by Traci ·
5 from 342 votes
Total 30 minutes minutes
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Italian Sausage Soup is a quick and easy sausage soup recipe that's a breeze for beginner cooks and satisfies the whole family with minimal effort.
Table of Contents hide
1) Why you'll love this Italian sausage soup
2) Ingredient notes
3) How to make this sausage soup recipe
4) Sausage soup variations
5) More soup recipe favorites
6) 📖 Recipe
7) Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo
Why you'll love this Italian sausage soup
Italian sausage orzo soup is the ultimate bowl of comfort food. It's a hearty, savory soup with Italian sausage simmered in a seasoned tomato broth with fluffy pasta for the ultimate pairing.
If you don't fancy yourself agoodcook, trust me, you will after you make this easy soup. It only takes a few simple steps to get dinner on the table.
Using your stove or pressure cooker, you can make this Italian sausage soup recipe in about 30 minutes. The aroma fills your house in a way that naturally brings everyone to the dinner table. Serve it withsoft Frenchbread, or top with some homemade croutonsand shaved Parmesan cheese, and they'll go wild!
Ingredient notes
The ingredient lineup couldn't be easier, which is what makes this soup so inviting and practical for any cooking level.
- olive oil - Or preferred cooking oil.
- Italian sausage - You can use mild or spicy Italian sausage for this recipe. If you use a mild sausage, I recommend serving it with some crushed red chili flakes for a kick.
- onions - White, yellow, or red onions can be used for this recipe.
- celery - I love the texture this brings to Italian sausage soup.
- garlic - Use as much garlic as your heart desires.
- orzo pasta - Adds a familiar comfort to sausage soup. The best part, it's cooked right in the soup for ultra convenience.
- chicken broth - I often use reduced-sodium chicken broth, but any broth can be used for this recipe.
- canned tomatoes - I like to alternate between diced tomatoes (for a brothy soup) and crushed tomatoes (for a more tomato-ey soup). Both are fantastic!
- Italian seasoning - Use any store bought blend or whip up this easy, 5-ingredient Italian seasoning blend.
- salt and pepper - Essential for bringing all the flavors together.
How to make this sausage soup recipe
First, saute the Italian sausage in olive over medium-high heat. You'll want to brown the sausage because this helps develop the flavors that naturally take your soup to the next level. Transfer the browned sausage out of pot and set aside.
Next, add the onion, celery, and garlic. Saute until tender, stirring as needed. Add cooked sausage back to the pot along with the pasta, tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Then, bring everything just to a boil. Keep the boiling short because it forces the pasta to cook too fast. Next, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through, stirring as needed. Even for a quick soup, this one is so hearty and loaded with savory flavors!
Serve warm. I love to serve Italian sausage soup with my homemade croutons, Parmesan cheese, and fresh chopped parsley. This combination of toppings results in an irresistible texture, color, and flavor!
Sausage soup variations
- Use turkey or chicken sausage for a leaner option. If using sausage links, remove the casings before cooking.
- Any variety of plain or Italian-seasoned canned tomatoes can be used, including diced tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes can also be used and may require a little extra cook time.
- Create deeper tomato flavor by adding ½ of a 6-ounce can of tomato paste to the recipe before simmering.
- When substituting orzo with other pasta, allow more cooking time as needed.
- Swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth or other broth for this recipe.
- Enhance the nutrients and color by adding leafy greens. Add any variety of chopped kale midway through the cooking cycle or chopped spinach towards the end.
- Add diced zucchini at the beginning of the simmer cycle. This adds texture, volume, and nutrients to sausage soup.
More soup recipe favorites
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Easy Tortilla Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
📖 Recipe
Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo
Italian Sausage Soup is a quick and easy soup recipe that's a breeze for beginner cooks and satisfies the whole family with minimal effort.
Prep TimePrep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook TimeCook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total timeTotal Time: 30 minutes mins
Yield 9 cups
Author Traci Antonovich
5 from 342 votes
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage mild or spicy
- ½ medium Onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs Celery diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Orzo Pasta (uncooked) or 1 cup larger pasta type
- 2 (14.5-ounce cans) Tomatoes (diced or crushed) don't drain
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Water as needed to adjust consistency
Optional toppings
- Chopped fresh parsley, homemade croutons, and Parmesan cheese
Equipment
Instructions
Stove instructions (pressure cooker instructions below)
Heat OLIVE OIL in pot over medium-high heat.
