Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup (Print version)
A cozy one-pot soup with browned Italian sausage, small pasta, tomatoes, spinach, cream, and freshly grated parmesan.
# Ingredients:
For the soup base
01 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
02 -
1 lb (450 g) mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed if needed
03 -
1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 -
1 medium carrot, finely diced
05 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
06 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 -
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
08 -
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
09 -
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
10 -
4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
11 -
1 can (14.5 oz or 410 g) diced tomatoes, with juices
For the creamy finish
12 -
1 cup (110 g) ditalini or other small pasta
13 -
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
14 -
1 cup (90 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
15 -
2 packed cups (60 g) baby spinach
16 -
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 -
Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned and cooked through.
02 -
Add the onion and carrot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, fennel, and red pepper flakes for 1 minute.
03 -
Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Scrape the bottom of the pot and bring the soup to a steady simmer.
04 -
Stir in the ditalini and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until just al dente. Lower the heat if the soup bubbles too hard.
05 -
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, then add the parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth before adding more.
06 -
Fold in the spinach and parsley until the spinach wilts. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve hot with extra parmesan.
# Good to know:
01 -
Best served right after cooking while the pasta is tender and the broth is creamy.
02 -
For meal prep, cook the sausage broth base ahead and add pasta, cream, parmesan, and spinach when reheating.
03 -
Add extra broth when reheating because the pasta thickens the soup as it sits.