Sausage Orzo Soup Recipe

A bowl of sausage orzo soup with a spoon resting in the bowl.

This creamy Sausage Orzo Soup simmers Italian sausage, orzo, and spinach in a tomato Parmesan broth. It's an easy one-pot dinner that's ready in 45 minutes and great for meal prep.

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian-American

Keyword: creamy sausage orzo soup, Italian sausage orzo soup, sausage orzo soup

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: - 8

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Lyn Croyle

Equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 stalks celery sliced
2 carrots peeled and sliced into coins
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage chicken, pork, or turkey, bulk or casings removed
3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili flakes optional
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
¼ cup tomato paste
2 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes or 1 28oz can, undrained
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
1 cup uncooked orzo
3 cups chopped baby spinach
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more to taste (or ⅔ cups shredded Parmesan cheese)
Chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish

Instructions

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Carefully transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Return the pot to the heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the Italian sausage and cook for 4-6 minutes, crumbling until cooked through and no longer pink.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Stir in the sautéed vegetables, chicken broth, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. Once simmering, reduce to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the orzo, return to a low simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
Remove from heat. Stir in the baby spinach, half-and-half, and grated parmesan. Stir until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted.
Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Recipe Tips

Richer or lighter: For a richer soup, use heavy cream instead of half-and-half. For a lighter soup, swap in whole milk.
Creamiest texture: Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Extra savory: Stir 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon into the soup with the chicken broth and tomatoes.
Cooking the orzo separately: Reduce the broth from 5 cups to 4 cups (or 4½ cups for a brothier soup). Cook the orzo in salted water about 1 minute shy of the package time, drain, and toss with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn't clump. Keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and add a scoop to each bowl before ladling the hot soup over it.

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