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This cozy Italian sausage soup is pure comfort in a bowl. It’s made with tender orzo pasta, flavorful Italian sausage, and a rich tomato broth, and comes together in about 30 minutes.
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Why you'll love this Italian sausage soup recipe
Let me tell you, this soup is pure comfort in a bowl. The combination of savory Italian sausage simmered in a rich, seasoned tomato broth with fluffy orzo pasta is everything you want in a cozy soup for dinner. Have you tried my lemon chicken orzo soup yet? The comfort factor is off the charts!
If you don’t fancy yourself a strong cook, trust me, this recipe will change that. It’s simple, straightforward, and quick: chop, sauté, simmer, and devour!
You can make it on the stove or in your pressure cooker in about 30 minutes, and the way it fills the kitchen with the most inviting aroma is worth it alone. Serve sausage soup with soft French bread, my easy no-knead focaccia bread, or top with homemade croutons and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Then sit back and enjoy the smiles around the table.
Ingredient notes
These simple ingredients make this soup easy, inviting, and doable for any cooking level.
- Olive oil – A staple for sautéing. You can use any neutral cooking oil if you don’t have olive oil on hand.
- Italian sausage – Choose mild or spicy depending on your taste. If you only have mild sausage, add a pinch of crushed red pepper for a touch of heat.
- Onions – White, yellow, or red onions all work here. Each brings a slightly different flavor, so use whatever you have available.
- Celery – Adds subtle crunch and depth, balancing the heartiness of the sausage.
- Garlic – Essential for that classic savory flavor. Adjust to your liking — garlic lovers, go for it!
- Orzo pasta – Small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks right in the soup, giving it body and a comforting texture.
- Chicken broth – Reduced-sodium broth gives you more control over saltiness. Vegetable or beef broth also work well.
- Canned tomatoes – Diced tomatoes create a lighter, chunkier broth, while crushed tomatoes make it thicker and more tomato-rich. Use whichever you prefer.
- Italian seasoning – Use any store-bought blend or try my easy 5-ingredient homemade Italian seasoning blend.
- Salt and pepper – Essential for enhancing and balancing flavors. Always taste and adjust before serving.
How to make this sausage soup recipe
Start by sautéing the Italian sausage in olive oil over medium-high heat. Browning the sausage adds incredible flavor and depth to the soup, so don’t skip this step! Once it’s nicely browned, transfer the sausage to a plate and set it aside.
Next, use tongs and a folded paper towel to soak up any excess grease, leaving about a teaspoon in the pot for sautéing. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until tender and fragrant. Return the cooked sausage to the pot, then add the orzo pasta, tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together to combine.
Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the soup simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked through, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking.
Serve the soup warm. I love topping mine with homemade croutons, Parmesan cheese, and fresh chopped parsley. The mix of textures, colors, and flavors makes every bowl irresistible!
Recipe tips
- Pasta cooking time: When substituting orzo with other pasta, adjust the cooking time as needed to cook the pasta to your liking.
- Soup consistency: To thicken the soup, simmer to reduce excess liquid. Add small amounts of water or broth as it simmers to thin it.
- Stir frequently: Stir as needed during the simmering stage to keep the orzo from sticking to itself or the pot.
- Reheating tip: Orzo absorbs liquid as it cools, so you'll likely need to add broth or water when reheating to bring back the perfect consistency.
Sausage soup variations
- Sausage variety: For a leaner option, use turkey or chicken sausage. For a little extra heat, try hot Italian sausage.
- Tomato options: You can use any variety of canned tomatoes—diced, crushed, or whole. If you’re using fresh tomatoes, depending on their ripeness, give them a few extra minutes of simmering to soften.
- Broth options: Swap chicken broth with vegetable or beef broth to change the flavor.
- Add greens: Stir in chopped kale midway through cooking or spinach toward the end for added nutrients and color.
- Extra vegetables: Add diced zucchini at the start of simmering for more texture, or sauté bell peppers or mushrooms along with the onions and celery.
