Creamy White Lasagna Soup – Comfort Food Twist That Breaks the Internet (and Your Winter Blues)

Imagine if your favorite white lasagna got the green light to relax, unwind, and show up in a bowl. That’s this soup. It’s rich, velvety, and stacked with crave-level flavors that make people “accidentally” eat two bowls.

It’s the kind of comfort that silences a room mid-slurp. And yes, it tastes like a hug…but with parmesan. Ready to make weeknight dinners feel like a flex?

Why This Recipe Works

This soup hits the sweet spot between hearty and elegant. We build flavor in layers—browning the chicken sausage, sweating aromatics, and simmering with broth and cream to get that signature silky body. Shattered lasagna noodles give you those nostalgic pasta bites without a casserole pan in sight.

The cheesy finishing move—ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan—melts into a lush blanket that makes every spoonful count. And because it’s a soup, it reheats like a dream and welcomes swaps for different proteins or veggies.

Shopping List – Ingredients

• Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
• Italian chicken sausage (casings removed) – 1 lb; or rotisserie chicken, shredded
• Yellow onion, diced – 1 medium
• Garlic, minced – 4 cloves
• Crushed red pepper flakes – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
• Italian seasoning – 2 teaspoons
• Fresh thyme – 1 teaspoon, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• Chicken broth – 6 cups, low-sodium
• Heavy cream – 1 cup (or half-and-half for lighter)
• Cream cheese – 4 ounces, softened
• Lasagna noodles – 8–10 sheets, broken into bite-size pieces
• Baby spinach – 4 cups, loosely packed
• Ricotta cheese – 1 cup (whole milk preferred)
• Shredded mozzarella – 1 cup
• Freshly grated parmesan – 1/2 cup, plus more for serving
• Lemon – 1 (zest and 1–2 teaspoons juice)
• Nutmeg – a pinch (classic white-sauce vibe)
• Salt and black pepper – to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley, chopped – for garnish

How to Make It – Instructions

1. Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add chicken sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, 5–7 minutes.

   Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove to a plate if extra fat needs draining.

2. Build the flavor base. In the same pot, add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 3–4 minutes until translucent.

   Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and thyme; cook 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Deglaze and simmer. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Return sausage to the pot.
4. Cook the pasta. Add broken lasagna noodles.

   Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Keep an eye out—lasagna noodles love to stick like they pay rent.

5. Make it creamy. Stir in heavy cream and cream cheese until smooth. Add nutmeg and lemon zest.

   Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you want it thicker, simmer another 2–3 minutes.

6. Greens for the win. Stir in spinach and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. Squeeze in 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice to brighten the richness.
7. Cheesy finale. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan with a pinch of salt and pepper.

   Either dollop directly into bowls or stir half into the pot for ultra-creaminess and save half for topping.

8. Serve. Ladle into bowls, dollop with the ricotta blend if not already mixed, and finish with more parmesan and chopped basil or parsley. Black pepper on top? Always a yes.

Keeping It Fresh

Fridge: Store soup (without the ricotta topping) in airtight containers for 3–4 days.

The noodles will continue to soak up broth; add a splash of water or broth when reheating.

Freezer: Freeze without pasta and dairy for up to 2 months. Reheat, then add freshly cooked noodles and stir in cream/cheeses at the end. Future-you will be impressed.

Reheat: Low and slow on the stove over medium-low, stirring often.

If it thickens, thin with broth or milk until silky again.

Benefits of This Recipe

• Weeknight-friendly: One pot, minimal dishes, restaurant-level payoff.
• Customizable: Swap proteins, noodles, and greens without losing the soul of the dish.
• Satisfying: Balanced richness with lemon and herbs means cozy without food coma (okay, maybe a small one).
• Kid-approved: Creamy, cheesy, familiar flavors—basically a diplomatic win at the dinner table.
• Meal-prep smart: Holds well and improves on day two, IMO.

Don’t Make These Errors

• Overcooking the noodles: They’ll get mushy and steal your broth. Go al dente and check early.
• Adding dairy too hot: Boiling can cause splitting. Reduce heat before stirring in cream and cheeses.
• Skipping the lemon/nutmeg: These tiny additions sharpen flavors and give that white-lasagna signature.
• Underseasoning: Broth, cream, and pasta need salt to sing.

  Taste as you go.

• One-note texture: Don’t skip the ricotta-mozz-parm topping. It’s the “wow” layer.

Different Ways to Make This

• Rotisserie chicken: Shred and stir in during the last 5 minutes. Fast and flavorful.
• Vegetarian: Use mushrooms (cremini + shiitake) and white beans.

  Swap in veggie broth.

• Gluten-free: Use GF lasagna sheets or GF short pasta. Keep stirring to prevent sticking.
• Lighter version: Half-and-half instead of cream; reduce ricotta to 1/2 cup and add more spinach.
• Spicy Tuscan: Use hot Italian sausage, add sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Broccoli Alfredo vibe: Add small broccoli florets with the noodles; finish with extra parmesan.
• Pesto swirl: Spoon a teaspoon of basil pesto on each bowl before serving for herby fireworks.

FAQ

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, but cook the noodles separately if you plan to store it. Combine when serving so the pasta doesn’t hog the broth.

Reheat gently and finish with cheeses fresh.

What if my soup gets too thick?

Thin it with warm chicken broth or milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until you hit that glide-on-the-spoon texture. Season again after thinning—dilution happens.

Can I use short pasta instead of lasagna sheets?

Totally. Mafalda corta, farfalle, or rotini work great.

The lasagna “feel” comes from broad noodles, but flavor-wise you’re golden either way.

How do I avoid curdling the dairy?

Reduce heat to low before adding cream and cream cheese. Stir until smooth, then keep it under a simmer. Acid (lemon) comes last, in small amounts.

Is there a good dairy-free option?

Use unsweetened cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk and skip the ricotta-mozz blend.

Finish with a dairy-free parmesan and extra olive oil for richness.

What protein swaps do you recommend?

Ground turkey, turkey sausage, diced pancetta (for a luxe touch), or shrimp added at the end. Beans also pull their weight if you’re keeping it meatless.

How can I make it extra cheesy without breaking the soup?

Keep the pot at low heat and add cheese gradually, stirring constantly. Mixing cheeses with a ladle of hot soup first (a mini-tempering) helps them melt smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Creamy White Lasagna Soup is the shortcut to big comfort with chef-y flavor.

It’s familiar, flexible, and impressive without drama—basically the dinner version of having your life together. Make it once and it becomes a rotation staple, the kind of recipe friends “just happen” to text you about. Grab a spoon, add extra parmesan, and enjoy the applause from your own kitchen bench seats.