Italian Sausage Soup

Name: Italian Sausage Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb. Italian Sausage; 1 medium onion chopped; 2 carrots peeled and chopped; 1 rib celery chopped; 1 zucchini quartered and diced; 2 cloves garlic minced; 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning; 4 cups low sodium chicken broth; 2 (14.5 ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes; 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed; 1 cup uncooked elbow noodles; Fresh thyme leaves; Red pepper flakes; Parmesan Cheese; Salt and pepper to taste

January 12, 2022 by Beth Pierce 37 Comments

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This tasty and easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe is loaded with onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and a healthy helping of Italian Seasoning in chicken broth with tomatoes, cannellini beans, and elbow noodles. It is the perfect pick-me-up for cold, wet weather, coughs, ailments, or just because your soul needs a little warmth. This Italian Soup Recipe is one of our favorites.

How to make Italian Sausage Soup

Start by browning the Italian sausage in a Dutch Oven or heavy pot over medium heat. When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the zucchini and cook until the onions and celery are soft. Then reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian Seasoning, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.

Now add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Bring in all to a low boil. Then stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to a simmer or very low boil and cook the soup until the pasta is tender. Garnish with fresh thyme and shredded Parmesan Cheese.

Brown the sausage, onions, celery, carrots, and zucchini.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

If you have a nearby meat market, call and ask if they make their own Italian Sausage. It is well worth the added expense and trip to the market.
For aesthetic purposes, peel the carrots. It brings out that beautiful bright orange color.
You can sub any medium to small pasta in this soup, including penne, rotini, shells, farfalle, ditalini, or radiatori.
Fresh thyme is always delicious, and I usually have it on hand. However, you can substitute fresh chopped parsley or a little dried marjoram or thyme.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.

A Dutch Oven full of homemade Italian Sausage Soup.

Can I use a different meat?

You can any other kind of ground sausage. You can use bulk pork sausage, breakfast sausage, chicken, or turkey sausage. If you can’t find bulk Italian sausage, then consider buying the links and cutting the sausage out of the casing.

You could also substitute ground beef, chicken, pork, or turkey. It would still be a delicious soup, although it would not be an Italian Sausage Soup.

A ladle full of tasty soup with Italian Sausage, onion celery, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, beans, and pasta.

Recipe variations

Vegetables – add spinach, kale, or arugula.
Broth – substitute beef or vegetable broth
Herbs – add chopped rosemary, fresh basil, fresh basil, dried marjoram, or dried oregano.
Kick up the spice – use hot Italian sausage, and add a little red pepper flakes or a little bit of ground cayenne.

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