Healthy Lasagna Soup: An Easy, Skinny Recipe for Wholesome Comfort Food
Craving the rich, comforting flavors of classic lasagna but looking for a lighter, more health-conscious alternative? Look no further than this incredibly delicious and easy **Healthy Lasagna Soup**! Traditional lasagna, while a beloved classic, is often characterized by generous layers of pasta dough and a high carbohydrate count. Our innovative soup version captures all the essence and mouth-watering taste of classic lasagna but transforms it into a nutritious, “skinny” dish, packed with wholesome ingredients and a controlled amount of pasta.
This isn’t just a simple soup; it’s a hearty, fulfilling meal designed to bring warmth and satisfaction without the heavy feeling. Imagine the robust flavors of a pure homemade marinara or bolognese, tender lean minced chicken, an abundance of fresh, colorful vegetables, and the delightful creamy texture contributed by just a hint of mozzarella and ricotta cheese, all simmering together in a comforting, aromatic broth. It’s the perfect dish for a cozy evening dinner with the family or a substantial, satisfying lunch that will keep you energized, proving that healthy eating can still be utterly delicious and deeply comforting.
The Wholesome Benefits of Our Lasagna Soup
This recipe stands out for several compelling reasons, making it a must-try for anyone seeking a flavorful yet health-conscious meal. We’ve taken the components that make lasagna so appealing and re-engineered them into a lighter, more adaptable format.
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Embrace Homemade for Superior Flavor and Health
Elevate your soup with a pure homemade marinara or bolognese sauce. While there are many good quality store-bought sauces available, crafting your own allows for unparalleled freshness, complete control over ingredients, and a depth of flavor that’s simply unmatched. I highly recommend trying this fantastic recipe for the best homemade lasagna sauce. A crucial tip for this soup: remember to omit the minced beef from that sauce recipe, as you’ll be using lean minced chicken as your primary protein in this soup for a lighter and equally delicious touch. Making your own sauce ensures no hidden sugars, excessive sodium, or artificial additives, providing a truly wholesome and flavorful base for your soup.
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The Secret to Deep Flavor: Homemade Chicken Stock
The foundation of any truly great soup is its stock, and homemade chicken stock truly makes all the difference, imparting a richer, more complex flavor than anything store-bought. While a good quality store-bought stock or broth is convenient for busy days, opting for homemade will infuse your soup with an intensity that will impress even the most discerning palates. You can find a detailed homemade chicken stock recipe here. Alternatively, a quick and easy method I often use involves taking the bones and any leftover meat from a roasted chicken, placing them in a large soup pot with some roughly chopped aromatic vegetables like carrots, leeks, and celery, along with fresh herbs and about 3 liters of water. Let this mixture simmer gently for at least 2 hours, then simply sieve the liquid to remove solids. This yields a wonderfully flavorful stock you can use immediately or cool quickly and freeze in portions for up to 3 months, making future meal preparations a breeze.
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A Balanced and Filling Meal
This soup is meticulously designed to be well-rounded and deeply satisfying. The minced chicken provides a lean source of high-quality protein, essential for building and repairing tissues, and it helps keep you feeling full and satiated for longer. A generous amount of fresh vegetables, which can be customized to your preference, ensures a rich intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, supporting overall digestive health and nutrient absorption. By consciously reducing the amount of pasta typically found in lasagna, we significantly lower the carbohydrate content, making it a more balanced and “skinny” option that aligns with various dietary goals without sacrificing the beloved flavor profile.
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Creamy Indulgence with a Lighter Touch
One of the hallmarks of great lasagna is its creamy, cheesy texture. In this soup, just a touch of finely cubed mozzarella and smooth ricotta cheese, swirled into individual servings, creates a luxurious, melty, and creamy texture without making the entire pot of soup overly heavy or calorie-dense. These cheeses provide that quintessential lasagna richness and a wonderful mouthfeel, making each spoonful feel indulgent yet keeping the overall dish lighter and healthier. It’s the perfect balance of decadence and dietary consciousness.
