Quick White Lasagna Soup

If you ask me, turning lasagna into a soup is one of the best ideas ever.

This comforting bowl brings together all the flavors of classic white lasagna without the fussy layering. Tender chicken and pasta simmer in a creamy broth seasoned with garlic and Italian herbs.

It’s finished with a blend of three cheeses—ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella—that melt right into each spoonful. Fresh spinach and bits of sun-dried tomatoes add color and a little tang.

It’s a weeknight-friendly dinner that feels cozy and satisfying, perfect for when you want lasagna but don’t want to heat up the oven.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this white lasagna soup, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the easiest option since they cook quickly and shred nicely into the soup. That said, chicken thighs work just as well if that’s what you have on hand – they’ll add a bit more flavor and stay tender even if you accidentally overcook them a little. You can use fresh or frozen chicken, just make sure frozen breasts are fully thawed before adding them to the pot so they cook evenly. If you’re short on time, you could even use a rotisserie chicken from the store and just shred the meat directly into the soup, skipping the cooking step altogether.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken breast: Chicken thighs work great here and actually add more flavor. You can also use rotisserie chicken – just shred it and add it near the end so it doesn’t overcook.
• Half-and-half: Heavy cream makes the soup richer, while whole milk keeps it lighter. If using milk, you might want to add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to maintain that creamy texture.
• Pasta: Broken lasagna noodles are traditional, but any short pasta like penne, rotini, or farfalle works well. Just adjust cooking time based on package directions.
• Spinach: Kale or Swiss chard are good alternatives. If using kale, chop it finely and add it a few minutes earlier since it takes longer to wilt.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: You can leave these out if you don’t have them, or swap with a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half for a fresher taste.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese blended until smooth makes a good substitute, or you can use mascarpone for something richer.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works fine if you want to keep it lighter, though the flavor will be a bit different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with this soup is adding the pasta directly to the broth, which will turn your soup starchy and thick as the noodles release excess starch – always cook your pasta separately in salted water and add it at the end.

Another common error is adding the half-and-half mixture too quickly or at too high a heat, which can cause it to curdle or separate, so make sure to whisk it with the cornstarch first and stir it in slowly over medium heat.

Don’t skip shredding the chicken while it’s still warm, as it becomes much harder to pull apart once it cools down, and be careful not to overcook the spinach – it only needs about a minute in the hot soup to wilt perfectly.

Finally, if you’re making this ahead, store the pasta separately from the soup since it will continue absorbing liquid and turn mushy when reheated.

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What to Serve With White Lasagna Soup?

This soup is pretty hearty on its own, but I always serve it with some crusty garlic bread or a warm baguette for dipping into that creamy broth. A simple Caesar salad on the side makes it feel like a complete meal, and the crisp romaine is a nice contrast to the rich, cheesy soup. If you want to keep things easy, just throw together a quick arugula salad with lemon juice and olive oil – it cuts through the creaminess perfectly. You can also set out extra bowls of the three cheeses so everyone can add more on top, because honestly, you can never have too much cheese with this one.

Storage Instructions

Store: This soup keeps great in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Just know that the pasta will soak up more liquid as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup, but I’d recommend doing it without the pasta if possible. The noodles can get mushy after freezing and thawing. Store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months, then cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to eat it.

Reheat: Warm it up gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of broth or half-and-half if it’s gotten too thick. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir it halfway through to heat evenly.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1650-1850
• Protein: 110-125 g
• Fat: 60-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 155-175 g

Ingredients

For the soup base:

• 3 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp chili flakes
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson low-sodium broth)
• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cups pasta (use campanelle or fusilli for better texture)
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

For the thickener:

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (whisked with liquid until smooth)

For the garnishes:

• ricotta cheese (adds a nice creamy texture)
• parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese (I prefer Galbani whole milk mozzarella)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start the Aromatics

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces.

Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch chunks and set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter until it foams, then add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

This builds the flavor foundation for your soup.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base with Aromatics and Spices

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp chili flakes

Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes to the softened onions.

Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant—this blooms the spices and releases their essential oils, creating deeper flavor in your final soup.

Don’t skip this step as it’s crucial for building layers of taste.

Step 3: Simmer the Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups pasta

Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken chunks and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

While the chicken simmers, start boiling pasta in a separate pot of salted water according to package directions—I like using campanelle or fusilli as they hold the creamy sauce beautifully.

Step 4: Remove Chicken and Create the Cream Liaison

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the soup using a slotted spoon and set it aside on a cutting board.

In a small bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps—this mixture is called a liaison and will thicken your soup without making it gummy.

Pour the liaison into the simmering broth while stirring constantly, then cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.

The soup should coat the back of a spoon lightly.

Step 5: Combine All Components and Finish with Greens

• cooked chicken from Step 3
• cooked pasta from Step 3
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.

Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the soup along with the fresh spinach and nutritional yeast.

Stir gently for about 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through.

Taste and adjust seasonings if needed—the soup should be creamy and comforting with tender chicken and pasta throughout.

Step 6: Serve with Cheese Blend

• ricotta cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese

Ladle the white lasagna soup into bowls and top each serving with a combination of ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

For the best presentation and melting, I like to spoon a dollop of ricotta directly into the center, then sprinkle the harder cheeses around it.

The warm soup will soften the cheeses into a luxurious, creamy finish.

Quick White Lasagna Soup

Delicious Quick White Lasagna Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1750 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup base::

• 3 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp chili flakes
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson low-sodium broth)
• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cups pasta (use campanelle or fusilli for better texture)
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

For the thickener::

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (whisked with liquid until smooth)

For the garnishes::

• ricotta cheese (adds a nice creamy texture)
• parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese (I prefer Galbani whole milk mozzarella)

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch chunks and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter until it foams, then add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. This builds the flavor foundation for your soup.
• Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes to the softened onions. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant—this blooms the spices and releases their essential oils, creating deeper flavor in your final soup. Don't skip this step as it's crucial for building layers of taste.
• Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken chunks and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. While the chicken simmers, start boiling pasta in a separate pot of salted water according to package directions—I like using campanelle or fusilli as they hold the creamy sauce beautifully.
• Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the soup using a slotted spoon and set it aside on a cutting board. In a small bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps—this mixture is called a liaison and will thicken your soup without making it gummy. Pour the liaison into the simmering broth while stirring constantly, then cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. The soup should coat the back of a spoon lightly.
• Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the soup along with the fresh spinach and nutritional yeast. Stir gently for about 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed—the soup should be creamy and comforting with tender chicken and pasta throughout.
• Ladle the white lasagna soup into bowls and top each serving with a combination of ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese. For the best presentation and melting, I like to spoon a dollop of ricotta directly into the center, then sprinkle the harder cheeses around it. The warm soup will soften the cheeses into a luxurious, creamy finish.