Lasagna is one of my all time favourite foods, with a white lasagna being right up there, and in the winter a soup version is also amazing! Traditional lasagna is a dish with layers of meat (usually beef and/or pork), tomato sauce, cheese and noodles whereas a white lasagna uses chicken as the meat, a white sauce instead of the tomato sauce and in my favourite version, adding mushrooms and spinach! This soup includes all of those ingredients, including the chicken, mushrooms, spinach and cheese where the broth has cream and parmesan melted into it. One of the main layers of a lasagna is the cheese layer which is often made with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and this is included in the soup when it is served, by topping it with a dollop of the cheesy mixture!
White Lasagna Soup
All of the flavours of a white lasagna with chicken, mushrooms, spinach, cream, cheese and noodles in a comforting soup!
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 6 cups chicken broth (link)
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 8 ounces pasta (such as mafalda corta or broken lasagna) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream (or milk)
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated
- 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces ricotta
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated
- 1 tablespoon basil, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
directions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions and mushrooms, and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme, sprinkle in the flour, mix and cook for a minute.
- Add the broth and chicken, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes, before removing the chicken and slicing, or shredding, and returning it to the soup.*
- Add the pasta, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until cooked, about 8-10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the cream, parmesan, and baby spinach, mix, and let the cheese melt into the broth, and the spinach wilt.
- Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, basil and lemon zest and enjoy the soup topped with a dollop of the cheese mixture!
Option: Use 2 cups pre-cooked chicken, skipping step 3 and adding the chicken in step 4.
Option: Add 1 cup celery, diced, along with the onions.
Option: Add 1 cup carrots, diced, along with the onions.
Option: Add 4 ounces of cream cheese, along with the parmesan.
Option: Add cooked and crumbled bacon!
Option: Add 1/4 cup blue cheese!
Option: Add 1-2 tablespoon white miso paste at the end.
Option: Make a Tuscan version by replacing the mushrooms and thyme with 1/3 cup thinly sliced sundried tomatoes and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Lasagna Soup
Lasagna
Chicken Parmesan Soup
Spaghetti alla Bolognese
Sauerkraut Cabbage Roll Soup
Spinach, White Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup
Beer Mac n Cheese Soup
Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Italian Pasta and Bean Soup)
Lasagna Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Tortellini Soup
Creamy Parmesan Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup
Italian Sausage Stuffed Pepper Soup
Creamy Parmesan Sundried Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Cauliflower Soup
Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage & Spinach
Lasagna Dip
Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna) with Greens
Mushroom Lasagna
Texmex Lasagna
Spinach and Feta Lasagna (aka Spanakopita Lasagna)
Salsa Verde Lasagna
Lasagna Stuffed Peppers
Mushroom and Kale Lasagna Roll Ups in Creamy Gorgonzola Cauliflower Sauce
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for sharing your marvelous blog. Thanks for sharing.
With option 4 of the variations, are you adding the cream cheese with the Parmesan to the soup or with the Parmesan in the topping? Option 5, is the bacon going into the soup or the topping? Ditto option 6 and the blue cheese- soup or topping?.
Option 4 (add cream cheese): I normally add the cream cheese to melt into the broth along with the parmesan in step 5.
Option 5 (add bacon): Cook the bacon as step 0, set aside, omit the butter and use the bacon grease to cook the onion and mushrooms in, and add the bacon at the end, either mixing it into the soup or as a garnish.
Option 6 (add blue cheese): I normally add the blue cheese to melt into the broth along with the parmesan in step 5. It is also nice to crumble some on top as a garnish to serve!
Enjoy!