White Lasagna Soup

The chicken gives a quiet sizzle when it hits the hot Dutch oven, and those golden spots on the bottom are worth keeping. They add a deeper, savory start to White Lasagna Soup without making the broth heavy. I brown the breasts first, then let them simmer in the broth while the onion and garlic soften the base.

What makes this feel like lasagna in a bowl is the finish: tender broken noodles, spinach, cream, Parmesan, and a spoonful of ricotta mixed with mozzarella and parsley. The noodles cook right in the pot, so there’s no second pan to wash. A separate ricotta topping keeps the soup’s creamy broth distinct from the cool, soft cheese mixture on top. Each bowl gets a little of both.

Why the Lasagna Noodles Cook Right in the Soup

Cooking the noodles in the broth gives this soup more body than cooking them in a separate pot and adding them at the end. As they soften, they release a little starch into the liquid, which helps the cream and Parmesan feel settled into the broth rather than sitting on top of it. That’s a useful difference in a soup meant to echo the layered, cheesy feel of lasagna.

There’s a tradeoff: pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. I cook the noodles only until tender, then serve the soup while their edges still hold their shape. Stirring occasionally as they simmer helps the broken pieces cook evenly and keeps them from sticking together. If you’re cooking for leftovers, expect the broth to thicken in the refrigerator; that’s the noodles continuing to take up liquid, not a sign that anything went wrong.

The ricotta mixture has a different job. It stays as a topping instead of disappearing into the pot, giving each spoonful a soft, cheesy contrast to the savory broth.

What Gives This White Lasagna Soup Its Creamy, Savory Character

• Chicken breasts — Boneless, skinless breasts keep the soup light and shred into tender pieces after simmering. Browned spots add more savory flavor than poaching the chicken from the start. Choose evenly sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace.
• Onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning — These build the soup’s aromatic base before the broth goes in. Fresh garlic gives the clearest flavor, and dried Italian seasoning is convenient here because it has time to bloom in the hot pot.
• Chicken broth — The broth carries the chicken and seasoning through the soup and gives the noodles a savory cooking liquid. Use a broth you like the taste of on its own; a very salty brand can make the finished soup taste saltier as the noodles cook in it.
• Dried lasagna noodles — Breaking them into short pieces makes them easier to eat from a soup spoon and lets them fit in the pot. Regular dried lasagna noodles are a good choice because their sturdy shape holds up during simmering.
• Heavy cream and Parmesan — Cream rounds out the broth, while Parmesan brings a salty, nutty note. Grating Parmesan fresh helps it blend into the hot soup more smoothly; pre-grated cheese is convenient but may leave a slightly less silky finish.
• Baby spinach — Tender leaves wilt quickly into the soup and bring a fresh, green contrast to the cream. Baby spinach needs no chopping, so it can go straight into the pot.
• Whole-milk ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley — Whole-milk ricotta makes the topping soft and rich, mozzarella adds a stretchy, mild cheese note, and fresh parsley keeps the mixture tasting bright. Choose ricotta that looks creamy rather than watery so the topping sits neatly on each bowl.

Build the Soup in Stages for Tender Chicken and Noodles

Brown the Chicken, Then Soften the Aromatics

Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper, then brown it for 3 to 4 minutes per side and move it to a plate. The chicken won’t be cooked through yet; the browning is for flavor, and it finishes cooking in the broth. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened, then stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning for 30 seconds.

Simmer the Chicken Until Cooked Through

Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pot, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil before covering the pot and reducing the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, checking the thickest part of a breast with an instant-read thermometer; it should reach 165°F. A gentle simmer is what you want here, not a hard boil that can make the chicken tougher.

Give the Noodles Their Own Uncovered Simmer

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and add the broken lasagna noodles to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender. Start checking near the shorter end of that window, since noodle thickness and brands can vary. If they’re still firm in the center, give them another minute and check again rather than letting them go soft while you wait.

Finish with Cream, Greens, and a Separate Cheese Topping

Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach wilts. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, and chopped fresh parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each serving with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture.

Two Practical Ways to Adapt White Lasagna Soup

Questions That Come Up When Making White Lasagna Soup

White Lasagna Soup

White lasagna soup combines tender chicken, broken lasagna noodles, spinach, and a creamy Parmesan broth in a Dutch oven. A spoonful of ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley tops each bowl.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 41 minutes mins

Total Time 56 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 650

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz lasagna noodles dried, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 oz baby spinach
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated

For the ricotta topping

• 1 cup ricotta whole-milk
• 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

Make the soup

1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
3. Brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
6. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot and add the broth.
8. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
9. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
10. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
11. Add the lasagna noodles to the pot and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
12. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
13. Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach wilts.

Make the ricotta topping

1. Stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, and parsley in a small bowl.

Serve the soup

1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture.

Notes

For tender chicken, check that it reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the noodles and dairy may change texture. For a dairy-free swap, use unsweetened dairy-free cream and dairy-free ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.