Add ITALIAN SAUSAGE to the pot and saute until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer out of pot and set aside.
Drain excess grease from the pot, leaving a small amount for the vegetables. Or add another splash of olive oil if needed.
Add ONION, CELERY, and GARLIC. Saute until tender.
Add COOKED SAUSAGE, ORZO PASTA, TOMATOES, CHICKEN BROTH, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER.
Bring everything just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through, stirring as needed.
Add WATER in small amounts to adjust consistency, if needed during simmering process.
Serving and storage
Serve warm. Garnish suggestions include Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and croutons.
To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 90 days.
When reheating, add a splash of cooking liquid since the orzo will have absorbed much of it during cold storage.
Final step
Click stars to vote. Please visit 'Comments' below for reviews.
5 from 342 votes
Video
Recipe Notes
Visit the recipe variations section in the blog post above for ingredient swaps.
Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Select "Sauté" on the cooker. Add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add SAUSAGE and sauté until browned, stirring as needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Drain most of the excess grease.
- Add ONIONS, CELERY, and GARLIC. Sauté until tender, stirring as needed.
- Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pot. Press "Cancel" to stop the saute cycle.
- Add COOKED SAUSAGE, ORZO PASTA, TOMATOES, CHICKEN BROTH, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER. Stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" for 0 (zero) minutes on HIGH pressure, or use 1 minute pressure cook time for thicker pasta (macaroni, bow tie, penne, etc).
- When cycle completes, let the pot to sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). Turn pressure release valve to "Venting" position to release any remaining steam. Open lid and stir to combine.
- Serve warm.
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!Follow @thekitchengirl on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag #thekitchengirl. This always makes my day!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 537mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
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Reader Interactions
We love recipe feedback...
Comments
Louanne says
This was so tasty! Will definitely make again! I love finding recipes using orzo!Reply
Traci says
Yay! So glad you found it and went for it. Thanks for the feedback. Enjoy!!
Susan says
This italian sausage orzo soup is amazing. the first time I made it, I made another batch the next day to freeze and it freezes great! I have served to many guests and they all want the recipe. thank you!!Reply
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you're loving this soup as much as we do! I appreciate your feedback – and the fact that you shared it with your guests. Day made!! Thanks for bringing my recipe into your kitchen. Enjoy!
Roselle says
My family loved this soup. I used fire roasted tomatoes and served it with shredded Italian cheese.Reply
Traci says
I'm so glad to hear it, Roselle! Fire roasted tomatoes are a great choice - and cheese always wins! Thanks so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it. Enjoy!
Lydia says
Love it. Delicious! Will make again!Reply
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for taking the time to let us know!
Jacob says
I make this semi-regular for my family, they love it.Traci says
Yay! I'm glad the family is enjoying it. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Michael Blakely says
So delicious and yet so easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing!Reply
Traci says
Yay! So glad you're enjoying it. Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated. Enjoy!
Alexandra Wagner says
I made the Italian sausage and orzo soup! It was simple and delicious!!Reply
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. Enjoy!
Danielle says
Made this last night and it was just what we needed on a cold evening. Everything blended together to satisfy. I added carrots and zucchini just for more veggies and the recommended tomato paste. Hubby liked it so that's a win! Will make this again.Reply
Traci says
Yay! This makes my day. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Much appreciated! Enjoy!
Tami Adco*ck says
I love this soup! My friend calls it "the magic soup" because it was the only thing that tasted good after major surgery. She requests it whenever she isn't feeling well. I keep some in the freezer at all times for easy, healthy meals. It is so good!(I do add spinach and zucchini to make it even better).
Reply
Traci says
Aww yay!! I'm so glad to know this and, to be honest, totally honored! I love this knowing that it's more than just a delicious sausage soup. It's magic! Thank you for sharing your experience. I so appreciate it!
Bethany says
I’m a soup newbie…When/how can the zucchini and spinach be added to this recipe?
