This Italian Sausage Soup makes a perfect one-pot meal on a cool or rainy night.
I love soup, and I love stew, so why not make a hybrid between the two? That’s pretty much what you get with this Italian sausage soup, which has become a cold-weather staple in my kitchen. It has the substantial heartiness of a stew but with the simplicity of a weeknight soup. That’s the exact kind of balance I love.
You get chunks of potato and sausage that swim in a pot of rich, umami bone broth. It has incredible depth, and the flavors require little coaxing to reach their full potential. The handful of greens breaks up the bowl with a hint of freshness that prevents it from feeling too heavy. And on a chilly night, one bowl of this will have you warmed up quickly.
This is a recipe you can also adapt. I’ve added tomato paste to deepen the flavor of the bone broth, a can of pinto beans I found in the pantry, or a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This recipe is solid as written, but I always encourage you to make it your own.
On russet potatoes
This recipe specifies russet potatoes, which I think work best. Russets are starchy and fluffy, with a nice flavor. They release some of that starch into the soup liquid as they cook, helping to thicken it a bit. If you don’t have russets on hand, I also like to use white potatoes or Yukon Golds, which are slightly waxier but will still yield a good result.
How do I store leftovers?
This soup stores really well and can easily be made in advance. In fact, I think it tastes even better the next day! It’ll keep in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container, and individual portions can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
A crusty loaf of quality bread is all this soup needs as accompaniment. Homemade Garlic Bread is always a great go-to. For something more substantial, I also like to serve this soup with a side of Creamy Polenta or a fresh Green Salad.
Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 small russet potatoes cubed (about 3 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 6 cups beef bone broth
- 2 cups kale or Swiss chard leaves chopped and packed
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage pieces until they're nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, cubed potatoes, Italian seasoning, and dried chili flakes. Sauté until the onion is translucent, around 5 minutes.
- Pour in the beef bone broth and return the browned sausage to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kale or Swiss chard until wilted. Season the soup with salt and serve warm.
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