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This Italian sausage soup recipe is ultra cozy, big on flavor, and so easy to make. It has hearty pasta and an irresistible broth with fire-roasted tomatoes and herbs!
Try my Sausage Gnocchi Soup or Easy Italian Sausage Tomato Pasta next.
Why you’ll love it
I’m very excited about this Italian sausage pasta soup. It’s got all of my favorite ingredients like fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and has the convenience of using canned tomatoes. It’s a warming, stick-to-your-ribs kind of soup without being heavy since it’s cream free.
There aren’t a ton of ingredients in this sausage soup, but they sure deliver on flavor! Italian sausage just works so well in soups. This easy soup is very similar to (and inspired by) my Italian Meatball Soup, so if you’re in the mood for meatballs, give that one a go next.
What you’ll need
- Italian sausage – I use mild. You can use bulk meat, or take the sausage out of the casings.
- Onion and garlic – my pick is sweet (Vidalia) onions
- Crushed tomatoes – I prefer a can of fire-roasted ones for even more deliciousness
- Beef broth – for the savory base of the soup
- Red bell pepper – a little bit of veggie goodness
- Italian seasoning – it’s an all-purpose blend of dried herbs in one jar
- Oregano – for more herby flavor
- Red pepper flakes – these add a gentle warmth. It won’t make it spicy. Totally optional, though!
- Pasta – use rotini or fusilli (spirals). It cooks right in the soup!
- Basil – for a pop of freshness that goes so well with the tomatoes
Pro tip
Don’t rush browning the sausages and onions. Getting some color adds more flavor to the soup!
How to make Italian sausage soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a soup pot, sauté the sausage and onions until golden. Spoon out excess fat if needed. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, broth, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil.
Once boiling, stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Add in the fresh basil, and season as needed with salt & pepper. Serve with freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is the Dutch oven pictured. I love cooking with cast iron!
- Open up the tomatoes with my favorite can opener, mince the garlic effortlessly with a garlic press, and chop up the onions and peppers with a quality chef’s knife.
- Dish up this soup with a sturdy ladle.
Substitutions and variations
- Adding a splash of cream at the end wouldn’t hurt. 😉
- You can swap the pasta for a different variety if you wish. Just keep in mind they have different volume measurements, so you may need to add in a little more beef broth to compensate and/or adjust cooking time.
- Add in a couple handfuls of spinach towards the end for some more greens.
What to serve with sausage pasta soup
- I recommend a classic combo like my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread and a big Caesar salad. Try my 10-Minute Homemade Caesar Dressing (it’s the best) with Garlic Parmesan Croutons.
- You could also pair it with a big slice of fresh crusty bread and some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. Easy peasy.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge. Keep in mind the pasta will soak up the broth and get a bit puffy. If you plan to have a lot left over, cook the pasta separately and add it when reheating.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat, adding a splash of extra broth if needed.
- You can freeze it for 3 months, but it’s probably best to add in cooked pasta when reheating. The texture of frozen cooked pasta isn’t great.
If you made this soup with Italian sausage and pasta, please leave a star rating and review below! It’s very helpful for other readers. You can also tag me on Instagram.
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28 fluid ounce) can crushed tomatoes I prefer fire roasted
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped small
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1.5 cups uncooked rotini or fusilli pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh basil torn/chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese (for serving) optional, to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage meat and onions to a Dutch oven/soup pot. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 7-10 min). If there's a lot of excess fat, you can spoon some of it out.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, red bell pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil.
- Add the pasta in once it's boiling.
- Reduce the heat and simmer it (covered, with the lid slightly open) for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir it a few times to ensure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Some brands of crushed tomatoes are thicker than others. Add more beef broth if the soup has become too thick.
- Stir in the basil and season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve with parmesan grated over top if desired.
Notes
- For the sausages, anything around 16 ounces/1 pound will work – it doesn’t need to be exact. You can either buy ground sausage meat or, if using whole sausages, take the meat out of the casings.
- The pasta will soak up the broth. Cook the pasta separately and add when reheating if you’re planning on having lots of leftovers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was SO yummy! I did make a few changes and did half hot Italian sausage and half sweet. I also added chopped carrots, lots of spinach, doubled the seasonings, and garnished with fresh basil and grated pecorino cheese. I also paired it with baguette slices and salad. Everyone LOVED it!! Definitely making again!
Thank you, Hannah! I’m so happy it was a hit!
Made this last night and it was so delicious! We amplified it by using hot Italian sausage and doubled the spices and it had a perfect kick. This will definitely be on repeat this upcoming winter season!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Bridget!! 😀 Thanks so much for taking the time to write me a 5-star review! XO
This recipe was excellent! I cooked my pasta separately and it turned out exceptional! My husband really enjoyed it. I used half mild Italian and half hot Italian. Will definitely be making this often. Perfect with bread and a simple salad.
I’m thrilled to hear that!
Pretty good I should have coked the pasta separately Yum
Thanks, Lois!