Description
This hearty Italian Sausage Soup combines rich Italian sausage with tender pasta, aromatic garlic and onions, and a creamy tomato broth, finished with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Perfect for a comforting meal that’s easy to prepare and full of robust flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Meat
- 1 pound Italian sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Liquids
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream, brought to room temperature
Pasta
- 8 ounces short pasta (casarecce pasta recommended)
For Serving
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Crumble and cook the Italian sausage in a large soup pot over medium heat until fully cooked through. Drain off the fat, then remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the diced onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add Broth and Tomatoes: Increase the heat to high and pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook Pasta: Add the pasta to the boiling soup and cook according to the package directions until al dente, generally 7-15 minutes depending on the pasta shape.
- Combine and Simmer: Reduce heat to low, stir back in the cooked sausage and pour in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to blend flavors and heat through.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese as desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- If the soup thickens too much upon standing, add additional chicken broth or water to reach desired consistency.
- For a spicier soup, increase crushed red pepper or use spicy Italian sausage.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, but the soup will be less rich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
