White Lasagna Soup Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The Ultimate Comfort Upgrade: It has all the flavor of traditional lasagna but with zero layering hassle. It’s the perfect, cozy, lazy-day indulgence.
• Velvety Dreaminess: The combination of butter, half-and-half, and two kinds of cheese melts together to create a luscious, silky broth that’s truly irresistible.
• Quick & Easy: You can have this flavor-packed soup on your table in about 40 minutes, making it a weeknight dinner hero!
• Tender, Flavorful Chicken: The chicken cooks right in the broth, absorbing all those incredible savory and herbaceous notes, ensuring every bite is moist and delicious.

Ingredients

All you need for this gorgeous soup is a big pot and about 40 minutes! Yes, it’s that easy. But first, gather up these must-have ingredients:

• Olive Oil & Unsalted Butter: The perfect duo to start your flavor base, adding richness and helping the onions caramelize gently.
• Yellow Onion & Garlic: These build the essential aromatic and savory foundation for the soup—don’t skimp on the garlic!
• Italian Seasoning, Black Pepper, & Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: The essential spice mix for that classic Italian flavor. The pepper flakes are optional but recommended for a little kick to balance the creaminess.
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: The flavorful liquid base. Using low-sodium helps you control the final salt level.
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Cooks right in the soup, absorbing the flavors, and then shreds easily for that perfect hearty texture.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Optional, but I highly recommend them! They bring a chewy texture and a concentrated, savory-sweet burst of flavor that is UNREAL.
• Short Dry Pasta or Broken Lasagna Noodles: The “lasagna” element! Short pasta (like rotini or penne) works great, or you can break up traditional lasagna sheets.
• Half-and-Half (or Whole Milk/Heavy Cream): This is the key to that velvety white sauce texture. Use heavy cream for the most decadent result!
• Fresh Spinach: Stirred in at the end, it adds a pop of color and a subtle earthy freshness, wilting perfectly into the warm soup.
• Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Melts beautifully into the broth, adding that sharp, salty, essential cheesy goodness.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Optional, but if you want that classic gooey lasagna pull, this is your ticket!
• Salt: To season and make all those incredible flavors truly pop.

Note: The exact measurements for all these gorgeous ingredients are waiting for you right in the recipe card below this article!

How to Make the White Lasagna Soup

Step 1: Get Your Flavor Base Started

In your large pot, heat up the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add your chopped onion and let it soften for 2–3 minutes. Once the onions are tender, stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and those red pepper flakes and let them cook for just one more minute until you can really smell that incredible aroma!

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

Pour in the chicken broth, then carefully drop in the chicken breasts and the sun-dried tomatoes (if you’re using them!). Increase the heat to medium-high, bring it up to a simmer, then drop the heat to medium-low, cover your pot, and let the chicken poach happily for about 12-15 minutes until it’s cooked all the way through (internal temperature of 165∘F).

Step 3: Cook the Pasta Separately

While your chicken is cooking, go ahead and prepare your pasta (short-cut or broken lasagna sheets) in a separate pot. Cook it according to package instructions until it’s just al dente, then drain it and set it aside. This keeps your soup broth perfectly creamy!

Step 4: Shred and Return the Chicken

Time to take the cooked chicken out of the pot. Grab two forks and shred it up—it should be so tender it practically falls apart! Once shredded, return all that wonderful chicken right back into the simmering broth.

Step 5: Stir in the Cream and Greens

Give the soup a stir, then pour in your half-and-half (or whatever creamy choice you made!). Add your drained pasta and the handful of fresh spinach. Let it all gently simmer until the spinach wilts down and the soup comes back up to a soft heat.

Step 6: Cheese Time!

The grand finale! Stir in the Parmesan cheese and the mozzarella (if you’re going for that extra melt!). Adjust the salt to taste. Let the cheese melt into the soup and the flavors mingle for a minute or two.

Step 7: Serve Your Soul-Warming Bowl

Ladle the soup generously into your bowls and don’t forget that final flourish! Garnish with extra Parmesan and a sprinkle of black pepper. Dig in immediately!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Cook your pasta separately and al dente! Adding it later prevents it from becoming mushy or soaking up all your beautiful, creamy broth. If you add it directly to the soup, it will absorb too much liquid.
• Control the Creaminess: For a soup that’s even richer and thicker (truly decadent!), swap the half-and-half for heavy cream. For a lighter texture, use whole milk, but know it won’t be quite as luxurious.
• Shred the Chicken the Easy Way: If you want a fun shortcut, you can toss the cooked chicken breasts into a large bowl and use a hand mixer on low speed. The chicken shreds itself in seconds!
• Freshly Grated Cheese is Best: Always try to grate your Parmesan and mozzarella fresh from the block. It melts into the soup much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, giving you the best, creamiest texture.

How to Serve

This luscious White Lasagna Soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but here’s how you can make it a feast!

• Crusty Bread is a Must: You absolutely need a warm, crusty baguette or some buttery garlic bread for dipping into that decadent, creamy broth. Seriously, don’t skip the dunking!
• A Simple Side Salad: Pair this rich soup with a light, simple Arugula or mixed green salad tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
• Extra Toppings: Garnish your bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some fresh basil ribbons, or a dollop of ricotta cheese mixed with a little water for extra creaminess.

Make Ahead and Storage

This is a soup that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep!

Storing Leftovers

Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Note: The pasta will continue to absorb liquid overnight, so the soup will thicken significantly.

Freezing

The texture of a cream-based soup can sometimes change after freezing and thawing, occasionally separating or becoming grainy. If you plan to freeze this soup, I recommend omitting the half-and-half and cheese until you reheat it. Freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables, and add the cream, cheese, and cooked pasta once thawed and reheated. It will keep for up to 2 months.

Reheating

The soup will be quite thick upon reheating. To get it back to that perfect soup consistency, reheat it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Be sure to stir in a splash of extra chicken broth or milk/cream until it reaches your desired consistency.

FAQs

1. Is it okay to use pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, for this recipe?Yes, absolutely! Using pre-cooked chicken is a fantastic time-saver and makes this recipe even faster. If you use shredded rotisserie chicken, you can skip the steps of poaching and shredding the chicken breasts. Instead, simply add the shredded chicken to the simmering broth along with the sun-dried tomatoes and allow it to warm through for a few minutes before moving on to the cream and pasta additions.
2. Can I make this soup vegetarian?You can easily turn this into a vegetarian dream! To do so, simply omit the chicken and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. For added heartiness and texture, I suggest stirring in some sautéed mushrooms or white beans (like cannellini) when you add the pasta and spinach. You’ll still get all that amazing creamy, cheesy flavor without the meat!
3. What is the best type of pasta to use if I don’t have lasagna noodles?Any short, sturdy pasta will work wonderfully! Great options include rotini (corkscrew), mini farfalle (bowties), or penne. If you’re really committed to that lasagna vibe, you can use traditional lasagna sheets and simply break them into small, bite-sized pieces before cooking. The key is to use a shape that you can easily scoop up with a spoon alongside the broth and chicken.
4. Why did my soup look too thick/thin after it was finished?The consistency is easy to adjust! If your soup is too thin, you can let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to allow some of the liquid to reduce and thicken slightly. If it’s too thick (which often happens when pasta is involved), simply whisk in an extra splash of chicken broth, whole milk, or half-and-half until it reaches your ideal creamy consistency. Pasta is a big liquid absorber, so feel free to thin it out to your preference.