Creative Substitutions for Your Perfect Lasagna Soup
One of the beauties of this healthy lasagna soup is its incredible versatility. Feel empowered to customize it to perfectly fit your dietary preferences, what you have readily available in your pantry, or simply to explore new flavor combinations:
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Gluten-Free Pasta Options
For a gluten-free version, easily substitute traditional wheat-based lasagna sheets with those made from chickpeas, red lentils, or other gluten-free alternatives. These varieties often offer a satisfying texture and a delicious flavor profile that integrates seamlessly into the soup, without compromising your dietary needs. When using store-bought ingredients like marinara or bolognese sauce and even minced chicken, always double-check the labels to ensure they are certified gluten-free to maintain a fully compliant meal.
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Diverse Protein Power
While lean minced chicken is an excellent choice for keeping this soup light and heart-healthy, you can easily swap it for other proteins to vary the taste. Minced beef or a flavorful combination of half minced beef and half minced pork will yield a richer, more traditional lasagna flavor profile. For those seeking a delicious vegetarian or even vegan option, thickly sliced cremini or portobello mushrooms are an excellent choice. Sauté them until they are golden brown and have released their moisture before adding them to the soup to develop a deep, umami flavor that beautifully mimics the heartiness of meat. Cooked brown lentils, crumbled firm tofu, or plant-based ground meat substitutes could also be fantastic vegetarian additions, offering both texture and substance.
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Amplify Your Veggies
Don’t hesitate to add even more vegetables to boost the nutritional content and introduce different textures. Fresh spinach, vibrant zucchini, sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), or nutrient-dense kale can all be incorporated. For softer vegetables like spinach or finely chopped kale, add them towards the end of the cooking process to maintain their vibrant color, fresh texture, and maximum nutrient retention. Heartier vegetables like carrots or celery can be added with the shallots and garlic to soften more thoroughly.
Perfect Pairings and Serving Suggestions
While this healthy lasagna soup is robust and a complete meal on its own, it can be wonderfully complemented by a simple side dish or a selection of garnishes to enhance the dining experience. A classic and highly recommended choice is a light and refreshing bruschetta, traditionally topped with diced ripe tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and fresh basil – its vibrant flavors and crisp texture provide a lovely contrast to the warm, hearty soup. Beyond bruschetta, consider these excellent accompaniments:
- A fresh, crisp green salad dressed with a light, tangy vinaigrette, adding freshness and a textural counterpoint.
- A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese over each serving for an extra layer of salty, umami flavor that deepens the Italian essence.
- A dollop of extra ricotta cheese, perhaps mixed with a pinch of black pepper and fresh parsley, for a creamy, herbaceous swirl that visually and texturally enriches the soup.
- For those not strictly watching carbohydrates, a side of warm garlic bread or crusty artisan bread is perfect for dipping into the rich, flavorful broth.
- Freshly chopped parsley or basil as a final garnish, adding a burst of color, fresh aroma, and a hint of garden-fresh flavor to each bowl.
Smart Storage and Meal Prep Tips
Preparing a batch of this healthy lasagna soup makes for excellent meal prep, allowing you to enjoy delicious, homemade meals throughout the week. However, a few tips will ensure optimal taste and texture for your leftovers:
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Refrigeration Best Practices
Allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. When properly stored in the refrigerator, the soup can maintain its quality for up to 1 day. Beyond this, if the lasagna sheets were added during cooking, they tend to become very soft and absorb too much liquid, potentially altering the texture of the soup. For best results when refrigerating, consume within 24 hours.
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Freezing for Long-Term Enjoyment
If you plan to freeze portions of the soup for future meals, a crucial tip is to **omit adding the lasagna sheets** during the initial cooking process. Prepare the soup base (with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce), allow it to cool down quickly, and then transfer it to freezer-safe, airtight containers. This soup base can be stored in the freezer for a maximum of 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw the soup base, reheat it gently on the stovetop, and then break in fresh lasagna sheets, allowing them to cook directly in the hot soup for about 15 minutes, or until tender. This method preserves the ideal al dente texture of the pasta upon serving.
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Why Not to Freeze with Cooked Pasta
If you have already added the lasagna sheets to the soup and cooked them, it is generally not recommended to freeze the entire batch. The starch in cooked pasta tends to break down significantly upon freezing and reheating, resulting in a mushy, disintegrated, and unappealing texture. For the best culinary experience, consume any soup that already contains cooked pasta within 1-2 days of preparation.
