The ingredients might be humble, but don't be fooled - Italian Sausage Soup packs big, bold flavor, and it's even better the next day. A few key ingredients really amp things up - fire-roasted diced tomatoes, canned white beans with their canning liquid, and a bundle of fresh thyme. Use spicy Italian sausage and add a pinch of red pepper flakes to heat things up.
1lbsweet or hot italian sausageif using links, casing removed
1largesweet oniondiced to ½”
3mediumcarrotspeeled, halved and sliced
3stalkscelerythinly sliced
3clovesgarlicminced
2teaspoonitalian seasoning
114-oz canwhite beanswith canning liquid
114.5-oz canfire roasted diced tomatoes
½teaspooncracked black pepper
½teaspoonred pepper flakesoptional
3cupschicken stock
1sprigfresh thyme
½ - 1teaspoonsea saltif needed, see notes
chopped parsleyfor garnish
Instructions
Place a dutch oven over medium high heat; add olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the sausage to the pot and break into crumbled with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
Add onion, carrots and celery to the pot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are soft, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and italian seasoning and cook 1 minute more, stirring continuously.
Add the can of white beans (including the canning liquid) along with the diced tomatoes and three cups of broth. Season with cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using), but hold the salt until the end. Stir to combine and top with thyme bundle.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes until the flavors meld. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or pepper if needed.
Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up about a week. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Use sweet or hot italian sausage based on your preference for spice. Turkey sausage may be substituted with excellent results.
If you can't find ground sausage, use sausage links - remove the casings, then crumble into the pot.
This recipes calls for using canned white beans as well as their canning liquid. The canning liquid is starchy, so it adds some body to the broth. It also tends to be salty, so hold off on seasoning with salt until the very end.