Italian sausage soup is a rich-flavored meal with zesty Italian sausage and veggies simmered in a tomato broth.
It’s finished with fresh spinach, pasta, and a sprinkle of parm!
It’s a “set-it-and-forget-it” soup recipe for the stove or the slow cooker. Got a crowd coming over? Serve with some fresh Homemade Garlic Bread and a side salad!
A Fave Flavorful Soup
- This soup is a “one-pot wonder” so there is less mess and less clean-up.
- You can add any veggie you’d like into this recipe (and swap up the pasta with orzo or any shape you love)!
- Use hot or mild sausage to your liking (or even meatballs if you’d prefer).
- This soup reheats well making it great for lunches. Freeze in individual portions (before adding pasta) to keep it even longer.
Ingredients
Italian Sausage Use either mild, sweet, or spicy Italian sausage in this soup. No Italian sausage? No problem, use ground pork, chicken, or beef with the same spices we use in our homemade Italian sausage.
BROTH We use chicken broth in this soup but beef broth works just as well.
VEGETABLES Loads of different kinds of veggies like tomatoes, garlic, zucchini, and onion make this soup filling with lots of nutrients, too. Add whatever is in your fridge!
FLAVORS Add a delicious blend of Italian Seasoning or use your own special blend of favorite spices! We also add Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley as a garnish!
Variations
- Feel free to switch up the ingredients with leftovers like adding chicken in place of the sausage, or kale instead of the spinach.
- White beans can be replaced with lentils or garbanzos, long grain rice, and a liberal dose of cheese.
- Diced potatoes are a good substitute for pasta as well! Add a can of condensed creamy tomato soup for extra-rich broth.
How to Make Italian Sausage Soup
Veggies and sausage with pasta tastes amazing and it’s so easy to make this classic soup!
- Brown sausage, with onion & garlic per recipe below.
- Add broth, beans, vegetables and simmer until tender. Stir in zucchini for the last few minutes.
- In a separate pot, cook pasta al dente, drain. Add to the pot (or to bowls).
- Garnish with parsley & Parmesan cheese.
Kitchen Tip
Cook the pasta al dente (firm) in a separate pot and add it to individual bowls or to the pot.
This keeps the pasta from getting mushy as it sits, if you have leftovers, or if you’d like to freeze it.
Slow Cooker Method:
- Brown sausage, onion, & garlic. Drain.
- Add all ingredients except pasta, zucchini and spinach.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours adding zucchini in the last 30-40 minutes.
- Stir in cooked pasta and garnish with parsley & Parmesan cheese & serve.
Leftovers
If you plan for leftovers or to freeze this soup, keep the pasta separate and cook fresh pasta for serving.
- Keep Italian sausage soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or reheat the whole pot on the stovetop.
- Freeze in zippered bags with the date written on the outside.
More Savory Soups
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup – made from scratch
- Taco Soup Recipe
- Creamy Cannellini Soup – so hearty & flavorful
- Homemade Wonton Soup
- Crock Pot Italian Bean Soup – loaded with fresh veggies
- Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup – stovetop or crockpot
Did you love this Italian Sausage Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 15 ounces canned cannellini beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes 1 can, with juices
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup sliced zucchini
- 1 cup rotini penne, or shells, uncooked
- 1 cup fresh spinach gently packed
- chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
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
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Pasta, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Wow, we really loved this! I used mild Italian sausage and “fire roasted” canned diced tomatoes because that’s what I had on hand…Perfect. I must say that the recipe makes way more than four servings. For us it was easily eight or more. Thank you, Holly!
I had some cheese pierogi’s that needed to be used. I substituted them for the pasta. It was yummy!
Just made this with Orzo pasta! Even when it’s this hot, I still love soup! My husband loved it too! This is a keeper!
This recipe was a hit! Not only was it flavorful and filling, it is great for using up all the odds and ends in that crisper drawer. A good way to get your veggies.
Absolutely delicious!!!! I used wheat penne noodles instead and it was so yum!!
I’ve had my eye on this recipe since I recently saw it on your Facebook and I can’t wait to try it tonight!! Do you have any suggestions for making this in a crock pot?
Thank you!
Yes Olivia, the slow cooker instructions are included in the post! Hope you enjoy the soup as much as we do!
I made this recipe, it was delicious! The whole family loved it. I made it in my Insta pot I just added the noodles at the end.. this is definitely a make again.
I just bought all of the ingredients to make this! I was gifted a free instapot from a lady who had no interest in keeping it. How do I make the recipe in a instapot? I have no idea what I’m doing helllllpppppp
We haven’t tried this recipe in an Instant Pot yet but we have some other delicious soup recipes you might enjoy to start your instant pot adventures: Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup or this delicious Instant pot Lentil Soup.
I still don’t have my taste and smell back after getting COVID so I honestly couldn’t taste this soup, but it did what I needed it to do – lots of veggies, easy on the stomach, hot, filling, and super easy to chew the veggies. It is perfect for this cold winter day and I look forward to trying it again when I can taste and smell it all to the fullest.
Sorry to hear that, Autumn. Once you are able to taste again, you will definitely have to try another bowl!
I make this with chicken sausage, it’s fantastic! A hearty meal with some bread on the side.
So happy you enjoyed it, Kristyn!
I didn’t have any zucchini or spinach so I just added more of the other veggies. I also didn’t have white beans so I used chickpeas. Soooooo good! My whole family loved it! Including my kids! 10/10!
So happy this recipe turned out super delicious for you, Tara!
This soup was delicious. My husband couldn’t get enough. Said I knocked it outta the park. Definitely a keeper!
That is awesome, Cyndi! So happy to hear that.
Love this soup I add10cl of garlic and I do use the tomato soup instead of sauce love it I’ve been made this heaps just haven’t eaten commented before love your recipes.
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Betty! Thanks for sharing your additions, the extra garlic sounds delicious.
Where did you find the pasta for the sausage soup?
Hi Debbie, you may be able to find it at your local grocery store or we have an Italian market nearby that carries all sorts of pasta. You may be able to find someplace similar near you! For a fun spiral shape like that look for pasta like Cavatappi, Gemelli, or Rotelle.
what is the exact name of the noodles you used in the soup?
This shape is called fusilli corti bucati.
Delicious! Definitely more like 8 servings rather than 4. Please upload this to My Fitness pal
So glad you enjoyed it, Kathy!
So delicious and simple! Definitely a favorite soup and freezing some to take camping. Yummy! Always great recipes that I can count on turning out perfectly. Thanks Holly
Oh, good idea Pearl! That would be a delicious camping meal.
Italian Sausage Soup I LOVE, LOVE this recipe! I could eat this daily.
Highly recommend.
Best soup ever
Glad you enjoyed it, Dorothy!