Easy one pot soup that doesn't take a lot of time but tastes like it did. If you prefer, use rice or some other pasta. Feel free to add other chopped vegetables, such as celery and carrots. Great warmed up the next day.
YUM! This recipe is FANTASTIC! I used low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, omitted the green peppers (I don't like them), and used dried parsley instead of fresh. I also accidentally tripled the garlic to 2 tablespoons. I loved it. I served it with a loaf of fresh sun-dried tomato bread and it made for a nice hearty dinner. One word of caution: where the recipe says "large pot," it really means "the biggest pot you've got!" EDIT 01/28/2009: This is my most frequently used and requested recipe. I've made this more times than I can count! A couple things I've learned over time: 1. For a bit more flavor, mix hot and sweet sausage half and half. 2. Cook the pasta separately (or add a lot more broth). I cook and store the pasta separately, except when freezing portions. To freeze it, I add the pasta and cooled soup into one container and freeze immediately. This prevents the pasta from soaking up all the liquid in the soup. Thanks again for a great recipe!
Read MoreDidn't really care for it. I thought it lacked flavor.
Read MoreYUM! This recipe is FANTASTIC! I used low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, omitted the green peppers (I don't like them), and used dried parsley instead of fresh. I also accidentally tripled the garlic to 2 tablespoons. I loved it. I served it with a loaf of fresh sun-dried tomato bread and it made for a nice hearty dinner. One word of caution: where the recipe says "large pot," it really means "the biggest pot you've got!" EDIT 01/28/2009: This is my most frequently used and requested recipe. I've made this more times than I can count! A couple things I've learned over time: 1. For a bit more flavor, mix hot and sweet sausage half and half. 2. Cook the pasta separately (or add a lot more broth). I cook and store the pasta separately, except when freezing portions. To freeze it, I add the pasta and cooled soup into one container and freeze immediately. This prevents the pasta from soaking up all the liquid in the soup. Thanks again for a great recipe!
Very nice soup as is, but I played with it a little, adding some things, not measuring precisely and just simply enjoying cooking (and the aroma). First, I used homemade chicken broth that already had pieces of chicken in it. The combination of the chicken with the Italian sausage was a nice contrast in flavors and textures! I added fresh cremini mushrooms, Italian seasoning rather than just basil, leeks as well as onions, zucchini, cannellini beans, a good glug of red wine (an appropriate Sangiovese) and a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (I keep them stored in the freezer). I also subbed fresh escarole for the spinach (had I used spinach I would have used fresh). Quick, easy, aromatic, incredibly flavorful and immensely satisfying.
THANK YOU for this 5 star recipe! A definite keeper, so versatile. As Jackie said, feel free to add...and I did. I added chopped celery and a can of rinsed canaloni beans and used fresh spinich. I forgot to add the parsley, but it was fabulous the way I fixed it and I don't think I deviated too much from the recipe originally posted. Next time, I'll add zucchini.
This soup was extremely easy to prepare. I used bulk sausage instead of links and did not change pans. I just used a large skillet and kept all the juices together. I also rounded off the measurements to use full pagkages of the ingredients. It smelled fabulous while cooking and, to my amazement, tasted even better. I served it with French bread. You would be hard pressed to find an easier or more satisfying meal.
This soup is perfect on a cold and rainy evening. It also freezes well - just don't add quite as much orzo as it calls for as it will soak up too much liquid during the freeze/thaw process. The whole family liked it - just don't tell them it contains spinach ;)
Thanks Jackie for one of the best soups i have tried from this site! It was such a crowd pleaser and affortable to make. I added some hot sauce and garlic. It was great with some garlic bread...
This is 5 stars PLUS, for how easy yet delicious and nutritious it is. My sausage loving husband loved it, declaring the flavour of the broth "excellent", and took a huge container for lunch the next day. My young children ate it all, and said they liked it! It was a quick, satisfying weeknight meal for us that will be made many, many times again! I added a can of drained and rinsed romano beans for a little extra nutrition, but this soup would be great exactly as the recipe instructs. Awesome soup, Jackie - THANK-YOU!
Yum! This is my new favorite soup. Perfect when the weather starts to get a little cooler and you want something warm and satisfying. Really great with a hearty loaf of bread. Thanks Jackie!
Thank you Jackie! My family loved this soup. I used fresh spinach instead of frozen. My mother-in-law came over when I was cooking and took some home with her - she too loved it and she is one of the best cooks I know.
