4.70 from 39 votes

Italian Sausage Soup

By Carol BorchardtPublished Dec 06, 2022

1 hr 10 mins

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Bold, hearty, and brimming with Italian-inspired flavor, this spicy Italian Sausage Soup is pure comfort in a bowl! Savory sausage, tender vegetables, herbs, and a rich, flavorful broth come together for a soup that tastes like it simmered all day. Add plenty of Parmesan and some crusty bread for dunking, and you’ve got one seriously satisfying meal. My Artichoke Focaccia is perfect on the side!

“Make this soup!!! It’s fantastic and hearty.”

Italian Sausage Soup in white Dutch oven garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
How to Make an Italian Sausage Soup Recipe:
Chef Tips and Tricks:
Recipe FAQs:
Serve with:
More great Italian soup recipes you’ll love!
Italian Sausage Soup Recipe

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

My Italian Sausage Soup is the kind of recipe you’ll be very glad to have in your back pocket. There’s something therapeutic about making a big pot of soup, especially when you can clean out the vegetable drawer while you’re at it and turn all those odds and ends into something downright delicious.

Even better? Head to the pantry, and chances are you can pull out half the ingredients you need. This soup with Italian sausage is hearty, practical, and deeply satisfying, the kind of soup that makes you feel pretty darn good about dinner.

This Italian Sausage Soup hits all those notes! It’s:

Versatile and easy to customize! Vary the veggies and clean out that veggie drawer. No pasta? No problem. Use beans instead for extra protein. You can also use turkey, chicken, or plant-based Italian sausage if you prefer.
Easy! Once the vegetables are chopped, the stovetop does the rest.
A crowd-pleaser! This Italian sausage soup is a real crowd-pleaser, so it’s perfect for a potluck or community soup night.
Even better the next day! A little time in the refrigerator allows all those savory Italian-inspired flavors to mingle and deepen.
Freezer-friendly! Stash a batch away for a comforting homemade meal when you don’t have time to cook.

Best of all, it’s the kind of dependable, no-fuss soup recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again!

Bowl of Italian Sausage Soup with soup spoon scooping some out.

How to Make an Italian Sausage Soup Recipe:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Italian Sausage Soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredients for Italian Sausage Soup in glass bowls.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Italian Sausage: Italian sausage in soup adds so much flavor! I used Johnsonville Hot Italian Sausage. Being from Wisconsin, we’re partial to the brand. However, use your favorite brand, and you can use turkey, chicken, or plant-based Italian sausage if you prefer.
Red Wine: Use a dry red wine you enjoy. Avoid anything labeled “cooking wine.” NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTE: Use extra chicken broth and throw in a splash or two of red wine or balsamic vinegar. The fermentation process for red wine vinegar eliminates virtually all the alcohol.
Chicken Broth/Stock: Stock tends to be richer and more full-bodied, while broth is generally lighter. Either works beautifully in this soup, so use whichever you have on hand. You can also use beef broth/stock or vegetable broth.
Pasta: I used ditalini because it’s small and easy to eat, but any small pasta shape will work, such as shells, orzo, mini penne, or elbow pasta.
Red Pepper Flakes: Totally optional, as they add heat to the soup. If you don’t like spicy, leave it out or reduce the amount.
Diced Tomatoes: I used canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes for the extra level of flavor they add, but you can use regular diced, Italian-herbed diced, or petite diced tomatoes.
Tomato Sauce: You can also use crushed tomatoes, but tomato sauce is cooked with extra seasonings, so it adds more flavor.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Cooked Italian sausage in white Dutch oven.

Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium heat until browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it begins to soften.

Cooked onion, celery and carrot in white Dutch oven.

Add the carrot and celery. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.

Cooked onion, carrot, celery and bell peppers in white Dutch oven.

Add the red and green peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes …

Cooked vegetables for soup in white Dutch oven.

… then add the zucchini and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.

Red wine and garlic added to soup in white Dutch oven.

Add the garlic and dry red wine and bring to a boil.

Italian seasoning added to soup in white Dutch oven.

Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Wooden spoon stirring soup in white Dutch oven.

Transfer the cooked sausage back to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Pasta added to soup in white Dutch oven.

Add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Soup in white Dutch oven with soup ladle.

Add the parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

If using something lean such as turkey or chicken sausage, you may need to add some olive oil so it doesn’t stick.
Don’t rush the vegetables. Give the onion, carrots, celery, or other aromatics a few minutes to soften and develop their flavor before adding the broth.
Cooking the pasta in the sausage soup as directed will thicken it because of the starch. If you wish to make the soup ahead of time, leave the pasta out and add it when reheating, or cook it separately and add it right before serving.
Be careful not to overcook the pasta, as it will continue to cook even after it’s off the heat and can get mushy.
Expect the soup to thicken overnight. Pasta and beans can soak up some of the broth as the soup sits. Simply add a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating.

Recipe FAQs:

Can you use cooked Italian sausage?

Yes, absolutely! Simply slice the sausage and add it to the soup when you add the liquid ingredients and seasonings.

What other pasta shapes can I use?

You can use almost any type of pasta. A small shape, such as the ditalini used here, orzo, elbow, or mini penne, works well. Other options include broken spaghetti or broken lasagna noodles.

What other vegetables can I use in a sausage soup recipe?

This Italian Sausage Soup is so versatile! Add greens like kale, spinach, or cabbage. Try artichokes and green beans, too!

Can this soup with Italian sausage be frozen?

Absolutely!! To freeze this Italian Sausage Soup, store it in airtight containers in the volume desired for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.