Explore More Delicious Soup Recipes
If you enjoyed the wholesome goodness and satisfying flavors of this healthy lasagna soup, you’ll love exploring these other delightful soup creations from our collection. Each offers a unique taste experience perfect for any season or craving:
- Easy onion soup: A simple yet incredibly flavorful classic, perfect for a light appetizer or a comforting bowl, made with only 6 ingredients.
- Sweet tomato soup: Recreate the unique and beloved taste of the sweet tomato soup as it’s served at traditional Dutch Chinese restaurants.
- Skinny spinach soup: Another light and healthy option, this vibrant spinach soup is perfect for a nutritious boost and quick preparation.
- Arugula spinach soup: A delightful blend of peppery arugula with earthy spinach, creating a fresh and invigorating soup that’s both healthy and delicious.
It’s a good taste! Enjoy every spoonful of wholesome goodness.
The Heart of the Home: Your Healthy Lasagna Soup Recipe Card
Did you make this healthy Lasagna soup? We’d love to see your delicious creation! Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram or Twitter so I can admire your cooking. I truly love seeing when you make one of my recipes and I’m always looking forward to looking it up. You can also share your culinary successes on my Facebook channel or easily pin this recipe on Pinterest so you can find it effortlessly next time you’re craving a comforting meal. See you soon in the kitchen!
📖 Recipe Card
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
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Ingredients
Lasagna Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot , minced fine
- 2 cloves garlic , sliced fine
- 300 grams minced chicken
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 750 ml chicken stock
- 750 ml water
- 500 ml marinara sauce, bolognese sauce (vegetarian option available)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sheets lasagna sheets, broken into large pieces
Topping
- 125 grams mozzarella, cubed
- 75 grams ricotta cheese
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
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Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until it’s translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Stir in the finely sliced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
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Add the minced chicken to the pan and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is thoroughly browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
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Stir in the Italian herbs, chicken stock, water, and marinara sauce. Mix everything well to combine, then place the bay leaf on top of the liquid.
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Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
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Remove the bay leaf. Break the lasagna sheets into large, irregular pieces and add them to the simmering soup. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
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In a small bowl, gently mix together the cubed mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
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To serve, place approximately 2 tablespoons of the creamy cheese mixture into the bottom of each soup bowl.
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Ladle the hot lasagna soup generously over the cheese mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting flavors!
Nutrition
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Essential Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
To prepare this comforting and wholesome Healthy Lasagna Soup with maximum ease and efficiency, having the right kitchen utensils makes all the difference. While many items might already be in your kitchen, here’s a list of the key tools I used, along with a brief explanation of why each is particularly beneficial for this specific recipe:
- A Good Pair of Knives: Sharp knives are fundamental for precise and safe food preparation. For this recipe, they are essential for mincing the shallot and garlic with ease, ensuring even cooking and consistent flavor distribution throughout the soup. A sturdy chef’s knife for general chopping and a smaller paring knife for finer work are invaluable assets.
- Cutting Board: A stable and hygienic cutting board provides a safe and designated surface for all your chopping, dicing, and mincing tasks. It protects your countertops from damage and helps prevent cross-contamination, ensuring a clean and efficient prep area.
- Brushes, Spatulas and Other Cooking Utensils: A durable spatula or wooden spoon is perfect for breaking up and browning the minced chicken, ensuring it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. A whisk might be useful if you’re making your own marinara sauce, and a large ladle is indispensable for serving the thick, hearty soup.
- Soup Pot / Dutch Oven Pan: A large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven is the cornerstone for making any soup, especially one as rich and voluminous as this lasagna soup. Its ample size accommodates all the ingredients comfortably, while its thick bottom ensures superior heat distribution, preventing scorching and allowing the soup to simmer gently and evenly for prolonged periods, which is key for deep flavor development.
We truly hope you enjoy creating and savoring this delightful and wholesome Healthy Lasagna Soup. It’s a fantastic, lighter way to indulge in the cherished flavors of a classic comfort food, perfect for sharing with loved ones or enjoying as a nutritious individual meal. Happy cooking!