Italian Sausage Orzo Soup

5 from 50 votes

This Italian Sausage Orzo Soup is hearty, creamy, and loaded with flavor. It’s made with spicy or mild Italian sausage, tender veggies, chewy orzo pasta, and fresh baby kale all simmered in a tomato broth. Finish it with a splash of cream for richness and a sprinkle of parmesan for the perfect cozy bowl of soup.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

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

Brown the Sausage: 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 Vegetables: 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
Season the Base: 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
Simmer the Soup: 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
Cook the Orzo: 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
Add Cream & Kale: 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!
Stir the Pasta: Orzo can sink and clump together if left alone. Stir occasionally while it cooks.
Let It 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.
Balance with Cream: The heavy cream mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and lends the soup a silky texture.
Don’t Skip the Rind: The Parmesan rind is key to having a thicker, silky soup broth. While it's not necessary to add the rind, you’ll be missing out on quite a bit of flavor if you skip it.

Nutrition