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This cozy and hearty Italian sausage soup is an easy recipe filled with juicy sausage and tender pasta, plus lots of veggies, garlic, and herbs in a rich tomato-based broth.
It’s officially soup season. In between other favorites like avgolemono soup, lately, we’ve been cozying up with this hearty and flavorful Italian sausage soup recipe. I just know you’re going to love it, too! Spicy ground meat and tender vegetables simmer in a delicious, savory broth filled with the flavors of smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and delicious herbs. This Italian sausage soup with pasta is one of those last-minute dinner recipes that you’ll want to make over and over again.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Italian Sausage Soup
- Tips for Success
- Variation Ideas
- What to Serve With Italian Sausage Soup
- Can I Make This Soup Recipe In Advance?
- Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Can I Freeze Sausage Soup?
- More Easy Soup Recipes
- Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
- Make it on the stovetop. Don’t get me wrong, I love recipes like crockpot tortellini soup and Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup as much as the next person. But this Italian sausage soup is so comforting and quick to make on the stove. You don’t need any fancy gizmos or gadgets. Just a single pot!
- Full of flavor. This sausage soup is just layer after layer of cozy flavor. Juicy seasoned sausage meat, aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and lots of herbs create a soul-warming broth bulked up with tender pasta.
- Great for leftovers. Make a double batch of soup to store or freeze for future bowlfuls. It’s as easy as adding in the pasta when you’re ready to serve it!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a short overview with some notes on what you’ll need to make this easy homemade soup. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list, amounts, and recipe instructions.
- Italian sausage – Choose either mild or hot Italian sausage. If the sausage comes in a casing, you’ll need to remove it.
- Onion, carrots, and celery – Diced up, this trio is called “mirepoix” in cooking. It forms the aromatic flavor base for loads of soups and sauces, from this sausage soup to Bolognese.
- Broth – Low-sodium chicken broth or stock. You can also use vegetable stock.
- Tomato sauce – Or canned crushed tomatoes.
- Diced tomatoes – Canned fire-roasted tomatoes add a nice depth of flavor. You can also use regular diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes if you’d like.
- Italian seasoning – Use homemade Italian seasoning (so easy!) or your preferred store-bought blend.
- Pasta – Use any small dry pasta shapes, such as shells, orzo, or ditalini.
- Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley, or basil.
- Salt and pepper
Can I Use Another Protein?
Yes. You can make this soup with another type of ground meat in place of Italian sausage. Pork sausage, turkey sausage, or ground beef will all work in this recipe. Note that unseasoned ground meat will have less flavor, so consider adding an extra teaspoon of Italian seasoning (or to taste).
How to Make Italian Sausage Soup
You’ll find the full directions in the recipe card further down, but for now, here’s a quick step-by-step:
- Cook the sausage. Start by browning the sausage in a large pot, breaking up the meat as you go. Once the sausage is no longer pink, drain most (but not all) of the excess grease. Leave some in the pan for cooking the veggies.
- Sauté the vegetables. Next, stir in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Let the veggies cook until softened, then add the garlic.
- Combine and simmer. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and tomatoes, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Afterward, bring the pot to a simmer.
- Add the pasta. After about 10 minutes, it’s time to add your pasta. You can add the uncooked pasta right into the soup, or you can boil the pasta separately and add it afterward.
- Finish and serve. When the pasta is tender, your soup is ready to serve. Stir in the chopped parsley, and then dish up in bowls topped with grated parmesan cheese. See below for more easy serving suggestions.
Tips for Success
This hearty sausage soup is pretty straightforward, but the following are some tips that I picked up while putting this recipe together:
- Break up the sausage as it cooks. Spread out the ground meat in an even layer in the pot and give it time to sizzle and brown nicely before you turn it.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Whether you opt to simmer your pasta in the soup or separately, try your best to cook the pasta al dente (firm when bitten). Be careful to not boil it too long.
- Plan for leftovers. If you know you’ll be storing leftovers, consider cooking the pasta separately. This way it’s easy to add in on the reheat. See the section later on for storage details.
Variation Ideas
Soup recipes leave all sorts of room for tasty variations. Try these easy ways to adapt this Italian sausage soup to taste:
- Spicy. For a spicier soup, use hot Italian sausage, or add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Make it creamy. After the soup is off the heat, stir in a ¼ cup of heavy cream or half-and-half for creamy Italian sausage soup.
- Different pasta. Add in any small-cut pasta, such as elbow macaroni, orzo, rotini, or shells, or try tortellini.
- Add some greens. Stir in kale or spinach towards the end of the cooking time.
- Add beans. For a heartier sausage soup, add a can of cannellini beans (white beans). Remember to drain and rinse them first.
- More veggies. Bulk up this Italian sausage soup with potatoes (red potatoes or baby potatoes are best for soups). Or, try chopped zucchini, mushrooms, or broccoli.
- For a low-carb version, replace the pasta with cauliflower rice.
- Vegetarian. For a vegetarian soup, omit the sausage and replace it with meatless mince, tofu, beans, or lentils. Note that your soup will likely need additional seasoning.
What to Serve With Italian Sausage Soup
A warm bowl of sausage soup paired with fresh bread is the ultimate cozy meal. Try a side of fluffy dinner rolls or parmesan garlic knots for dunking. Or, enjoy soup with a starter of easy rosemary focaccia and bread dipping oil. If you’re looking to lighten things up, serve this soup with a fresh tossed salad or zesty tomato mozzarella salad. And for something heartier, try this creamy polenta with a vegetable side, like grilled zucchini.
Can I Make This Soup Recipe In Advance?
If you’re making this Italian sausage soup ahead of time, or if you know you’ll have plenty of leftovers, I recommend cooking the pasta separately. Otherwise, pasta that’s left in the soup will absorb more liquid and become mushy.
To make this soup ahead, prepare the soup and cook the pasta as directed. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Toss the cooked pasta with a bit of olive oil to help with sticking.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- To store. Store any leftover sausage soup airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. If your soup contains pasta, the noodles will become softer over time.
- Reheat. Warm leftover soup in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
Can I Freeze Sausage Soup?
I recommend freezing this soup before adding the pasta. Store the soup airtight and keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight and then add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.
You can also freeze the cooked pasta separately (toss it with olive oil beforehand), and then thaw it before adding it to the warmed soup.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Ham and Split Pea Soup
- Turkey Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Lasagna Soup
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Sausage, I like hot/spicy sausage for the most flavor
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cup small cut pasta, small shells, orzo, ditalini
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add the sausage. Break apart and cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Remove from the pan and drain away excess grease, you want 1 Tablespoon left in the pan.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth, tomato cause, roasted tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Option 1 – after the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, add the pasta and cook for 8-10 more minutes until the pasta is cooked.
- Option 2 – cook the pasta separately according to the package directions. Drain and add to the soup after it has simmered for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley when the soup has finished cooking and top with Parmesan cheese to serve if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I always get excited to make this dinner – simple, quick, and DELISH!
I’m always happy to have another quick, easy, and DELICIOUS meal in my arsenal. I made this last night, and I can’t wait to heat up the leftovers tonight!
This is my new go to dinner on busy weekdays! It was easy to make, filling and best of all so delicious!
Oh wow this was soooo tasty!! Gonna have to save this one!
Super easy to put together and incredibly delicious, making it a new favorite for busy weeknights. Definitely a must-try for any soup lover!
was incredibly flavorful and comforting, perfect for a chilly evening. Plus, it was easy to whip up, which makes it a great addition to my weeknight dinner rotation. Can’t wait to make it again!