Warm up with a bowl of this comforting, hearty, and easy Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup. Savory sausage, a bounty of colorful tender veggies, and an aromatic broth will have you falling in love at first bite.
All good things start with sausage. With a single ingredient, it’s an instant flavor bomb that brings depth and seasoning. It also gives that all day simmered flavor without the time. Just like minestrone soup with sausage, this Italian vegetable soup is the hug in food form we all need.
Rich yet bright, savory, and a little spicy, this soup truly hits all of the notes. Whether you’re looking for an easy to throw together for quick lunches and dinners during the week, or a soup to enjoy with the cooler weather, this is it. It’s also a great way to clean out the veggie drawer and give produce a totally new life.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One Pot Meal – Soup is the ultimate one pot meal. No need to dirty up a bunch of pans for this sausage and vegetable soup. All you need is your trusty Dutch oven.
- Nutritious and Delicious – All hail the kale! This soup is packed full of flavorful fresh seasonal vegetables making this a dish you can feel good about feeding family and friends.
- Customizable Ingredients – You can easily use any type of fresh sausage in this recipe, or even plant-based sausage. In addition, you can swap out any of the vegetables for your favorite or use what you have on hand. Feel free to make this soup completely your own!
- Freezer and Meal Prep Friendly – Unlike some soups that have pasta or rice in them that absorb the broth, this soup is ideal for both freezing so you can enjoy it down the road, and also portioning out to enjoy throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Sausage – You can use mild Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, or a combination. I used turkey sausage for this recipe but feel free to use pork or chicken sausage. You can also use plant-based sausage to make this vegan.
- Mirepoix – This soup starts with the classic combination of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Additional Vegetables – Green beans, a russet potato, zucchini, and kale also join the party in this layered vegetable soup with sausage.
- Dice Tomatoes – I use fire roasted tomatoes, but any canned diced tomato will work in this recipe.
- Spices – Crushed red pepper flakes add a little kick while Italian seasoning gives an herbaceous note. You’ll also need a couple bay leaves for that all day simmered flavor.
- Dry White Wine – This is a completely optional ingredient but adds a bright pop of flavor. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t cook with wine.
- Broth – Homemade stock is always the best, but a good quality chicken or vegetable broth also works just fine, especially for an easy weeknight meal.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano Rind – This is another optional ingredient but adds incredible depth and umami to the soup.
- Basil – Fresh basil at the end gives this soup a fresh, slightly sweet bite.
- Lemon – Finish the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon to make it bright and wake up all of the flavors.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make this soup vegan by using plant-based sausage and vegetable broth. You will also want to leave out the parm rind.
- Add pasta, rice, or lentils to this soup to make it even more hearty.
- Add even more protein to this soup by adding a can of drained and rinsed beans. Any white bean such as cannellini will work as well as kidney beans.
- Swap the kale for spinach or even Swiss chard.
- Add additional vegetables such as yellow squash, mushrooms, frozen peas, or bell pepper.
- Spice it up! Give a generous shake of your favorite hot sauce.
How to Make Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup
- Mise en place. Cut all of your vegetables. Remove the kale leaves from the stems and cut the leaves into ribbons.
- Brown the sausage. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the sausage, and with your spoon break it up. Allow it to cook until browned. Remove from the pot and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Sauté the mirepoix. Add the onions, celery, and carrots along with a pinch of salt. Allow the veggies to cook until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook for 60 seconds.
- Deglaze with white wine. If using, pour in the wine. Allow it to cook for 60 seconds.
- Add the diced tomatoes, potato, and green beans. Also add the sausage back into the pot along with the broth, parmesan rind, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cover. Allow the soup to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Wilt in the kale and add the zucchini. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Let the soup simmer until the kale and zucchini are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Finish it off. Stir in the basil and lemon juice. Taste and add any additional seasoning.
How to Store Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup
- Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Place the soup into either airtight containers, or freezer bags. The soup will last up to five days in the refrigerator.
- To freeze this sausage and vegetable soup, let it cool completely. Divide the soup into freezer safe bags, letting out as much air as possible.
- You can place the freezer bags on a baking sheet and place in the freezer, allowing the soup to freeze flat. Once frozen stack them up however you wish.
- The soup will last up to three months in the freezer.
- To defrost, place in the refrigerator and allow to defrost overnight.
- This Italian sausage and vegetable soup can be reheated in a pot on the stove over medium, stirring often until warmed through. It can also be reheated in the microwave.
Tips From the Beach
- Always save those Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds! They add incredible depth of flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. Just pop them in a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer until the next time the craving for a pot of soup or tomato sauce hits.
- Have fun with your soup toppings. Fresh basil, diced tomatoes, minced onions, freshly grated parm, lemon wedges, and even diced avocado are all great options. And don’t forget the crusty bread for dipping!
- My family likes a brothier soup, so I add an additional two cups of broth. If you like a more stew like texture only add the eight cups.
More Soup Recipes
- Turkey Meatball Tortellini Soup
- Roasted Poblano Chicken Soup
- Chicken Fajita Soup
- Homemade Wonton Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different vegetables in Italian sausage and vegetable soup?
Yes! Feel free to swap or add to any of the included vegetables.
Can I use frozen vegetables in Italian vegetable soup?
Most of these vegetables are easily accessible year-round and fresh will always give you the best flavor. However feel free to use frozen vegetables for convenience if you desire.
Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup
Warm up with a bowl of this comforting, hearty, and easy Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup. Savory sausage, a bounty of colorful tender veggies, and an aromatic broth will have you falling in love at first bite.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 55
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage, bulk, or removed from the casings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2–3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, optional
- 1 large Russet potato peeled and diced
- 8 ounces green beans, stems removed, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2–3 bay leaves
- 2” Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, optional
- 8–10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped
- 1.4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the sausage and using your spoon, break it up as you allow it to brown. Once browned remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots along with the salt. Allow to sauté, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 60 seconds.
- If using add the white wine. Cook for 60 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, green beans, diced tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, and parm rind. Stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cover. Allow it to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the parm rind and bay leaves. Stir in the kale and zucchini. Let cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the basil and lemon juice. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any type of Italian sausage for this recipe. Mild, hot, or a combination will work. You can also use turkey, pork, or chicken sausage.
- Make this recipe vegetarian by using plant-based sausage and vegetable broth. You can omit the parm rind to make it vegan.
- Feel free to add more or less of any of the vegetables, and also use your favorites! Yellow squash, spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers are just some options.