Italian Sausage Soup
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
35 mins
-
Total Time
50 mins
-
Servings
6
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Italian
Italian Sausage Soup
Description
The Italian Sausage Soup starts with olive oil and browned Italian sausage, which forms a flavorful base once cooked. Aromatics including onions, carrots, celery, and bell peppers are sautéed until tender and combined with garlic for an additional flavor layer. The soup's liquid component features chicken broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes, all seasoned with Italian herbs to unify the flavors. Simmering melds the ingredients and softens the vegetables. Adding orzo pasta toward the end cooks it to a tender yet slightly firm texture, absorbing some broth while expanding the soup's heartiness.
The soup offers a balance between robust sausage and fresh vegetables, making it suitable for a cozy meal. The inclusion of orzo pasta provides a soft bite that complements the tender cooked vegetables and crumbled sausage. It can be served simply as a main course soup or alongside rustic bread for soaking up the broth.
Adjustments from the notes allow variations, such as using turkey sausage for a lighter option or adding other vegetables like zucchini or spinach. Pasta choices can be swapped for other small shapes or replaced with cauliflower for lower carbs. Seasoning may be varied with fresh herbs or additional spice for heat. Salt levels should be moderated as chicken broth and sausage contribute natural saltiness.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage (mild or hot as preferred)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
- 1 cup diced carrot 2 medium
- 3/4 cup sliced celery (2 ribs)
- 3/4 cup diced bell pepper (1 small)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 cups chicken broth then more as desired to thin, low-sodium
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes petite
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta dry
- 3 Tbsp chopped parsley fresh
- 2 Tbsp chopped basil optional, fresh
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Break sausage into chunks into pot.
- Let brown on bottom about 3 minutes, then turn and break up sausage and cook until no longer pink. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, leave rendered fat in pot over medium-high heat.
- You should have about 1 Tbsp fat in pot, if needed add a little more olive oil or drain off some excess fat if there's too much.
- Add onions, carrots, celery and bell pepper and saute until starting to soften, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
- Pour in broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and add Italian seasoning. Return sausage to pot and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste (you shouldn't need much salt).
- Bring to a simmer then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 5 - 10 minutes until veggies are almost soft.
- Add orzo. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally (while scraping along bottom of pot as orzo will tend to stick). Cook until nearly al dente. About 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in some ice (1/2 cup or so) if you want to help stop the orzo from cooking and getting mushy. Stir in fresh parsley and basil.
- Serve warm, topping servings with grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use unsalted chicken stock to reduce sodium if desired.
- Italian turkey sausage can be substituted for traditional pork sausage.
- Additional vegetables like zucchini, kale, or spinach may be added during cooking.
- Swap orzo for other small pasta shapes or use cheese tortellini for a different texture.
- Replace orzo with diced cauliflower for a lower-carb version.
- Try fresh herbs such as rosemary or oregano in place of Italian seasoning to alter the flavor.
- Add hot Italian sausage or red pepper flakes to increase spiciness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
