaking it into small pieces as it browns, about 6 minutes. Stir in the onions, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring from time to time, until everything has softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Put the short ribs back in the pot. Add the wine, tomatoes, chicken stock, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. Season with about 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then cover the pot and move it to the oven. Let it cook until the meat is fork tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
3. Take the pot out of the oven and set it on the stovetop. Using two forks, shred the short ribs. Pull out and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions, stopping while it’s still slightly firm. While the pasta cooks, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, Asiago, mozzarella, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Take the soup off the heat. Taste it and adjust the seasoning, if it needs it. Ladle it into individual bowls, add a generous dollop of the cheese mixture on top, and serve immediately.