Italian Sausage Soup
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Italian sausage soup is the ultimate comfort food: a deeply flavored broth that's perfectly seasoned with bites of Italian sausage, savory garlic, nourishing kale, and tender vegetables. In just 30 minutes, you can be sitting down to a delicious, cozy dinner with a big smile on your face!
Can't get enough Italian sausage? Enjoy the rich flavors in pasta form with this Italian sausage pasta recipe.
Get ready to fall in love with Italian sausage soup
I'm excited to share this recipe with you ā it's my mom's recipe! My mom is the sort of person to always have a homemade soup in the fridge, and of all of the soups she makes, this is the one I love the most!
Here are four reasons why you'll love it, too:
- Taste: The delicious, slightly spicy flavor of Italian sausage works its way into the broth and every bite you take. The garlic and onion add depth, and the beef broth makes this nourishing and hearty.
- Ease: It takes just 30 minutes, start to finish, to whip up this comforting bowl of goodness. It's full of familiar and nourishing ingredients, making it the perfect way to end a busy day.
- Satisfaction: It's so satisfying! The bite-sized sausage pieces make this soup feel like a full meal, and tender chunks of potato thicken the soup to the perfect consistency.
- Comfort: Soups just feel like a hug, in dinner form. It's a great way to show yourself some love, or to nourish the family.
This delicious Italian soup recipe is versatile and tastes great with variations. I just love the way the spicy sausage flavors mingle with the broth, you can also use a turkey sausage or other type of sausage if that's what you have on hand.
To brighten it up, you can always throw in some chopped fresh herbs, like rosemary, fresh basil, or oregano. Plus, take advantage of this recipe's flexibility by incorporating any leftover veggies from your fridge ā think cauliflower rice, spinach, carrots, and celery ā for an even more nourishing and flavorful soup. This is a great recipe for clearing out the fridge!
When I make this, I usually toast some sour dough from the freezer and call it dinner. But Occasionally I make a loaf of whole wheat Irish soda bread or no yeast bread. Both recipes are wonderful for dipping into the soup!
Frequently asked questions
If you don't find the answer you're looking for here, you can ask it in the comments below and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!
How do I store leftover Italian pork sausage soup?
This soup is a great meal-prep option as it will last five days in your refrigerator. Make the recipe for dinner on Monday, then take it for lunch throughout the week!
Can I freeze this Italian sausage soup recipe?
We don't recommend freezing it as the potatoes don't freeze well, turning mushy and watery. If you plan to freeze some, skip the potatoes and add cooked noodles, orzo, or tortellini instead ā I sometimes turn this into an Italian sausage tortellini soup!
Can I adjust the spice level of this soup?
Spicy Italian sausage has the best flavor. If you're quite sensitive to heat, you can use mild Italian sausage instead. Or you can add a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream to your bowl of soup to dial down the heat. If you want a spicier soup, you can always sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
Should I skin the potatoes?
Leaving the skins on the potatoes helps them to stay together, rather than disintegrating into the soup. If you don't love the thicker skin on russet potatoes, you can use red or white potatoes that have thinner skin.
I don't have homemade beef broth, what should I use instead?
If you don't have homemade beef broth, I'd suggest using homemade chicken broth. If you're buying broth from the grocery store, look for bone broth. Other types of broth or stock (i.e., not bone broth) are quite watery and lack flavor. If you're not using bone broth, I recommend getting Better than Boullion and adding a spoonful to the soup.
Watch how to make Italian sausage soup
Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 small russet potatoes (cubed, about 3 cups)
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning and salt (see notes)
- Ā¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 6 cups beef bone broth (see notes)
- 2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard leaves (packed)
- Ā½ cup parmesan flakes (to serve ā see notes)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until they have started to brown. Remove them from the pot.1 lb hot Italian sausage, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the onion, garlic, potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and chili flakes to the pot and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 3 small russet potatoes, Ā½ teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning and salt, Ā¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- Add the broth, return the sausages to the pot, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 7 minutes.6 cups beef bone broth
- Add the kale or swiss chard to the pot and let it wilt. Season to taste with extra salt, if needed.2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard leaves
- Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.Ā½ cup parmesan flakes
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I made this soup with some spicy Italian sausage that I needed to use up and I’m so glad that I chose this recipe. The family all enjoyed it and we agreed we’ll make it again.
It sounded simple and interesting, it was also very tasty. I don’t even remember how I ended up finding this recipe but I will be trying some others from here.
Thank you
Instead of kale, could spinach be used in this soup recipe?
Spinach works great! Swiss chard, too.
Hi! love your recipes. Ā When do you add the sausage back into the soup? with the broth?
Yes, with the broth! Sorry for that confusion. I’ll update the recipe now. š
Good morning Kristen,
Can this soup be made in an instant pot?
Just cooked this and it was amazing!!! Used spinach instead of kale and used sweet Italian Sausage. Ā Best soup I made in a while thanks for the recipe.
You’re very welcome, Ben!
Just made this soup, tastes wonderful but would like to tone down the spiceiness. Any suggestions.
If you have some sour cream or yogurt you could try adding some to your bowl. I do that to tone down the spiciness of meals I make for my daughter. Next time, mild Italian sausage might be a better option. It’s still very delicious!
I made this last night and my whole family loved it. Thank you for the great recipe.Ā
That’s wonderful to hear. You’re very welcome!
I made this soup yesterday and brought some to my boyfriend! He just kept raving about how good it was!Ā
Thank you so much for your recipes! Iāve made about 20 from your site so far and they have all been amazing!Ā
That’s so amazing to hear! I’m really happy that you have found so many recipes here that you like!
I gave this a try last night and the family went nuts! They loved the flavor and richness of the broth and it gave them another way of eating sausages, that they enjoyed. Instead of using chicken or beef broth, I used Vegetable broth(low sodium version) and put a tablespoon and a half of Vegetable Better than Boullion in, to give the broth a little more flavor.
So happy to hear that your family loves it as much as mine does!
This looks delicious Iām anxious to try it. Do you cook the sausages whole or sliced and when do you add them back in to the soup?Ā
I slice the sausages raw and brown as little chunks. š
I want to make this tonight, but have a question first… The ingredients call for “2 chops” of chopped kale. I’m assuming that’s supposed to be cups, but you know what happens when we assume. Help!
Yes! Thank you for catching that. It’s 2 cups of kale. š