BEST Italian Sausage Soup [VIDEO] - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

Last updated on February 29, 2024

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This Italian Sausage Soup is made in just one pot and takes 10 minutes to prep! It’s an easy dinner that’s loaded with flavorful Italian sausage, tons of veggies, perfectly cooked noodles, and parmesan cheese!

Love Italian sausage in soups? Try my Sausage Orzo Soup, The BEST Sausage Tortellini Soup, or this easy Zuppa Toscana recipe next!

As many of you know, soup is one of my favorite things. Whether it’s chicken noodle soup, roasted tomato soup, potato soup, taco soup, or cheeseburger soup, you can bet I’m going back for seconds…okay, probably thirds.

Well, this Italian Sausage Soup is no exception to my love for soups. It’s packed with veggies, Italian sausage, spinach, Ditalini pasta, parmesan cheese, and so much flavor.

This is definitely a dinner you will want to add to your meal rotation!

Italian Sausage Soup ingredients:

This recipe is a flavor bomb that’s made up of super simple ingredients!

• Italian Sausage: you can use either mild or spicy depending on your heat preferences.
• Carrot, Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper: a colorful blend of veggies that gives the soup an extra nutrition boost and adds so much texture.
• Minced Garlic: I keep a jar of pre-minced garlic in the fridge so it’s available whenever I need it, but you can also mince or finely chop your own garlic.
• Italian Seasoning and Salt: the Italian sausage and chicken broth already contribute so much flavor to the soup, but I like to add more Italian seasonings and a touch of salt to take it up a notch.
• Chicken Broth: I recommend using low sodium chicken broth so you can control the saltiness of your soup. If you’re using regular broth, you may want to adjust the amount of salt you add yourself.
• Ditalini Pasta: I think the size of ditalini pasta incorporates perfectly with the other ingredients but really any bite-sized pasta shape will work. (Got extra? Try this Ditalini Pasta with Bacon and Peas next!)
• Spinach: I use fresh spinach to add at the end. If you’re using frozen spinach, you’ll want to add it sooner so that it has time to cook.
• Grated Parmesan: to top it off! I recommend freshly grating the cheese for the best texture.

How to make Italian Sausage Soup

This hearty Italian sausage soup is made in just one pot which makes for super easy prep and even easier cleanup! Scroll down to the recipe card for complete instructions.

1. Cook the sausage and veggies: in a large pot, add Italian sausage, carrots, onion, celery, and peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the sausage is browned and the onions are translucent.
2. Simmer with seasonings and broth: stir in Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt, cook for one minute, then stir in chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add pasta: add in your uncooked noodles and simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is cooked to desired doneness. I recommend cooking it al dente according to box directions since it will continue to cook as it sits in the soup.
4. Finish and serve: mix in fresh spinach, sprinkle with parmesan, then serve and enjoy!

Can I use another type of meat?

Yes! You can easily swap the Italian pork sausage out for Italian turkey sausage, plain pork or turkey sausage, chicken sausage, or ground beef.

Keep in mind, Italian sausage is pretty heavily seasoned, so if you use something else you may want to add more seasonings to the soup!

Variations/substitutions for Italian Sausage Soup

• Add more veggies. This soup is already pretty packed with veggies but you can boost the nutrition even more by adding mushrooms zucchini, kale, broccoli, peas, you name it.
• Make it creamy. If you prefer a creamier texture, mix in a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream.
• Use another pasta. You can use any smaller pasta shape. Try it with orzo, macaroni, rotini, pasta shells, or even cheese tortellini!
• Spice it up. Give the soup a kick of heat by using spicy Italian sausage, adding diced jalapeño, a sprinkling in a touch of red pepper flakes.
• Make it meatless. You can easily swap the Italian sausage for a meatless variety or use beans instead. Keep in mind, this may require you to add more seasonings.
• Make Italian sausage tomato soup. You can easily make this Italian sausage soup into tomato soup by mixing in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes.

Serving suggestions

With protein, veggies, and carbs, this Italian sausage soup can very easily be a complete meal all on its own!

However, if you do want to fill out your meal a bit, you can serve it next to a simple side salad with Italian dressing, homemade breadsticks, some of my Mom’s Homemade Buns, or Cheesy Garlic Bread!

How to store

I recommend serving this Italian sausage soup right away for the best pasta texture. However, leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze this soup?

You can, but I recommend doing so before you add the pasta. To freeze, assemble the soup as directed up until you add the pasta. Let it cool completely, then place it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the broth and veggie mixture in the fridge, bring to a simmer on the stove, then add in the pasta and finish out the recipe as directed.

More soup recipes to try

• Vegetable Soup — easily vegetarian and loaded with nutritious veggies!
• Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup — comforting and nostalgic.
• Sausage Tortellini Soup — Italian sausage in a flavorful tomato broth with tortellini.
• Smoked Sausage Minestrone — made with just 6 main ingredients!
• Beef and Barley Soup — a classic for good reason!