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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian Pork 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
Instructions
- Brown the Italian sausage in a Dutch Oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring several times. 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.
- Add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Bring the soup to a low boil. 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, red pepper flakes, and a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan Cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
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Dana Sandonato
I love how hearty and nourishing this soup is! Best of all, it eats like a meal. Just need a hunk of fresh bread and you’re SET!
Nikki
This hearty, comforting and flavor-packed soup was perfect for my family. They gobbled it up!
Nathan
I love a good hearty soup, and I don’t cook with Italian sausage nearly enough! Looking forward to making this for one of my dinners next week!
dina and bruce miller
Wow, this soup is a hearty and easy dish for dinner. Family asking for more!
Beth Pierce
Awesome! I love a family that has good taste!
TAYLER ROSS
I made this soup for dinner last night and it was delicious! The perfect thing to warm me to the soul!
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad that you liked the soup! We eat soup year-round!
McKensie
This recipe is so good! We use hot Italian sausage for a little extra kick.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you liked the soup!
Darlene
Just made this soup today. It turned out great. The only thing I think I’ll do different is not to add the macaroni. I’ll just cook the macaroni on the side and it can be added as you want. When it’s added to the soup as it’s cooking it starts getting mushy. Now the leftovers will end up being all mushy macaroni. Will definitely make it again though. Yum!
Cheryl
I love this soup. I added hot Italian sausage for extra spicyness. Thank you for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure!
Neely Moldovan
This actually sounds like a super delicious soup! I love finding new soup recipes!
briannemanzb
The best thing about this recipe is that we can use different meat. I tried it with turkey sausage and it was delicious. My whole family enjoyed it.
Rosey
This was so hearty and delicious. I am going to make it again when my kids come to visit. I think we will garnish with a little grated Parmesan cheese this time.
Rosey
This was so yummy and hearty. I am going to make this again when the kids come to visit. I may try cheese tortellini instead of elbow macaroni next time.
Blair Villanueva
Wow, this soup looks very tasty and perfect for a colder season. My kids will enjoy it as well, and the ingredients are very easy to source.