Butternut Squash Lasagna Soup with Kale & Mozzarella Recipe
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4.8 from 46 reviews
This cozy and comforting Butternut Squash Lasagna Soup with Kale is a creamy, dreamy fall favorite. It features a caramelized butternut squash base seasoned with garlic, brown sugar, and Italian spices, combined with tender kale, broken mafalda pasta, and topped with gooey mozzarella for a cheesy finish.
Total Time:50 minutes
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
Sauce and Soup Base
2 tablespoon 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)
2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 quarts Vegetable Broth
1 chunk Parmesan Rind
¼ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Heavy Cream
Pasta and Vegetables
½ lb Mafalda Pasta (or dried lasagna noodles) broken up
2 cups Fresh Kale
Cheese
1 cup Low Moisture Mozzarella (recommend Land O' Lakes Mozzarella shreds)
Instructions
Sauté Onion & Garlic: Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add diced sweet onion, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 minutes until softened, then add chopped garlic and cook for another 3 minutes until fragrant.
Brown Butternut Squash: Add the butternut squash, Italian seasoning, and another pinch of salt to the pot. Increase the heat and cook for 5 minutes or until the squash starts to caramelize, developing a rich flavor.
Add Broth and Parmesan Rind: Pour in the vegetable broth and add the parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the parmesan rind before blending.
Blend Soup: Use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup, creating a creamy yet textured base.
Cook Pasta: Return the parmesan rind to the pot, add the broken mafalda pasta, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.
Add Kale & Cream: Turn off the heat and stir in fresh kale, heavy cream, and brown sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
Serve with Mozzarella: Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous handful (about ½ cup) of Land O’ Lakes® Mozzarella Farmstyle Shreds for a gooey, cheesy finish.
Notes
You can substitute olive oil with any neutral oil if preferred.
Use sweet onions like Vidalia to enhance the natural sweetness of the soup.
Red pepper flakes are optional but add a subtle depth without overpowering heat.
If you don't have a parmesan rind, omit it or keep some parmesan cheese in the freezer for future use—it adds great umami.
Mafalda pasta mimics small lasagna noodles, but broken regular dried lasagna noodles work well too.
Swap kale for spinach or finely chopped broccoli if you prefer.
Heavy cream can be replaced with milk or coconut milk for a lighter or dairy-free option, though it may affect richness.
Brown sugar highlights the butternut squash sweetness; honey is a great alternative if you want a natural sweetener.
To enhance texture, don't over-blend the soup; leaving some chunks gives more body.
