Description
This hearty Italian Sausage Soup features crumbled Italian sausage simmered in a flavorful broth with tender pasta, diced tomatoes, and a touch of cream. Enhanced with aromatic garlic, onion, and crushed red pepper, it’s a comforting one-pot meal perfect for any season. Finished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, this soup offers a rich, satisfying taste of Italy in every bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Base
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Broth and Pasta
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces short pasta, such as casarecce
Finishing Touches
- 1 cup heavy cream, brought to room temperature
- Fresh basil, for serving
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: In a large soup pot over medium heat, crumble and cook the Italian sausage until fully browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat and remove the sausage using a slotted spoon. Set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Add olive oil to the same pot. Cook the diced onion until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add liquids and bring to boil: Increase heat to high. Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Cook the pasta: Add the short pasta to the boiling broth and cook according to the package instructions, typically 7 to 15 minutes, until al dente.
- Simmer with cream and sausage: Reduce heat to low. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir in the heavy cream. Let the soup simmer gently for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- If the soup becomes too thick, add additional chicken broth to reach desired consistency.
- Use gluten-free pasta if gluten sensitivity is a concern.
- For lower fat content, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, but soup will be less creamy.
- Fresh basil can be substituted with dried basil if unavailable; add it during the simmering step.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