This was very quick, very easy and very tasty. My entire family loved it, even my picky teenagers. The only change I made was to use low-sodium chicken broth. Thanks for sharing, Jackie!
Delicious soup!!! I followed the recipe exactly except I had to use half boullion and the other half canned broth. Oh, and added pepper. I thought the green pepper was going to be kind of weird but it fit in perfectly with the tomato and sausage. Served with crusty French bread. One of my new favorites!
So hearty and good! First big pot of soup of the season and this was a great choice. Added lots more veggies; celery, carrots and garlic. I used large elbow macaroni. Loved the spinach. We had crusty Texas toast to soak up all the broth. Even better as lunch today.
We loved this hearty soup, even my 9 yr. old daughter loved it. I added rice instead of orzo, and low sodium broth. I will definately make this again.
This is the best soup ever! I've made this at least two dozen times for potlucks at work, dinner with friends, dinner with family and everyone raves about it. I pre cook my orzo pasta until el dente, rinse under cold water to stop cooking process and add to soup. Thanks for the excellent recipe
This soup is SO good and SO easy. The only change I would make next time is to use diced tomatoes rather than whole. Also, if you plan on having any leftovers, I would suggest cooking the orzo separately and then adding it to the individual bowls. Absolutely delicious!
I adore this soup! However, I was trying to duplicate an Italian Wedding Soup served at a local restaurant. Their soup did not contain tomatoes so I left those out and it was exact. Yummy Italian wedding soup and so easy. I realize you could use meatballs in this but the sausage is so much easier.
I have made this several times, and everyone who eats it LOVES it. I did boil the orzo first and added just the right amount to keep it from getting too thick. It seems like 1/2 pound is too much. I never add it all. Also-- I use Italian sausage made from turkey or chicken to keep it low fat--- we like hot rather than sweet. I usually use more chicken broth as well.
Awesome soup, I didn't change a thing..served it with a salad and crusty bread, way better then going to the Olive Garden!
DELICIOUS & FLAVORFUL! I used turkey sausage and added chopped carrots, leftover penne pasta and garlic salt. I would have added zucchini but it was it was a bit moldy. Omitted chopped garlic and spinach. Used yellow bell pepper instead of green. This was so good that I would serve it for company.
Very good. Reminds me of Italian Wedding Meatball soup. Leftovers were great!
Wow, this soup was way better than I had expected. Its so simple, but delicious! I used chicken sausage, left out the green pepper (don't care for them) and also skipped the pasta to make it a friendly low carb meal. I spiced it up a bit with some red pepper flakes. Really great, thanks for an easy awesome meal
This recipe is perfect as it is written! I've made it several times and it gets rave reviews every time. Thank you Jackie!
This soup is fantastic! We like spicy foods so I used hot sausage. It was very tasty.
Delicious soup! I made the soup with ingredients I had on hand: had dried parsley and minced garlic. The kids even loved this soup. Definitely a keeper.
I have made this several times for my family. Everyone loved it. I've used both pork and turkey sausage. I've also used both hot and sweet sausage. You just can't go wrong!! It is best served the next day.
WOW! This recipe is very flavorful, just awesome. My whole family couldn't stop talking about how wonderful this was all throughout dinner. Thank you so much for this recipe!
What a surprise this ended up being. I made it for my husband who loves peppers, onions & polish sausage. I used polish sausage instead of sweet italian sausage and I double all ingredients except the broth. I used 12 cups of broth instead of 16. I don't like peppers but the broth tastes so good that I had to try it and I have to say that I loved it. The more I ate the addicting it became. This is deffinately a keeper. Only complaint my husband gave it I need to add more polish sausage. Another tip...would also be good with chicken or both chicken & sausage. Thanks for the recipe.
Very good. I browned the sausage, without it's casing, on the stove until almost done and then put everything in the crockpot including the spinach at this time and the spinach was still frozen. I forgot the pasta which I was going to to use cheese tortellini and add it at the end. I then cooked this for 3 hours on high. Really good soup, nice to have a hearty healthy soup in my recipe box.
This was soooo good! I loved it, but be careful with the pasta. Like another reviewer, I added too much and it soaked up too much of the broth. It was really, really good!
