This Italian Sausage Soup is a hearty soup that will leave you satisfied and wanting more! It comes together in 30 minutes and combines sausage, tomatoes, Italian spices and orzo pasta. The perfect combination!
ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP
In the colder months I have soups on rotation in my house whether it is this Lebanese Lentil Soup, Homemade Minestrone Soup or a Red Lentil Soup or today’s Italian Sausage Soup. There is so much to love about soups.
They are filling, easy to make and almost always yield leftovers that you can freeze for later. I am all about recipes that feed my family more than once.
I will say that this Italian Sausage Soup went fast in my house so there weren’t many leftovers.
If you want to freeze this soup for later I suggest making a double batch.
Other soups I love to make in double batches include this Instant Pot Turkey Chili and this Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup.
I really enjoy using sausage in soups because it really brings a lot of flavor to the recipe.
I usually will use a mild sausage so it isn’t too spicy for my kids but feel free to use a spicy sausage for extra heat.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS SAUSAGE SOUP?
GROUND SAUSAGE: I love using ground sausage in this recipe. You can also substitute and use ground pork, chicken, turkey or beef. Any of those proteins would work nicely!
VEGETABLES: I added carrots, onion, celery and diced tomatoes to this soup.
There are a lot of options when it comes to loading a soup up with vegetables. Try zucchini, peas or green beans also.
GREENS: I added kale to this soup because I like how it cooks down in warm soups.
You could use any green you like or leave them out.
Try spinach, swiss chard or any type of kale you can find.
ITALIAN SPICES: I used a mixture of oregano, basil and parsley in this soup.
If you prefer you could also just buy an Italian spice blend and use 2 teaspoons of that in the place of the variety of spices I used.
ORZO: Orzo is one of my favorite soup pastas to use.
Check your store for a whole wheat pasta if you want a slightly healthier dish.
BROTH: I used chicken broth in this soup but vegetable broth would also work nicely. If you have homemade stock at home that is even better!
CAN I MAKE THIS SAUSAGE SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Most soups that are made on the stove-top can also be made in the crockpot.
This one is no exception. Start by browning your sausage along with the garlic and onion.
By cooking the sausage with the onions and garlic you are releasing flavors that would otherwise not be released in the slow cooker.
From here you will add that to the slow cooker along with the broth and vegetables and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
30 minutes before you are done cooking the soup add in the kale and parmesan cheese and give it a good stir. If you want a creamier soup this would be the step where you add the cream in.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP IN THE INSTANT POT
Start by turning on the sauté button.
When the pressure cooker is heated add in a couple drops of olive oil and the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage and cook it though. Drain the fat from the sausage and set aside.
Add another couple of drops of olive oil and add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery and sausage for another 3-4 minutes, or until tender.
Add the sausage back in to the Instant Pot with the vegetables.
Add in the diced tomatoes, broth, orzo, oregano, basil, parsley and a dash of salt and pepper.
Turn the lid to lock and turn the steam knob to the sealed position. Set the Instant Pot to Manual 3 minutes. When the pressure cooker is complete, turn the steam release knob to do a quick release.
Open the lid and stir in the kale and the parmesan cheese. Let sit with the lid back on it for about 1-2 minutes to let the kale get soft.
OTHER SAUSAGE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
TURKEY SAUSAGE AND EGG PUFF PASTRY
Italian Sausage Soup
This Italian Sausage Soup is a hearty soup that will leave you satisfied and wanting more! It comes together in 30 minutes and combines sausage, tomatoes, Italian spices and orzo pasta. The perfect combination!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground sausage
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 of an onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 - 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes {try fire roasted for a smoky flavor}
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups of kale, roughly chopped
- 1 cup classic semolina orzo or Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta
- 1/4 cup cream {optional for creamier soup}
- Garnish:
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
Stove-top:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onion and saute until the onion is becoming soft. Add the sausage in and saute until the sausage is cooked through, about 6-7 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, broth, basil, oregano and parsley and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling add in the orzo pasta, cover and continue to boil for another 10 to 11 minutes or until the orzo is just cooked.
Add in the kale and continue to simmer until the kale is soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parmesan cheese and the cream if you are choosing to make a creamier soup.
Garnish with fresh parsley, parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper.
SLOW COOKER:
Start by browning your sausage along with the garlic and onion. By cooking the sausage with the onions and garlic you are releasing flavors that would otherwise not be released in the slow cooker.
From here you will add that to the slow cooker along with the broth and vegetables and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 30 minutes before you are done cooking the soup add in the kale and parmesan cheese and give it a good stir.
If you want a creamier soup this would be the step where you add the cream in.
Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
INSTANT POT:
Start by turning on the sauté button. When the pressure cooker is heated add in a couple drops of olive oil and the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage and cook it though. Drain the fat from the sausage and set aside.
Add another couple of drops of olive oil and add the garlic, onion, carrots and celery and sausage for another 3-4 minutes, or until tender.
Add the sausage back in to the Instant Pot with the vegetables. Add in the diced tomatoes, broth, orzo, oregano, basil, parsley and a dash of salt and pepper.
Turn the lid to lock and turn the steam knob to the sealed position. Set the Instant Pot to Manual 3 minutes. When the pressure cooker is complete, turn the steam release knob to do a quick release.
Open the lid and stir in the kale and the parmesan cheese. Let sit with the lid back on it for about 1-2 minutes to let the kale get soft. Garnish with parsley, Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper.
