1 cup (8 oz.) ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil, divided, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1 large onion, diced (2 1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. Contadina® Tomato Paste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

2 tsp. dried Italian herbs

1 tsp. sugar

6 cups chicken stock

1 can (28 oz.) Contadina® Crushed Tomatoes

8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles (about 10), broken into 2-inch pieces

4 cups lightly packed baby spinach (4 oz.)

1. Combine ricotta, Parmesan and 2 Tbsp. chopped basil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausages and cook 5 to 6 minutes until browned, breaking up any large pieces into bite-sized pieces using a wooden spoon.

3. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste, garlic, salt, dried herbs and sugar. Cook about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.

4. Add chicken stock and crushed tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add noodles, lower heat slightly to prevent splattering and cook about 14 minutes, uncovered, until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in spinach and 1/4 cup basil until wilted. Season to taste with salt.

5. Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with dollops of ricotta mixture. Garnish with remaining basil, as desired.