One Pot Lasagna Soup

One Pot Lasagna Soup 1 pound lean ground beef or half Italian sausage 1 yellow onion diced 4-5 garlic cloves minced 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 Prego Traditional Italian Sauce 24 oz. jar 8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth divided 1 can crushed tomatoes 14 oz. can 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 whole bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 10 uncooked lasagna noodles broken into approx. 1-2 inch pieces* 1/2 cup heavy cream optional** Cheese Garnish shredded mozzarella cheese freshly finely grated Parmesan cheese ricotta cheese Heat large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add beef and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until beef is browned. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat. Add Prego Sauce, 6 cups chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, spices and lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until lasagna noodles are tender, stirring occasionally (approximately 20-30 minutes). Discard bay leaf and stir in heavy cream (optional) and 2-4 cups chicken broth to reach desired consistency. Garnish individual servings with desired amount of cheeses. RECIPE NOTES *I love lasagna noodles in this recipe - they are slurpilicious! You can also replace the noodles with 2 1/2 cups uncooked small shells if desired and simmer for less time. **If you want to omit the heavy cream but still would like a thicker soup then I suggest whisking 2 teaspoons cornstarch with some of the chicken broth and adding to the soup to simmer and thicken.