This Creamy Italian Sausage Soup will easily become your new cozy favorite! Made with flavorful Italian sausage, tons of veggies, orzo, and a creamy broth, the recipe is satisfying and packed with flavor. Serve it with crusty bread for the ultimate comforting meal.
This creamy Italian sausage soup is a family favorite since it’s filling, delicious, and full of veggies. It’s creamy, a little spicy, flavorful, and a bit cheesy – so it’s perfect for meals once the weather gets chilly. Since this creamy Italian sausage soup with pasta has such a tasty broth, kids won’t even mind the veggies throughout.
If kale isn’t your favorite leafy green, I found The 12 Best Kale Substitutes.
Stay cozy all week with these additional soup recipes: Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Corn Soup,
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comforting – This yummy creamy Italian sausage soup is uber-cozy!
- Creamy – The broth is deliciously rich and made with parmesan rind and cream.
- Decadent – The creamy broth in this easy creamy Italian sausage soup makes it feel decadent.
- Full of veggies – This soup is full of nutrients from the various veggies.
- Filling – The orzo, sausage, and veggies help make this recipe more filling.
- Versatile – You can easily swap out the vegetables, orzo, and sausage for your preferred ingredients.
- Great for larger groups – This is one of the best Italian sausage soup recipes for bigger families, as you can easily double/triple the recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Creamy Italian Sausage Soup
Quick Overview
- Sauté veg/spices.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Boil.
Step by Step Instructions
Do not overcook the spices, as they can burn.
Step 1: In a 6 quart dutch oven or large pot, sauté the italian sausage over medium heat until brown bits develop in the bottom of the pot and the sausage is mostly cooked through. Do not drain the grease.
Step 2: Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 4: Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, and parmesan rind. Scrape any brown bit off the bottom of the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add the cream at the end to prevent separation.
Step 5: Stir in the orzo. Lightly boil for about 12 minutes (check the package instructions) or until the orzo is al dente. Stir occasionally to ensure the pasta is not sticking.
Step 6: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and kale. Once the kale has wiltened, turn off the heat and serve.
Step 7:
Step 8:
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish this creamy Italian sausage soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese (or mozzarella), fresh Italian parsley, and croutons.
I love serving this creamy parmesan Italian sausage soup with homemade bread. Here are a few ideas:
- Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk
- Easy Rustic Bread
- Garlic Bread in Airfryer
- Garlic Herb Breadsticks from Pizza Dough
Expert Tips
- Simmer. The longer you let this creamy Italian sausage soup simmer, the deeper the flavor. For the best results, let the soup simmer before adding the kale and heavy cream.
- Add the cream last. As mentioned, it’s best to add the cream in last. Otherwise, you risk having a separated soup.
- Don’t skip the rind. The parmesan rind is key to having a thicker, silky soup broth. While not necessary to add the rind, you’ll be missing out on quite a bit of flavor if you skip it.
Additions & Variations
- Try other greens: Easily bump up the nutrients in this creamy Italian sausage soup by adding greens. You can use any kind of kale or spinach when making this soup.
- Swap out orzo: Use any dry, short-cut pasta instead of orzo. You can also add tortellini to the recipe to turn it into a creamy Italian sausage soup with tortellini. Or, make the recipe more filling by turning it into a creamy sausage potato soup.
- Add other protein: Swap the Italian sausage for protein options like ground beef, chicken breast, or ground turkey. You can also use leftover turkey from holiday meals. Or, add shrimp to the recipe alongside the sausage for the best creamy Italian sausage soup.
- Make it spicy: For a soup with more heat, use a hot Italian sausage instead of a mild Italian sausage. Besides adding a spicy sausage, you can increase the heat with crushed red pepper flakes. Start with 1/8 teaspoon and adjust to your preference.
- Vegetarian: Swap the sausage with meat-free chorizo (or another alternative) to make this soup vegetarian. Ensure you use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth as well.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re making this creamy Italian sausage soup with orzo at home and want a creamier consistency, add the parmesan rind. You can also add sour cream or yogurt for a creamier soup.
If you can’t have dairy, use a non-dairy alternative instead of cream (even in this creamy Italian sausage soup recipe). Try a dairy-free heavy whipping cream. You can also use non-dairy milk in a pinch, though you may need to add a cornstarch flurry to create a thicker consistency.
Adding a cornstarch or flour slurry is the best way to thicken creamy soup. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with water, ensuring no clumps. Then, whisk the mixture into the soup. It should start thickening after you add the slurry.
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Creamy Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo & Kale
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild or spicy italian sausage
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 large celery ribs, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes with basil
- parmesan rind, optional
- 8 ounces dry orzo
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 5-ounce clamshell baby kale
Instructions
- In a 6 quart dutch oven or large pot, sauté the italian sausage over medium heat until brown bits develop in the bottom of the pot and the sausage is mostly cooked through. Do not drain the grease.1 pound mild or spicy italian sausage
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes.1 large yellow onion, diced, 2 large carrots, chopped, 2 large celery ribs, chopped
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.8 cloves garlic, minced, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*, fresh cracked black pepper
- Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, and parmesan rind. Scrape any brown bit off the bottom of the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.4 cups chicken stock or broth, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes with basil, parmesan rind, optional
- Stir in the orzo. Lightly boil for about 12 minutes (check the package instructions) or until the orzo is al dente. Stir occasionally to ensure the pasta is not sticking.8 ounces dry orzo
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream and kale. Once the kale has wiltened, turn off the heat and serve.1 cup heavy cream, 1 5-ounce clamshell baby kale
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Simmer. The longer you let this creamy Italian sausage soup simmer, the deeper the flavor. For the best results, let the soup simmer before adding the kale and heavy cream.
- Add the cream last. As mentioned, it’s best to add the cream in last. Otherwise, you risk having a separated soup.
- Don’t skip the rind. The parmesan rind is key to having a thicker, silky soup broth. While not necessary to add the rind, you’ll be missing out on quite a bit of flavor if you skip it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
