In a large pot, boil broken lasagna noodles for about 7 minutes until tender. Drain, set aside, and toss with bit of oil (optional) to keep them from sticking together.
While your noodles are boiling, move on with the soup preparation. In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
Stir in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
While soup is coming to a boil, brown the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, breaking up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks, until no longer pink. Set aside.
Once soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and stir in sausage. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Stir in noodles and reduce heat to low. Stir in mozzarella and parmesan cheeses until melted and incorporated into the soup. Taste, add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve in bowls, each topped with a hearty dollop of ricotta cheese and some fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!