Italian Sausage Soup
User Reviews
5
Italian Sausage Soup
Description
Italian Sausage Soup features ground Italian sausage browned with onions and garlic as its foundation. The broth is enriched with cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning, offering a deep, savory flavor. Carrots, celery, red bell pepper, and zucchini provide a mix of textures and freshness, simmered until tender. The cooked pasta is added along with spinach just before serving, ensuring it maintains a tender yet firm bite and the greens gently wilt. Garnished with fresh parsley and optionally Parmesan, this soup balances protein, vegetables, and pasta in a satisfying meal.
The flavor is savory and slightly spicy depending on the sausage used. Texturally, the soup presents tender sausage pieces, creamy beans, al dente pasta, and soft-cooked vegetables. The tomato base brings warmth and subtle acidity, typical of Italian flavors, complemented by the blend of fresh and cooked ingredients.
Serve the soup immediately to enjoy the varied textures and fresh spinach. It pairs well with crusty bread or a simple green salad for a complete meal, suitable for lunch or dinner. Leftover soup stores well but pasta is best kept separate and added when reheating to prevent it from becoming mushy.
For best storage, keep pasta separate from the soup in leftovers to maintain its texture. Ground beef or turkey can substitute the sausage if needed, though additional seasoning may be required. Homemade Italian sausage seasoning can be mixed into other ground meats if sausage is unavailable.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth reduced sodium
- 15 ounces cannellini beans 1 can, drained and rinsed, canned
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can, with juices, canned
- 2 carrot peeled and sliced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup zucchini sliced
- 1 cup rotini pasta penne, or shells, uncooked
- 1 cup spinach gently packed, fresh
- parsley and Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional, chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Brown Italian sausage in a large pot until no pink remains. Drain fat.
- Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
- Stir in broth, beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, tomato sauce, & Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Additional broth can be added If needed.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain well and rinse under cool water. Set aside.
- Once vegetables are tender, stir in the spinach and cooked pasta. Cook until heated through and spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover soup without pasta to avoid mushy noodles; add cooked pasta when reheating individual servings.
- Ground beef or turkey can replace Italian sausage; increase seasonings to maintain flavor.
- If sausage is unavailable, mix ground pork, chicken, or beef with Italian spices to mimic sausage flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 711 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 711 | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 38g | 58% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol | 86mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 1415mg | 59% |
| Potassium | 1885mg | 40% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 7471IU | 149% |
| Vitamin C | 75mg | 83% |
| Calcium | 218mg | 22% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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