Traci says
Hi Bethany, maybe Tami will weigh in here. In the meantime, I added a few quick notes to the recipe variations section to answer your questions. I hope you'll find that section helpful. Thanks and enjoy!
Mandy says
Did you change this recipe? I've made it a number of times in the past and I had written down something about adding tomato paste but I don't see it listed anymore? Am I going crazy?
Reply
Traci says
Hi Mandy, not crazy no. It was there before, although not part of the original recipe. So, I have it listed as a recipe variation in the blogpost notes. You can add ½ of a 6-ounce can of tomato paste to the recipe before simmering. Thanks for asking – and great memory! Hope you enjoy!
Carol Billman says
This is a great recipe! I use fire roasted tomatoes, add spinach, at the end, zucchini, and yellow squash. Make parmesan cheese crisps to add to top of each serving! Fabulous soupReply
Traci says
Nice! Sounds like perfection to me. So glad you're enjoying the recipe and thanks for sharing your experience. Cheers!
Kim says
This soup is so good, it's my go to recipe when I have guests. It's easy to make and it is delicious every time!Reply
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you gave it a go and are loving it as much as we do. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Enjoy!!
Cindy says
My new favorite soup!!! I had some leftover Italian sausage I needed to use and I made this recipe with it. It was so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!Reply
Traci says
You are so welcome and yay! I'm so glad you went for it with what you had on hand. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Cheers!
LB says
I love this recipe, it is so good! I like it both with spicy and mild sausage. So easy to make too.Reply
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you're enjoying this one! I love it with spicy sausage too. YUM! Thank you for sharing your experience. Cheers!
Brittany says
This was a hit! So easy and fun to make! My 3 year old loved it?
!!Reply
Traci says
Yayy! I'm glad you're enjoying it and that it passed the toddler test 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Enjoy!
Amy says
My family and I love this soup, and it has been a hit at potlucks too. I substitute gluten free orzo for the regular orzo which seems to need a little more cook time (2-3 minutes in my InstaPot). Thank you for sharing a keeper!Reply
Traci says
You're so welcome and I'm glad to hear your family is enjoying it too! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience. I really appreciate it. Enjoy!
Jana says
I had my doubts but I had all the ingredients and wanted to use them up. I made it pretty much as written and it was "souper!" I used 4 cups of chicken stock & 2 cups vegetable broth (because it was open). I stirred in several handfuls of fresh spinach after the soup was made. Sprinkled each serving with fresh grated parmesan and homemade croutons. I couldn't stop eating it. thanks for such a simple tasty soup! I will be making it again!Reply
Traci says
You're so welcome and I'm glad you went for it 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing your experience. Cheers!
Julie P says
Yum! This soup is delicious and it was a big hit with everyone at the table. I’ll definitely be making it again.Reply
Traci says
Yay! So glad to hear everyone loved it 🙂 Thanks for giving my recipe a go. I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. Enjoy!
Abby says
Made this tonight and substituted orecchiette from my pantry because I couldn’t get orzo in town. Had to tinker with the amount of orecchiette because it’s such a different size than orzo, I ended up closer to 2 cups. I also added brown mushrooms, cubed zucchini, and some paprika to use up fridge ingredients. What a great recipe, very flavorful!Reply
Traci says
Yayy! I'm so glad you went for it and enjoyed. Great add-ins too! You can't go wrong with any vegetables with sausage and I'm glad your pasta situation worked out. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!
Trevor Simmons says
update. made tonight! added diced carrots and red chili flakes for a bit of a punch. absolutely delicious. even my picky daughter raved over it
Reply
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you went for it and I love those add-ins 🙂 I always love when the kids approve. Thanks for letting me know! Enjoy!
Trevor says
I am going to try this tonight, will let you know how it goes over 🙂
Reply
Traci says
Yay! Let me know if you have any questions 🙂 Enjoy!
Candice says
I made this on the stove as instructed above except I added carrots with the onion, celery and garlic, I added a dash of red pepper flakes for extra seasoning and a couple handfuls of chopped spinach at the end of simmering. It was so easy but so extremely delicious!! This is being added to our regular dinner rotation.Reply
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying this soup and it sounds like you personalized it nicely 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment. Cheers!
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