Creamy White Lasagna Soup Recipe

Name: Creamy White Lasagna Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 yellow onion, diced; 2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste; 16 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 quart unsalted chicken stock or broth; 2 cups water; 5 sprigs fresh thyme, or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs; 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles; 10 ounces baby spinach; 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 2 cups whole milk; Ricotta, to serve; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Like the original lasagna soup, this recipe has all the basic components of a white chicken lasagna—chicken (of course!), cheese, spinach, lasagna noodles—but instead of layering them into a casserole, I throw them into a soup pot. It’s just as satisfying and comforting, but easier and quicker to make on a weeknight.

One-Pot Wonder

I love a good one-pot recipe because it feels easier for my brain to handle on weeknights and means fewer pots to clean. With this particular recipe, cooking everything in single stock pot has two more advantages:

More Chicken Flavor! Because the chicken gets poached right in the soup broth, all of its chicken-y goodness stays right in the soup where it belongs.
Extra Creamy Soup! The noodles also get cooked directly in the soup, which turns the broth starchy and silky. Once you stir in the Parmesan cheese and the whole milk, this gives you a creamy, satisfying soup without the need for a roux or any other thickeners.

Note that the noodles will continue to absorb liquid and soften as the soup cools, though I find that lasagna noodles are hearty enough that they still have a chewy bite even when reheated the next day. However, if this bothers you, cook the noodles separately and scoop out two cups of the starchy pasta cooking water to use instead of the water when making the soup.

White chicken lasagna soup served in two bowls at a table setting with the spoons, napkins, and the rest of the soup in a dutch oven — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Mushrooms in My Lasagna?

To me, a soup like this should be a hearty meal-in-a-bowl affair, and I felt like this one needed something more than the standard chicken lasagna ingredients to round it out. Mushrooms were the answer. They add substance and complement the rich flavors in the soup without changing its basic nature.

You can skip the mushrooms if you’re a chicken lasagna purist, but I recommend giving them a try!

Swaps and Substitutions

I have found this soup to be endlessly adaptable to a wide range of ingredients in my pantry. Try any of these:

Swap the lasagna noodles for any other shaped pasta, particularly those that have plenty of nooks and crannies for the creamy broth like rotini or farfalle.
Swap the spinach for any other hearty green.
Add a half cup of chopped sundried tomatoes for color and extra flavor.
If you are in possession of a Parmesan rind, chop it into pieces and add to the soup for more Parmesan flavor.
If you really want to take things over the top, add 4 ounces of cream cheese or sour cream.
For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut milk for the whole milk and use a non-dairy cheese (or skip the cheese altogether—it’s still good!).
This takes us even further away from this recipe’s “chicken lasagna” origin, but for a vegetarian version, adding a can or two of drained chickpeas instead of the chicken would be delicious and just as filling.

Chicken Soups for the Soul

Creamy White Lasagna Soup

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste
16 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart unsalted chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
5 sprigs fresh thyme, or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
10 ounces baby spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups whole milk
Ricotta, to serve
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the aromatics:

Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Try to avoid too much browning.

Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook until they have released their liquid and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Clear a little space in the middle of the pan and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds, and then stir into the vegetables.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Add the liquids, herbs, and chicken:

Add the chicken stock, water, thyme, bay leaf, and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the chicken. Let the soup return to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cook until the chicken is cooked through and pulls apart easily with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool enough to handle.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Add the noodles and spinach, shred the chicken:

Bring the soup back to a rapid simmer. Working over the pot, break the lasagna noodles into bite-sized pieces and add to the soup. Stir in the baby spinach. Stirring occasionally, cook until the noodles are al dente and the spinach is wilted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into small pieces with two forks.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Finish with milk, Parmesan, and ricotta:

When the noodles and spinach are done, add the shredded chicken back to the soup and remove the thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir in the shredded Parmesan and the milk, and return the soup to a simmer. Taste the broth and add more salt or pepper if needed.

Remove from the heat and ladle into bowls. Serve with a dollop or two of ricotta and a few cracks of fresh pepper.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
265	Calories
10g	Fat
20g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	265
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g	13%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 57mg	19%
Sodium 1204mg	52%
Total Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 13mg	66%
Calcium 251mg	19%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 675mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.