More favorite soup recipes
- Italian Lentil Soup Recipe
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Easy Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
- The Best Lasagna Soup Recipe
- Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup
- Easy Tortilla Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
📖 Recipe
The Best Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage (mild or hot), casings removed if using links
- ½ medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs Celery, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely grated
- ½ cup Orzo Pasta (uncooked), or 1 cup larger pasta type
- 2 (14.5-ounce cans) Tomatoes (diced or crushed), undrained
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Water, as needed to adjust consistency
Recommended toppings
- Fresh parsley, croutons, and Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Get pressure cooker instructions in the recipe footnotes
- Heat a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add the ITALIAN SAUSAGE and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
- Drain excess grease, leaving about a teaspoon for sauteing. Add the ONION, CELERY, and GARLIC, and sauté until tender and fragrant.
- Return the SAUSAGE to the pot. Add the ORZO, TOMATOES (with their juice), CHICKEN BROTH, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ORSO PASTA is tender.
- Adjust the consistency with more WATER or BROTH if needed.
- Serve warm with recommended toppings.
- To store: Cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
- Pasta cooking time: When substituting orzo with other pasta, adjust the cooking time as needed to cook the pasta to your liking.
- Soup consistency: To thicken the soup, simmer to reduce excess liquid. Add small amounts of water or broth as it simmers to thin it.
- Stir frequently: Stir as needed during the simmering stage to keep the orzo from sticking to itself or the pot.
- Reheating tip: Orzo absorbs liquid as it cools, so you'll likely need to add broth or water when reheating to bring back the perfect consistency.
Equipment
- 4.5-quart Dutch oven or stockpot or Dutch oven
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Vonda says
I made the recipe on the stove. The only alteration I made was that I used the tomatoes with the basil, oregano, and garlic. I prepare my lunches for the whole week, and it was just as good on day six as it was the day I made it. Definitely will be making it again!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. I love the flavored tomatoes too 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback ... much appreciated!
M Bellomy says
Made the orzo sausage soup. Can’t wait to make it again, easy and delicious!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! I'm so glad to hear it 🙂 I get pretty excited about this soup too! Thanks for the feedback ... Cheers!
Sharon says
Very easy and fairly quick to make for a soup. Will definitely make again!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed and thanks for taking the time to share feedback 🙂
Jacqueline says
Wow! So simple but so good! Kids and adults loved it! Added red pepper flakes on top for those who preferred it to be a little spicy. Will definitely be making this again.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! So glad everyone enjoyed it 🙂 Yes, I kept the recipe mild for kid-friendly, and I love this one spicy too! 🙂 Thanks so much for the review. Cheers!
Michelle says
This soup is soooo delicious! Will be making this again!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayyy! We're finishing our leftover Italian sausage soup as we speak 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the review!
Laurie says
Great soup and easy to make! I took many suggestions from previous reviews. Doubled the sausage. Used half sweet and half hot Italian turkey sausage. Added carrots because I had some. Added zucchini and added spinach. Absolutely love it and I’ll be taking it for lunch all week!
Christina says
My husband isn’t one for soups until I found your recipe! We love how we can add so many veggies to it! Making it today to enjoy Wednesday evening, added zucchini and spinach! Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Christina! So glad you found a winner for both of you. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback!
Cassie says
I made this tonight. It was so easy and tasty. Perfect with some crusty bread. I will be adding this to my rotation.
P.S. My guy says this is the best homemade soup he’s ever had.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome Cassie! I'm so glad to hear it and tell your guy THANKS for the compliment. And thank YOU for stopping back by to leave feedback. Much appreciated!
Cassie says
Does the recipe call for 2 ribs or stalks of celery?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Cassie, that would be 'ribs' and I have corrected it. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Enjoy!
Alicia says
If you want to double the recipe do you have to add more chicken broth for instant pot cooking?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hiya, no doubling required, unless you prefer more broth. Please note this recipe yields 8 cups so doubling is too big for the 6 quart Instant Pot model. Let me know if you have anymore questions. Enjoy!
