Easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe (with Spinach)
Sep 23, 2024, Updated Oct 01, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe (with Spinach)- brings together hearty Italian flavors and nourishing ingredients. It’s a simple, rustic dish perfect for a cozy evening!
Serve with crusty bread.
Why you’ll love this recipe
With its robust flavors and hearty ingredients, this rustic and satisfying Italian sausage soup is guaranteed to warm you up. It’s a great meal the whole family will love!
- Flavor-packed: With ingredients like Italian sausage, a medley of vegetables, and rich spices, every spoonful bursts with robust and hearty flavors. Whether you choose spicy or mild sausage, the soup caters to a wide range of taste preferences.
- Comforting and nourishing: There’s something incredibly comforting about a warm bowl of homemade soup. This recipe combines protein, vegetables, and pasta, making it a balanced and satisfying meal that nourishes both the body and soul.
- Great for leftovers: It’s a great make-ahead meal for busy days, and it freezes well for future lunches or dinners.
You’ll also love our Italian White Bean Soup and Pasta e Fagioli Soup.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
- Italian sausage (mild or spicy): This is the base protein of the soup, adding rich, savory flavors. Hot Italian sausage adds a kick, while mild Italian sausage is more subdued.
- Carrots: Sweet and earthy, carrots add a hint of natural sugar and vibrant color to the soup.
- Onion: A fundamental aromatic, onions deepen the soup’s flavor base with their sweet and savory notes when cooked.
- Celery: Adds a slight peppery taste and crunchy texture, contributing to the soup’s aromatic profile.
- Red bell pepper: Offers a sweet, mildly tangy flavor and adds a pop of bright red color to the dish.
- Garlic: Introduces a pungent and spicy undertone that’s essential in layering flavors in Italian cooking.
- Italian seasoning: A blend of dried herbs like oregano, thyme, and basil, which infuses the soup with classic Italian flavors.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the soup.
- Chicken broth: Provides the liquid base of the soup, contributing both flavor and moisture. Using low-sodium broth allows better control over the saltiness. Alternatively, you can use beef broth or vegetable broth.
- Petite diced tomatoes: Add a touch of acidity and sweetness, enriching the overall complexity of the soup.
- Ditali pasta: A small tube-shaped pasta that absorbs the soup’s flavors and adds a satisfying texture.
- Spinach: Brings a slight earthiness and vibrant green color, adding both nutrients and visual appeal.
- Parmigiano cheese (parmesan cheese): Offers a nutty, salty finish when grated over the soup, enhancing its depth.
- Fresh basil: Used as a garnish, it introduces a fresh, peppery flavor that brightens the final dish.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Italian Sausage Soup
One of my favorite things about this delicious soup is- it all comes together in one pot.
Take the casing off the sausages. You can also use ground sausage.
Brown the sausage well in the pot.
Add the vegetables and cook in the same pot.
Combine the tomatoes and add the sausage back into the pot.
Pour the broth into the soup pot.
Add the dried pasta and cook in the broth.
Toss in the fresh spinach at the end and cook for the last few minutes.
Enjoy your Italian soup recipe, which is full of the best flavors!
Substitutions
- Italian Sausage: Use turkey sausage or chicken sausage instead of Italian sausage that is pork-based. You can even try ground beef.
- Spinach: Kale, Swiss chard, or arugula can be substituted for spinach for a different kind of green.
- Pasta Variety. Use orzo, small macaroni, rotini, pasta shells, or cheese tortellini!
Variations
The next time you make this easy soup, experiment with these options to keep your soup menu fresh and exciting!
- Creamy Italian Sausage Soup: If you love creamy soups- add a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of sour cream towards the end of cooking for a rich, creamy texture. Alternatively, blend in a bit of cream cheese or mascarpone for extra smoothness.
- Spicy Soup: If you enjoy heat, incorporate chopped chili peppers, red pepper flakes, or extra spicy sausage. This adds so much flavor and a vibrant zing that really livens up the soup. Add crushed tomatoes for variety.
- Barley and Sausage Soup: Replace the pasta with barley for a nutty flavor and heartier texture, making it even more suitable for colder months. White beans are another great option.
Equipment
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until hot. If the soup has thickened in the fridge, add a little water or additional broth to thin it back to your desired consistency when reheating.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Brown the Sausage Well: Take the time to brown the sausage properly at the beginning. This step is crucial as it develops deep flavors in the meat, which will infuse the entire soup with a richer taste.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Sautéing the vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery before adding the broth enhances their flavors and sweetness, providing a better flavor base for the soup.
FAQ
Absolutely! This soup actually tastes better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. Just prepare the soup as usual, but hold off on adding the pasta until you’re ready to reheat and serve to prevent it from becoming too soft.
Yes, Italian Sausage Soup freezes well. Cool the soup completely and store it in freezer-safe containers, leaving out the pasta if possible. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove, adding freshly cooked pasta if needed.
More Recipes
Looking for other recipes? Try these:
More Italian Sausage Recipes
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Print
Easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe (with Spinach)- brings together hearty Italian flavors and nourishing ingredients. It’s a simple, rustic dish perfect for a cozy evening!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed (or 1 pound ground Italian sausage)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 2–3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper or orange bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2–3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning*
- Salt and Black pepper, to taste
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups Ditali pasta or another small pasta, dry
- 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for serving
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, crumble the Italian sausage and cook until browned and no longer pink. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and drain any excess fat from the pot, leaving two tablespoons to sauté the vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, cooking for another minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Simmer the soup: Return the sausage to the pot. Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
-
Stir in pasta and cook, stirring often, until pasta is cooked to desired doneness, about 10 minutes.
- Stir the chopped spinach into the soup, cooking just until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese and a sprinkle of fresh basil. Serve hot. Enjoy.
Notes
*Italian Seasoning: Custom blend: If you don’t have pre-mixed Italian seasoning, you can make your own by combining dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: American
I made this on Sunday and it was so delicious! Super easy and my family loved it!
Happy everyone loved this classic!
Love this new hearty sausage Fall soup recipe! You never disappoint!
Yay! It’s a keeper and great for the cooler weather.
Absolutely delicious. Non dairy household so no cheese but delicious regardless. Definitely on the regular rotation for cold weather months
Kent! I am so happy you and your wife loved this one. Enjoy time and time again. All the best! Elena
This soup was so delicious! Easy and so flavorful. This will be a go to recipe this fall and winter!
Yay! Happy it will be a go-to recipe. It’s packed with delicious flavors.
Made this last night. It was fantastico! Really loved it. Added cubed potato when I put in the Ditalini pasta…..and some other minor adjustments. But even without them, this is a perfect Feel-Good soupitsa.
Yum, love the addition of potatoes. Happy you loved the recipe.
I made this for dinner last night and it was fantastic. Thank you!
I’m thrilled you loved it!
I made this last night …..it was delicious!
Happy you loved this cozy recipe!
So happy you loved it!
looks delicious
Yes, it is a perfect recipe for cooler weather.