My beloved autumn days feel like they’re almost over when in fact winter doesn’t even begin for almost another two months. Last week I dragged out the heating blanket for the couch and I turned on the heat for the first time. (Well, technically my husband turned it on, while I sat on the couch covered in two blankets and still freezing my butt off.)
It’s that time of year where I start to crave hot foods to help keep warm. This hearty Italian sausage soup has a broth base and it’s loaded with hot Italian turkey sausage, orzo, roasted red peppers, and assorted seasonings.
Hearty Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
(About 4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2 Hot Italian Turkey Sausage links (I used Shady Brook Farms), with casings removed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 ounces (equivalent to 4 cups) low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2/3 cup orzo, uncooked
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Directions:
- In a medium skillet, cook the turkey sausage. Don’t forget to remove the casings prior to cooking. Set it aside once it’s done cooking.
- In a large pot, on Medium heat, heat up the olive oil and cook the chopped onions until they are a translucent color.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth and season and add the chopped roasted red peppers.
- Season with bay leaves, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Increase the heat and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat to Simmer/Low and simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Turn the heat to Medium/High and bring it to a boil again.
- Add the uncooked orzo and cooked turkey sausage and cook it for 8-9 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Soups tend to be easy to put together. It’s just like throwing a bunch of ingredients into a slow cooker, except you don’t have to wait as long. For this recipe, you do have to cook the sausage separately before adding it into the pot with the other soup ingredients, but two pans really isn’t bad right? In fact, I just realized that I could have cooked the sausage in the large pot at the beginning instead of getting two dirty pans. Oh well.
I used hot Italian turkey sausage. It has a hint of heat (my husband says it has no heat at all, but he has a higher tolerance than I do). Mostly I like the taste of it when it’s combined with all of the other flavors in this soup. Also, I like to use turkey sausage to cut down on the fat content. With all that delicious sausage flavor you really can’t even tell what meat it’s made out of. Feel free to swap it for any kind of sausage you love.
The orzo will absorb some of the chicken broth as it cooks becoming a good deal more awesome than orzo that was just cooked in water. Unless you think carbs are evil, this is a pretty healthy soup. I love when something that tastes great isn’t horrible for you.
The roasted red peppers add yummy flavor, texture, and color to this soup. This soup is mad tasty and one of best I’ve made so far this season. 🙂
I sprinkled some shredded Parmesan cheese on top, which adds more lovely flavor. Let’s face it, cheese is a fun thing to add to most soups.
My husband and I took a mini vacation to Quebec City, Quebec a couple of weeks ago. I “splurged” and bought this plate and bowl from the Dollarama (Canada’s version of the Dollar Store). 🙂 You can’t go wrong with white dinnerware and I love how the square shape gives it a modern look. Seriously, it was a dollar!
This soup is perfect to make your day warm and cozy. 🙂
Adapted from: Cookin’ Canuck
Can you tell that I love soups?
With the weather cool all I want is soup, this is perfect! Thanks Tina!
Awesome. 🙂
Can I just say I love everything about this post? The dish, the photos (incredible job!) and this soup are all just amazing. The soup looks so hearty and so pretty at the same time! Autumn in a bowl!
You’re so sweet! Thank you. 🙂
I’m going to go to dollarama on my lunch break (I love it there!) and pick up some new food props! How did I not think to check them out before I shell at the big bucks at all those other money suckers! Soup looks great, but when do your recipes not look great?!
Awh, you’re so sweet! Thank you. 🙂
I hope you have good luck finding something fun at the Dollarama!
I’d love a big bowl of this right now, because I’m cold and starving and this looks super cosy and comforting. Also, your pics are beautiful and make me want to eat this even more 😉
Oh my goodness, I hope you eat something and get warm asap! Thanks so much for your kind words. 🙂
It’s been so cold and rainy here today. This Italian Sausage Soup would really hit the spot!
Awesome. 🙂
This looks awesome- so much better than the dorm food! I love that it’s almost like a stew with the broth:food ratio. And the orzo! Orzo is one of my favorite pasta-grain things. So perfect for a cold fall day!
I agree…love orzo. 🙂
Blah, I remember those days of dorm food. Hang in there. 😉
You are going to think I am crazy but I wish I lived somewhere that got cool enough to make me crave a hot soup to keep warm! I mean, I crave hot soups but we rarely see temps dip into the 30s or 40s here in South Florida! Don’t get me wrong, I love the beaches but I long to live somewhere that actually has seasons!
Great soup, Tina! I just might have to make this one day. Pinned!
You’re not crazy…We seem to want what we don’t have. 😉
Thank you for pinning! 🙂
It’s getting chilly here too, especially at night and a big bowl of this soup sounds perfect for keeping warm! Love how hearty this soup looks and the shredded Parmesan just makes it extra special 🙂
Thanks so much Kelly. 🙂
LOVE this soup! I could go for a bowl right now!
That’s awsome! Thanks. 🙂
This would be perfect right now because its getting ready to snow here in Denver! 🙂
http://www.prettybitchescancooktoo.com
Snow!? Oh wow, we won’t get that here in CT for another couple of months…at least I hope so.
Stay warm. 🙂
I love hearty soups! They are easy, cheap and make great leftovers! Let the winter begin! This looks great, Tina!
I totally agree! 🙂
That looks so hearty and comforting Tina! I love sausage soups! Actually I love sausage in any savory dishes. 🙂 This one looks incredible. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us. YUM!
Thanks so much Anne! I’m a huge fan of sausage too. Awesome ingredient in countless dishes. 🙂
You’re so funny… I’m the one with the heater cranked and with shorts and a tank top on all through winter. I guess that’s why my husband is always complaining about the constant rise of the heat bill!
I love Italian sausage! Especially in a soup. So pinning this and bookmarking. This is going on the menu for this weekend!
Oh my goodness…we have oil heat so I cringe every time we get a delivery. I’d rather spend that money on shoes. 😉
Thank you for pinning! Let me know if you end up making it. 🙂