Alica says
Would it be okay just to double the meat and orzo?
The Kitchen Girl says
You can def double the meat without adding more liquid. However, if you double the orzo, you'll need to increase the liquid to at least 9 cups (possibly more) because the orzo will absorb so much of it. You can always add more broth after it cooks. Also, a 6 quart Instant pot might not be big enough but the 8 quart is. Lmk if you have other questions. Enjoy!
Shelly Bronke says
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it’s always delicious! Just finished a new batch, with the added extra of some Swiss chard from my garden!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay!! I'm so glad to inspire it! Love the addition of swiss chard to Italian sausage soup. What a great combo! Thanks for the feedback!
Samantha says
Easy (as in I did most of the cooking one handed while holding a toddler) and tasty too!
The Kitchen Girl says
Nice! I love this so much...thanks for the feedback!
Adie says
I cooked the stove version of the Italian soup. It was so easy to follow and tasted delicious. Thumbs up from all of us.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate the feedback 🙂 Thanks so much!
Jeanette says
Have made this several times and usually double the recipe so we’ll have leftovers. Totally delicious! I add zucchini and cannelloni beans to the basic recipe. Today I had some match stick carrots that needed to be used.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome Jeanette! I love this feedback and so glad you're enjoying the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much!
Maryanne says
Very delicious soup!
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad you enjoyed...thanks for stopping back by to review 🙂
Danielle says
This soup is AMAZING! The textures and flavors are a great combination. I have made this soup a few times and its super quick and simple. Highly recommend if you're short on time and need some warming up.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesommmme! I'm so glad you love this one like we do 🙂 This Italian sausage soup is definitely a convenience-soup. Thanks for the feedback!
Sarah says
I’m making this tomorrow and I know it’s going to be a winner! I plan on using the instant pot directions. I have ditalini to use in place of orzo. And at the end I’m going to add a can of drained and rinsed white beans along with a large handful of spinach. I can’t wait to try this!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Sarah! Hope you love it like we do. Love the ditalini idea...such a cute shaped pasta! Thanks and enjoy!
Susan says
Can you use chicken stock instead of broth?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Susan, sure can! Stock usually has a milder flavor than broth, but the sausage in this recipe will keep it very flavorful. Hope that answers your question 🙂
Maryann says
Recipe says to keep the juice of the canned tomatoes. In the video, when pouring in the tomatoes - NO juice! So which is it please?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Maryann, the tomatoes include the juice in the video but maybe it moves too fast for you to see it. I assure you, it's there 🙂
Brian says
This soup is delicious. I make 2-4 times the recipe
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! Sounds like you love Italian sausage soup as much as we do. Thanks for the review 🙂
Ann says
This recipe is really delicious! Thank you for keeping it simple and reasonably easy to make. I go to a local Italian butcher that makes his own sausage and used 1/2 pound hot and 1/2 pound sweet . I also added fresh spinach in the end. I have to watch my sodium so I used plum tomatoes with basil from Trader Joe’s that only had 5 mg sodium and low sodium chicken broth . This recipe is FANTASTIC ! Really appreciate the short ingredient list . Also appreciate not needing a sous chef to slice and dice a million ingredients !
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome, Ann! Thank YOU for taking the time to let me know 🙂 I love the sound of 1/2 and 1/2 sausage from the local butcher YUMMM! So glad you enjoyed this soup
Kathy says
Absolutely delicious!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed...thank you for taking the time to review 🙂
Susan says
I made this today...delicious! I added the Italian blend of frozen vegetables to the soup and then poured it over baby spinach. This was so easy to make and, best of all, I had all the ingredients to make the soup.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Susan! Your approach sounds perfect 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks for taking the time to let me know
Michael says
can i substitute rice for the pasta in this recipe?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Michael, you can but you'll need to do 5 min pressure cook with 10 min natural pressure release. Let me know if you have more questions 🙂 Enjoy!
Julia says
So fast, easy, healthy and delicious! Thanks
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Julia! So glad to hear you're enjoying this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback