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Italian Sausage Soup in white Dutch oven garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
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4.67 from 36 votes

Italian Sausage Soup

Here is everything you love about Italian cuisine in a hearty, soul-satisfying soup! Italian Sausage Soup is loaded with vegetables and pasta in a wine-infused tomatoey broth.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild, pork, turkey or chicken
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 large carrots or 3 medium carrots chopped
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 6 cups chicken broth or as needed
  • 2 cans (each 15-ounce) tomato sauce or 1 28-ounce can
  • 1 can (15-ounce) diced fire-roasted tomatoes undrained
  • 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes or to heat tolerance
  • 1 1/2 cups dried small pasta such as shells, ditalini, mini penne, elbow or orzo, regular or whole-grain
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium heat until browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it begins to soften.
  • Add the carrot and celery. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until tender.
  • Add the red and green pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes then add the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
  • Add the garlic and dry red wine and bring to a boil.
  • Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Transfer the cooked sausage back to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
  • Add the pasta and cook another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.
  • Add the parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  • Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:
  • Use beans instead of pasta for a lower-carb alternative.
  • Use turkey, chicken or vegan Italian sausage for a healthier alternative.
  • If using lean sausages such as turkey or chicken, you may need to add some olive oil so the sausage doesn't stick.
TIPS:
  • Cooking the pasta in the soup as directed will thicken it because of the starch. If you wish to make the soup beforehand, leave the pasta out and add it when reheating the soup, or cook it separately and add it right before serving.
  • Be careful not to overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook even off the heat and it can get mushy.
MAKE AHEAD:
  • Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time.  Reheat on the stovetop.
FREEZER-FRIENDLY:
  • Store in airtight containers in amounts desired.  Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave.
  • Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 1108mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4149IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg