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Italian sausage soup is a cozy stovetop soup made with Italian chicken sausage, fire roasted tomatoes, fresh veggies, pasta, and a flavorful broth. Serve it topped with parmesan cheese and a dollop of ricotta. It’s hearty, full of protein, nutrient rich veggies, and will be a family favorite!
If you love hearty Italian inspired meals, make this pesto baked chicken and tomatoes or slow cooker Italian turkey chili.
Why You’ll Love Italian Sausage Soup
Hearty and healthy – This Italian soup is packed with protein rich chicken sausage and an assortment of veggies including, carrots, red bell pepper, spinach, and fire roasted tomatoes.
One pot meal – This stovetop soup is all made in one pot, which you know I’m a fan of! Less dishes to wash and less cooking time.
Versatile – You can easily swap the vegetables used in this soup with your favorites or whatever you have on hand. You can also use more or less veggies depending on what you like.
Ingredients Notes
Italian sausage – I used mild Italian chicken sausage to cut down on the amount of fat, but you could also use pork or turkey sausage.
Onion and garlic – The aromatics for the soup that give the broth lots of flavor.
Carrots, red bell pepper, spinach – Fresh vegetables add fiber, nutrients, and flavor.
Basil – The pop of fresh flavor pairs perfectly with the tomatoes.
Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes – Red pepper flakes add a little spicy kick to the soup. You can omit or adjust the amount used depending on how spicy you like food.
Fire roasted tomatoes – Fire roasted tomatoes add a nice smoky flavor, but you can use regular diced tomatoes. Crushed fire roasted tomatoes also work well.
Balsamic vinegar – Balsamic vinegar adds a little sweetness and help to balance the acidity of the canned tomatoes and enhance their flavor.
Chicken broth – Always use low sodium broth so that you can control the saltiness of the soup.
Parmesan cheese rind – Adding a parmesan cheese rind to soup is a great way to add a salty, cheesy, umami flavor to them.
Pasta – You can use any type of short pasta in this soup. Rotini (spirals), shells, macaroni, and ditalini are all great choices.
Ricotta and parmesan cheese – Top the soup with shredded parmesan cheese and a dollop of ricotta. The saltiness of the parmesan and creaminess of the ricotta bring the whole soup together.
How to Make Italian Sausage Soup
Crumble and brown the sausage in a dutch oven or large pot. Once it’s cooked through, remove it onto a plate.
Add in the onion, carrots, and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes and then add in the garlic and dried spices. Cook for another minute.
Add the sausage back into the pot along with the parmesan cheese rind, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and broth. Stir together and bring the soup to a boil.
Stir in the pasta and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until the spinach is wilted, about a minute.
Remove the parmesan cheese rind and taste for seasoning. Serve the soup topped with parmesan cheese, ricotta, and chopped basil leaves.
Substitution and Variations
- Add a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans.
- If you like spicy food, use hot/spicy Italian sausage.
- Use different veggies. Sliced mushroom, kale, and zucchini would all work well.
- Make it creamy. Stir in a 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cream when you add in the spinach and basil.
- Omit the pasta for a lower carb soup.
What to Serve with Sausage Pasta Soup
A side of warm crusty bread is delicious for sopping up the tomato broth. Caesar salad with my homemade Caesar dressing is a must and this Italian chopped salad is another delicious salad full of goodies!
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Storage – The soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The longer it sits the more the pasta will absorb the broth and the softer the noodles will get.
Freezing – The soup may be frozen for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze the soup I recommend not adding the pasta to it as the pasta will be mushy once it’s defrosted. Instead, Add in cooked pasta when you are reheating it.
Reheating – Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it in a saucepan or pot over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
If you’re craving a hearty soup that uses beef try this stovetop cheeseburger soup, beef and barley soup, or hamburger soup.
Love southwest and Mexican flavors? Make this popular slow cooker creamy green chile chicken enchilada soup or Mexican meatball soup (albondigas soup).
For more Italian flavored soups, this minestrone soup is a must and I can’t get enough of this Tuscan chicken tortellini soup.
Did you make this Italian Sausage Soup? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes use 1/2 teaspoon if you like spicy
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 28 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Parmesan cheese rind optional
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 5 ounces uncooked pasta such as rotini, shells, or macaroni
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
- Shredded parmesan cheese, ricota, and chopped basil for toppings
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a little olive oil and add in the sausage. Crumble and cook the sausage. Once it’s browned and cooked through, remove it onto a plate.
- Add the onions, carrots, and red bell pepper into the pot. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
- Drop in the parmesan cheese rind, cooked sausage, fire roasted tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a boil.
- Stir in the pasta and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 11-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the parmesan cheese rind and stir in the spinach and basil. Cook for another minute until the spinach wilts. Taste for seasoning.
- Serve the soup topped with shredded parmesan cheese, a dollop of ricotta, and chopped basil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.