Description
A delightful and hearty soup combining savory Italian sausage, vibrant vegetables, and ditalini pasta in a rich chicken broth, finished with creamy Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups ditalini pasta
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, pour in the olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. Wait for it to shimmer before proceeding.
- Add the Italian sausage to the pot, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Let it brown for about 6–7 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Once the sausage is cooked, stir in the chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5–6 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Toss in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Carefully pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the Parmesan rind, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the ditalini pasta and cook for 8–10 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the Parmesan rind and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, add the heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnishing with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
For extra richness, sauté vegetables in rendered sausage fat. Reserve broth if soup thickens too much. Optional: add red pepper flakes for heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg