• Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and cook until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium-sized yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
• Add Italian sausage and beef, crumbling while you cook, and cook until browned (I do not drain any grease).
  1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage¹, 1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef¹
• Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir well.
  5 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth, 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes, 8 oz tomato sauce, 4 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt plus additional to taste, 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and add pasta. Cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.
  2 1/2 cups/5 oz dry Mafalda noodles²
• Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes (this is a good time to prepare your cheese topping).
• Add spinach and cook until wilted. Serve soup, topped with a dollop of cheese mixture.
  2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Cheese Topping:

• Stir together mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, and cream cheese along with parsley. Dollop over soup before serving.
  1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 8 oz whole milk ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup grated parmesan (or parmesan romano) cheese, 2 oz cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley