Italian Sausage Pasta Soup is a flavor-packed winner with savory sausage, a creamy base, tender pasta, and veggies–plus tangy sun-dried tomatoes – pure comfort in a bowl!
Sausage in soup is a dream combo! Next up, give these a try: Sausage Potato Soup White Bean and Sausage Soup, or Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup.
Why We’re OBSESSED With Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
- Taste explosion: Sweet Italian sausage meets zippy sun-dried tomatoes for a top-notch flavor.
- Ultimate comfort food: Rich, creamy, and completely satisfying.
- Simple to prepare: Easy steps, great for any cooking level.
- Versatile: Perfect for family dinners or impressing guests.
- Great as leftovers: Even tastier the next day! It’s a great make-ahead meal.
Italian Sausage Pasta Soup Ingredients
- Olive oil: Extra virgin for richer flavor.
- Italian Sausage: High-quality, choose mild or hot.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor.
- Yellow onion and carrots: Fresh, finely diced.
- Garlic: Use fresh or jarred — whatever you have on hand!
- White flour: Thickens soup.
- Chicken broth: Use quality store-bought. Beef broth can be swapped, and will create a slightly deeper flavor.
- Mini Farfalle pasta: Other small shapes work too!
- Heavy cream: For creaminess.
- Kale: Fresh and finely chopped; spinach works too.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: For flavor and texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Use refrigerated — not the shelf-stable variety.
Quick Tip
Mild Italian sausage, also known as sweet sausage, contains sweet basil, distinguishing it from spicier varieties. Add basil and black pepper for a sweeter flavor, or red pepper flakes for heat.
How To Make Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
- Brown the sausage: Cook in oil, season, remove, and set aside.
- Sauté veggies: In the same pot, cook onions, carrots, and garlic until tender.
- Flour and broth: Add flour, then gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring well.
- Pasta time: Boil broth, add pasta, cook until nearly done.
- Mix and simmer: Lower heat, add cream, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and sausage.
- Final touch: Adjust seasoning and serve hot.
What To Serve With Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
- Crusty Bread: Ideal for dipping. This Focaccia is another favorite!
- Italian Salad: Light and refreshing.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: For a heartier meal.
- Roasted Vegetables: Adds texture contrast.
- Fresh Fruit: A simple, refreshing side.
Storage
Leftovers?
Store the pasta and soup separately in the refrigerator to prevent the pasta from becoming too soft. The soup can be refrigerated for up to four days and frozen for up to three months. Reheat gently, adding a bit more broth or cream if it’s too thick.
More Comforting Soup Recipes:
Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
Italian Sausage Pasta Soup is a flavor-packed winner with sweet sausage, a creamy base, tender pasta and veggies, plus tangy sun-dried tomatoes – pure comfort in a bowl!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (Note 1)
- ½ teaspoon each: Salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups each: finely diced yellow onion and finely diced carrots (1 large onion; 2-4 carrots)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- 7½ cups chicken broth
- 2 cups mini pasta farfalle
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2½ packed cups finely chopped kale
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- ½ packed cup grated Parmesan cheese sandy texture (Note 2)
- Optional: red pepper flakes for serving, crusty buttered bread
Instructions
- SAUSAGE: In a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add the sausage, salt, and pepper. Sear for a minute per side, then crumble and cook until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot and drain off any excess. Don't wipe out the pot.
- VEGGIES: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter, onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté until tender (7-9 minutes). Sprinkle flour on top and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- DEGLAZE: Slowly pour in 1 cup of broth, stirring to create a slurry. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan as you gradually add the remaining broth.
- PASTA: Bring the broth to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions minus one minute. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- FINISH: Turn heat to low. Add cream, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring well. Gradually add Parmesan cheese, a few tablespoons at a time, to avoid clumping. Stir until melted. Return the sausage to the pot, stir, and season as needed. (I typically add ¼ to ½ tsp more salt). Add more broth if a thinner soup is desired.
- SERVE: Serve hot with bread.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Sausage: Quality matters! Choose mild or hot sausage based on your preference. If it's in casings, slice the casing and squeeze out the sausage.
Note 2: Parmesan: Use refrigerated, sandy-textured Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and melt. Do not use the shelf-stable type! It's very salty and has less flavor.
Storage: If storing leftovers, keep pasta separate from the soup to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much liquid and turning mushy. I use this to remove pasta and then store them separately from the broth and veggies. Reheat gently, adding a bit more broth or cream if it's too thick.
Make ahead: If making ahead, prepare up to step 4, then remove cooked pasta and store in a separate container. Add cream, Parmesan, kale, and tomatoes to the broth. Stir through sausage. Store this mixture separately from pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1940mg | Potassium: 1286mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 30288IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
