Italian Sausage Soup

This tasty and easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe is loaded with onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and a healthy helping of Italian Seasoning, in a chicken broth base 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.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.

• Italian sausage: You can use sweet or hot. Customize it to suit your taste. 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.
• Italian seasoning: Italian Seasoning or fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil, and parsley
• Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
• Canned fire-roasted tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes if you can not find them.
• Pasta: You can substitute any medium to small pasta in this soup, including penne, rotini, shells, farfalle, ditalini, or radiatori.
• Parmesan Cheese: A little freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the top takes this soup to an elevated level of tastiness.
• Fresh herbs: 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.

How to Make Italian Sausage Soup

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Brown the Italian sausage. When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until the onions and celery are soft.
2. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian Seasoning.
3. Add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Bring it to a low boil.
4. Stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to a simmer or very low boil and cook the soup until the pasta is tender.
5. Garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.

Preparation Tips

• You can substitute ground beef, chicken, pork, or turkey. It will still be delicious soup, though it won’t be Italian Sausage Soup.
• For aesthetic purposes, peel the carrots. It brings out that beautiful, bright orange color.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Heat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
• Freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations

• Vegetables: add spinach, kale, or arugula.
• Broth: substitute beef broth, or vegetable broth, or add a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
• Herbs: add Italian herbs like fresh basil, dried marjoram, dried sage, 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.

More Soup Recipes

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