Butternut Squash Lasagna Soup with Kale & Mozzarella
This Butternut Squash Lasagna Soup with Kale and Mozzarella is a hearty and comforting fall-inspired soup that combines the sweetness of butternut squash with tender kale, Italian herbs, and melty mozzarella cheese. It’s a cozy, flavorful twist on traditional lasagna, served in a bowl and perfect for chilly days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium Sweet Onion, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 5 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
- 6 cups Butternut Squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 quarts Vegetable Broth
- 1 chunk Parmesan Rind
Pasta and Greens
- ½ lb Mafalda Pasta (or dried lasagna noodles), broken into pieces
- 2 cups Fresh Kale, chopped
Finishing Ingredients
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese (such as Land O’ Lakes Mozzarella shreds)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, allowing the garlic to become fragrant but not browned.
- Cook Butternut Squash: Add the cubed butternut squash, Italian seasoning, and another pinch of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to caramelize slightly for added flavor.
- Add Broth and Parmesan Rind: Pour in the vegetable broth and add the parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil and let it cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the squash to soften further.
- Partial Puree: Remove the parmesan rind and use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup directly in the pot. This creates a creamy texture while retaining some chunks for body. Return the parmesan rind to the pot after blending.
- Cook Pasta: Add the broken mafalda pasta or lasagna noodles to the soup. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender but still holds its shape.
- Finish Soup: Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped kale, heavy cream, and brown sugar. Allow the residual heat to wilt the kale and meld flavors. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into four bowls and top each serving with approximately ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. The warm soup will gently melt the mozzarella creating a gooey, cheesy topping reminiscent of lasagna.
Notes
- You can substitute kale with spinach or Swiss chard if preferred.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer half the soup to a regular blender, puree, and then return it to the pot.
- For a vegan version, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and use a vegan mozzarella alternative.
- Mafalda pasta can be replaced with other short pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes quantity depending on your desired heat level.
