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Italian Sausage soup is hearty, full of flavor, and deliciously filling on a cold night. It is full of yummy vegetables, pasta, beans and sausage.
One of my favorite things about fall is making soup again. Our evenings here in Portland are cooling off, which means I’m ready for soup. Now that it’s just the two of us, one big pot of soup can feed us for several days, there is plenty to freeze for later or I have enough to share with someone else.
This Italian Sausage Soup is pure comfort food and it is hearty enough for my husband to consider it a meal without being too heavy.
Italian Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Italian sausages. I used a mild sausage but if you like a little spice use hot Italian sausage.
- Veggies. Carrots and onions
- Beans. Cannellini beans. You could also use Great Norhtern Beans, navy beans, or kidney beans.
- Broth. Use chicken broth or beef broth.
- Tomatoes. Canned diced tomatoes or you can chop up fresh tomato if you prefer.
- Pasta. I used a small shell shaped pasta but any small pasta will do. You could also use orzo pasta.
- Spinach. You could also use kale.
- Seasoning. I used dried basil but you could also add in some oregano or use fresh herbs such as fresh basil.
How to Make Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
- Brown sausage in a pot and drain off fat.
- Add in carrots onions and garlic and stir until onions are soft.
- Combine with tomatoes, broth, beans and basil and bring to a boil.
- Add in pasta, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender.
- Add in spinach a few minutes before serving.
- Garnish with some Parmesan cheese if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
This soup freezes great. I prefer to freeze the soup without the the pasta and the spinach and add that in before serving if possible.
It will keep in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You could also use ground beef, pork sausage or turkey sausage.
Soup Variations
- Add in additional vegetables such as broccoli or kale.
- Switch up your pasta and use orzo, ditalini or elbow. Just keep it a fairly small pasta. You could also use tortellini.
- Substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs. Use a 1:2 ratio, using twice as much fresh herbs as dried herbs.
- To add a little heat to the soup, sprinkle with some red pepper flakes.
What to Serve with Soup
I served it with some nice crusty bread or a loaf of French Bread.
For something quick and easy try these 30 Minute Rolls or make Garlic Cheese Rolls in the slow cooker using frozen rolls. These easy Breadsticks are always a hit.
Other delicious recipes using Italian Sausage:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Italian sausage mild
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 14 ½ oz each
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz each , rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 cups pasta small shell shaped
- 6 oz. spinach slightly chopped
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brown sausage in pan, drain fat.
- Add in carrots, onion and garlic and stir until onions are limp, about 5-7 minutes
- Add in broth, tomatoes with juice, beans, and basil.
- Bring to a boil, add pasta and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add in spinach just a few minutes before serving and allow it to wilt slightly.
Tips & Notes:
- Add in additional vegetables such as broccoli or kale.
- Switch up your pasta and use orzo, ditalini or elbow. Just keep it a fairly small pasta. You could also use tortellini.
- Substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs. Use a 1:2 ratio, using twice as much fresh herbs as dried herbs.
- To add a little heat to the soup, sprinkle with some red pepper flakes.
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Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted October 13, 2014
Sue Bentz says
I made this recipe tonight. So delicious. I cooked my sausage, carrots, onions then put it in the crackpot. Added cooked pasta last 30 mins. Also spinach just before serving on top of a thick slice of provolone, so every scoop has cheese. So yummy!
Sue Bentz says
Oops, Crockpot!
Leigh Anne says
Love that you tried it and that you did it in the crock pot! Thanks for sharing the info. I will try it in the crockpot next time. Love the idea of cheese on top.
Kara says
This looks amazing Leigh Anne! My boys are huge fans of sausage, so I’ll have to give it a try. I’m always on the lookout for a new soup recipe!
Leigh Anne says
Hope you and your boys enjoy it Kara!
Melissa says
This looks really good and I even have some gluten free (Quinoa) shell pasta I can use. This may be a silly question, but reading through the recipe it instructs to drain the fat off the sausage once it’s been fried in the pan and then add in the vegetables and cook until limp. The next step is to add in the broth and tomatoes with juice. My frying pan would certainly not accommodate that much liquid, so I’m asking if you think it should all be done in a dutch oven or just transfer the sausage and vegetables to a soup pot in order to have room for the liquids?
Leigh Anne says
Just go ahead and brown your sausage in whatever pan you are going to cook your soup in.
Holly says
Looks yummy. Is this like one of the soups Olive Garden serves?
Leigh Anne says
Holly, I honestly don’t know. I am not familiar with their menu. Sorry!
Susie says
At what point is the SPINACH added?
Leigh Anne says
Good catch Susie. Left that part out. It is added just a few minutes before serving. Add in, let it wilt slightly and then serve. I will update the recipe. Thanks