Description
Hearty “Italian Sausage Soup” delivers robust flavors straight from rustic Tuscan kitchens. Comforting spices and rich ingredients blend seamlessly, inviting you to savor each spoonful of Mediterranean-inspired warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (1 lb) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
Vegetables:
- 3 cups baby spinach (or kale)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Warm a generous splash of olive oil in a robust pot over moderate heat, introducing ground sausage and methodically fragmenting the meat until achieving a rich golden-brown coloration. Transfer the caramelized sausage to a separate dish.
- Utilize the identical pot to gently transform chopped onions and minced garlic into a translucent, aromatic foundation, releasing their delicate flavors.
- Incorporate cubed potatoes into the fragrant mixture, allowing them to briefly toast and absorb the residual essence from the sausage. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt, and cracked pepper to enhance the emerging flavor profile.
- Stream chicken broth into the pot, elevating the temperature until a vigorous bubble emerges. Reduce to a gentle simmer, permitting potatoes to tenderize and infuse the liquid with their starchy richness for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Reintroduce the reserved sausage, gently fold in fresh spinach leaves, and cascade heavy cream into the bubbling landscape, creating a luxurious texture. Allow the ingredients to harmonize for an additional 5 minutes, ensuring spinach softens and the soup reaches optimal temperature.
- Optional: Enliven the soup with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for subtle heat. Ladle into warm bowls and crown with a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, presenting a comforting Italian-inspired creation.
Notes
- Customize the spice level by adjusting red pepper flakes or using mild sausage for those with sensitive palates.
- Make it gluten-free by ensuring your chicken broth and sausage are certified gluten-free with no added wheat products.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut milk, reducing overall calorie content while maintaining creamy texture.
- Enhance meal prep by chopping vegetables and cooking sausage in advance, cutting down total cooking time and making weeknight dinner preparation smoother.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg