1. Heat olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add sausage (removed from casings if using links), breaking into bite-sized chunks with wooden spoon.

3. Cook sausage 6-8 minutes until browned thoroughly with no pink remaining.

4. Add diced onion to pot, cook 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in minced garlic, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

6. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, and sugar. Stir to combine.

7. Bring soup to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.

8. Break lasagna noodles into irregular 2-3 inch pieces. Add to simmering soup.

9. Cook noodles 8-10 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

10. If using spinach, stir in during final 2 minutes of cooking.

11. Taste soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

12. In small bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella (1/2 cup), Parmesan, and fresh basil.

13. Ladle hot soup into bowls, ensuring each gets sausage, noodles, and broth.

14. Top each bowl with generous dollop of ricotta mixture and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

15. Garnish with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes if desired.

16. Serve immediately with garlic bread or crusty Italian bread.