Wedding Soup Lasagna

Two Italian favorites, lasagna and Italian wedding soup, combine forces in one great dish for a special occasion. Many of the ingredients are cooked in chicken broth, which is reserved and used to make a gravy for the top of the lasagna.

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr
• Calories: 359 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 9 lasagna noodles
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, or to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 head escarole, chopped
• ½ teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
• ¼ cup bread crumbs, or as needed
• 1 small onion, chopped - divided
• 1 clove garlic, chopped - divided
• 2 (32 ounce) cartons low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 pound ground meat loaf mix (beef, pork, veal)
• 1 ⅓ cups grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 2 ⅔ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot; cook and stir 1/2 small onion and 1/2 garlic clove until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir shredded carrots and escarole into onion mixture; cook and stir until escarole is wilted, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Pour chicken broth into pot with vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer chicken breasts in broth until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts and vegetables from broth with a slotted spoon, let chicken cool, and chop into bite-size pieces. Set chicken and vegetables aside; retain chicken broth in pot.

Step 3

Combine meat loaf mix, bread crumbs, egg, remaining 1/2 small onion, remaining 1/2 garlic clove, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Scoop about 1 1/2 teaspoon meat mixture and roll into a small meatball; repeat with remaining mixture. Refrigerate meatballs until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Bring chicken broth back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer meatballs in broth until no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from chicken broth with a slotted spoon. Retain chicken broth in pot.

Step 5

Bring chicken broth back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook lasagna noodles until cooked through but still slightly firm to the bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set noodles aside. Reserve remaining chicken broth.

Step 6

Combine chopped chicken, vegetables, ricotta cheese, and parsley in a bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Chill mixture for 10 minutes to become firm.

Step 7

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat the bottom of a large, deep baking dish with olive oil.

Step 8

Place 3 cooked lasagna noodles into baking dish. Layer 1/3 the ricotta-chicken mixture and 1/3 the meatballs over noodles; sprinkle layers with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice more, using 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 the ricotta mixture, 1/3 the meatballs, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese per layer.

Step 9

Bring remaining chicken broth to a boil, reduce heat to low, and whisk cornstarch into chicken broth until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour thickened chicken broth over casserole. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese over top.

Step 10

Bake casserole in the preheated oven until bubbling and cheese topping has melted, about 20 minutes.