Easy 30-Minute Italian Sausage Soup

30-Minute Italian Sausage Soup — 🍲🍅🙌🏻 EASY, hearty soup that’s full of flavor from the sausage, rice, and vegetables! Comfort food the whole family will LOVE and it’s healthier from the vegetables! It keeps you warm and cozy on cold winter nights!

Easy Sausage Soup Recipe

During the cold weather months, soup recipes are the most popular on my website. I made this soup on a miserable, rainy, cold dreary day and my daughter had a terrible cold and this really hit the spot.

This soup with Italian sausage and veggies is hearty and it’s pure comfort food in a bowl. If you know someone who says that soup is not a meal, this satisfying recipe will prove them wrong.

The soup reminds me and my family of one of our all-time favorite soups, 30-Minute Lasagna Soup. The tomato-ey beef broth along with the sausage is just perfect, the rice adds a comforting dimension. There is great texture from the zucchini and green beans, and the fresh basil and lemon juice really brighten it up.

It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, which is nice for many people or if you’re serving it to a mixed group with dietary restrictions. Many soup recipes rely on noodles and/or use a dairy-based cheese sauce but not this one.

Italian Sausage Soup Ingredients

To make the Italian sausage vegetable soup, you’ll need: 

• Italian sausage – I use pork sausage but chicken sausage or turkey sausage could be subbed, noting they’re not as richly flavored since they lack fat. Use mild or spicy Italian sausage depending on your preferences
• Olive oil
• Sweet Vidalia onion
• Cloves garlic
• Beef broth – chicken broth or chicken stock may be substituted
• Canned petite diced tomatoes
• Oregano – You can also use Italian seasoning which is a mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, and more.
• Cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes
• Cooked rice
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Fresh basil – Basil is great but if you have other fresh herbs on hand, they’ll be great.
• Lemon juice
• Salt – Because I used lower/no salt-added products, I added a total of about 3 teaspoons of salt to the soup but this will vary based on personal preference and products used. Remember that rice is also bland and benefits from adequate salt

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Italian Sausage Soup

This soup is beyond easy, ready in under 30 minutes, made in one pot, and is full of robust flavor!

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausage in oil with onion and red pepper. I did not drain the sausage after it finished cooking, but you can if desired. Note that the fat keeps the rice from sticking and adds flavor to the broth.
2. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant.
3. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the zucchini, green beans, and rice, and cook until the veggies are crisp-tender.
4. Turn off the heat, and add the basil and lemon juice if using. The soup may seem quite brothy initially, but in time the rice and vegetables absorb some of the broth, reducing the brothiness.
5. Season to taste, ladle the soup into bowls, and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe FAQs

WHAT TYPE OF SAUSAGE SHOULD I USE for ground sausage soup? 

I used hot Italian pork sausage because we like the extra flavor the ‘hot’ adds although we don’t think it’s spicy or actually hot. But if you are your family do, regular sausage is fine. You’re looking for a pound of ‘natural’ sausage (looks like raw ground beef) that’s not in casings or links.

CAN I USE GROUND BEEF INSTEAD of sausage for Italian sausage vegetable soup? 

Yes, you could easily swap the sausage for ground beef. I have a beef and pasta soup that has lots of similarities to this one. Or check out this Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup, which is made with ground beef, rice, and tomatoes in your slow cooker.

CAN I USE DIFFERENT VEGGIES OR GREENS IN Italian soup with sausage?

Of course! I recommend using the onion, garlic, and bell peppers as instructed since they help build the flavor base of the soup. Celery would also be good here too. But the green beans and zucchini can be omitted or substituted depending on your personal preferences and whatever veggies you have on hand. Try mushrooms, carrots, or even add a handful of spinach, kale, or your favorite greens at the end.

CAN I ADD BEANS to Italian sausage soup?

Yes of course. White beans, cannelloni beans, garbanzo beans, or similar will all be fine. I would use one 15-ounce can, with the liquid drained and then rinsed, and add them fairly close to the end – just enough time to warm them through.

CAN I USE PASTA INSTEAD OF THE RICE in sausage soup?

You can, yes, but I would cook the pasta separately, then add it. Don’t try to cook it in the same cooking liquid as the soup because it will just absorb all the liquid and throw things off. Small elbow macaroni, ditalini, orecchiette, orzo, or your favorite small pasta shapes are good ones to try.

CAN THE sausage soup BE MADE IN ADVANCE AND FROZEN?

Yes! This soup freezes pretty well, but the rice does become slightly grainy once frozen. I personally don’t mind the texture change, but you might want to freeze a small quantity to test it out and see if you like it frozen or not.

Enjoy Healthyeatspro.com 🆕

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
• ▢ 1 pound fresh Italian pork sausage, I used spicy sausage
• ▢ 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, diced small
• ▢ 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• ▢ 3 to 5 cloves finely minced or pressed garlic
• ▢ 64 ounces beef broth, I used 50% reduced sodium
• ▢ one 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, do not drain; I used no-salt added
• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 + teaspoons kosher salt, as needed to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
• ▢ two 8.8-ounce packets cooked rice] (or about 4 cups of your favorite [cooked rice
• ▢ 1 medium/large zucchini, diced into small pieces
• ▢ 1 to 1 ½ cups fresh green beans
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional but recommend
• ▢ freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for garnishing as desired

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• To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add the optional olive oil , sausage, onion, red pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until onion is becoming soft and translucent. Stir and crumble the sausage as it cooks. I did not drain the sausage but you can if desired; the fat keeps the rice from sticking and adds flavor to the broth.
• Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add the broth, tomatoes, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, optional cayenne (doesn’t make the soup spicy but adds flavor), bring to a boil, and once boiling, add the zucchini, green beans, rice, and cook uncovered for about 7 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Turn the heat off, add the basil, optionally add the lemon juice (it really brightens up the flavor of the soup and I recommend it), stir to combine, and taste the soup. If necessary, add more salt. Because I use lower/no salt-added products, I added a total of about 3 teaspoons salt but this will vary based on preference and products used; rice is also bland and benefits from adequate salt.
• Ladle into bowls and optionally garnish with Parmesan before serving.

Storage: Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. Soup may seem quite brothy initially but in time, the rice and vegetables absorb some of the broth, reducing the brothiness.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 1612mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g

More Recipes Using Italian Sausage:

The Best 30-Minute Lasagna Soup – All the flavor of lasagna minus the work! Loaded with juicy tomatoes, sausage, and topped with melted cheese! Easy, hearty, comfort food that’s perfect for busy weeknights!

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Loaded Zuppa Toscana Soup — This COPYCAT version of the Olive Garden classic can be made either on the STOVETOP, INSTANT POT, or SLOW COOKER!! A comforting classic Tuscan kale soup that’s loaded with bacon, sausage, potatoes, Parmesan, cream, and more!

One-Pot Italian Sausage Pasta — An EASY comfort food recipe that’s loaded with Italian flavors, ready in 20 minutes, made in ONE pot, and a family favorite!! No need to boil the pasta separately to save time and dishes!

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