Description
A comforting and creamy White Lasagna Soup with tender chicken breasts, sautéed vegetables, cream cheese, Parmesan, and spinach, featuring the classic flavors of white lasagna in a cozy soup form.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
- 1 cup celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 medium chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
Dairy and Cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Vegetables and Pasta
- 3 oz baby spinach
- 6 oz lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, peeled and diced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Season and thicken: Stir in Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk in flour until fully combined to form a roux.
- Add liquids and cook chicken: Pour in chicken broth and water, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breasts. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred chicken: Remove cooked chicken from the pot and allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- Cook noodles: Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook broken lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Add dairy and simmer: Return soup base to a simmer. Stir in whole milk and softened cream cheese. Cook while stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until cream cheese is melted and soup is creamy.
- Finish soup: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, baby spinach, and shredded chicken. Cook for an additional 3 minutes until Parmesan melts, spinach wilts slightly, and chicken is heated through. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Remove soup from heat. Place cooked lasagna noodles into serving bowls and ladle hot soup over them. Garnish with fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- This soup can be made with spinach or kale as the leafy green.
- Adding extra lasagna noodles makes the soup more pasta-heavy if preferred.
- Using softened cream cheese helps it melt smoothly into the soup.
- Fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan make excellent garnishes to elevate the flavor.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat milk and reduce the amount of butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 417 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1309 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 96 mg