We loved it. I made it for dinner for my fiancée and I. There's a lot left over so I get to take some to our family :)
My entire family loved the soup. I followed the recipe with the exception of using fresh spinach vs. frozen. It was very filling. As a family of four, we were able to get at least 3 meals out of it. I would definitely make this again.
This was wonderful and pleased every picky member of the family. Made it in a slow cooker, browning sausage and sauteeing onions, garlic and peppers before hand. I substituted crushed for whole tomatoes (family preference) and added french cut green beans and some carrots! It was fantastic and is definitely a keeper! (You must keep the orzo separate to avoid it sucking up all the juice and getting mushy)
This is pretty good. I like how many veggies you can get into one soup and it tastes good but not a lot of zip. However, it's a great way to eat veggies and protein. Thanks!
Simple hearty soup that wasn't overly time-consuming to make. The recipe is good as is but I prefer to lower the fat by using chicken & asiago sausage. I also added 2 bay leaves while it simmered and used fresh spinach just stirred in at the very end.
This was super easy and delicious. I used chicken and gouda sausage and cut the orzo in half and used the other half lentils. I also tossed in a 1/2 cup frozen peas when I tossed in the orzo. Delicious, thanks!
I've made it twice now and both time were delicious. The second time I added cannoli beans, used elbow macaroni and also added a can of mild Rot-Tel. I did use frozen spinach both times because it was what I had on hand. A warning like most others are saying that this makes a HUGE pot. It goes a long way. This recipe is now one of my goes too for dinner parties and also as a great meal from the freezer.
EXCELLENT SOUP! Only slight adjustments listed below. finely chopped 1 stalk celery and 1 large carrot. sauteed all veggies first in 2tbsp olive oil. splash of wine before adding liquids. 14.5 oz can dices tomatoes. bay leaf. drop of sage. fresh spinach. 1 cup mini whole wheat pasta shells.
What a great soup on a cold night. I only modified this recipe slightly, I skinned and crumbled my sausage before I cooked it, and I cooked in the soup pot. I then added my peppers, onions & garlic and cooked them slightly before I added any liquids. I also sub'd fresh kale for the frozen spinach and am so glad that I did. I will definitely make this again, but I think I'll try different pasta next time.
I made the recipe exactly as is and this soup is AMAZING! It has so many flavors and is such mind blowing. I highly recommend making this soup x 3 and having for left overs or give some to your friends. The recipe says 8 servings and it really does make 8 big servings, FYI. EDIT: Now 5+ year later (today is 5/26/14) I have made this several times. I have found that I like to add in frozen cheese tortellini. HOWEVER, I omit it for the time being (stay with me!) I make a big batch and I freeze it for later. I just pop it in the big pot on low and let it work it's way back slowly. Once it's simmering, I add in the frozen tortellini - only take a few minutes to cook. If you keep it in there (and freeze it) the pasta gets very soggy and bleh.
Made this twice. A hit with everyone. I used Hot sausage to give it that boost! Enjoyed!
Delicious and super easy to make! We LOVED it! Only change I made was omitted the green peppers and added celery. Thanks for the recipe!
I just jumped on my computer to find a couple recipes, I was cooking for my boyfriend for the 1st time... This soup was amazing, I recommend it to anyone. It's simple, quick and delicious!
This soup is wonderful! I made a few changes because of what I had on hand. I used bulk sausage, 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes, and 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes with garlic. It was quick to assemble and enjoyed by all. I can't wait to taste it tomorrow!
This is my new favorite soup! I left out the green pepper (personal taste) and used italian cheese & parsley sausage from the Italian market. Top with some good parmesan or romano...manja!
Used wild rice (cooked first using 2 cups of the chicken broth and then added). AWESOME!!!
The entire family (including teenagers) loved this recipe. Did not have sweet italian sausage so, I used 1 lb of hot italian sausage with about 3/4 pound of pork sausage. Store was out of orzo and used bowtie pasta instead. Used 1 (14.5 ounce) can of the stewed and sliced tomatoes and 1 (14.5 ounce) can of the diced with jalapenos tomatoes. (My kids sometimes don't like too many tomatoes so, that way they can "eat around" the stewed and sliced ones a little better). Absolutely terrific.
OK, I wasn't crazy about this soup. I used low sodium chicken broth and ended up adding 2 bouillon cubes and black pepper to add flavor. That didn't do it for me. The orzo absorbed most of the stock - I should have precooked it as suggested, but we do like a thicker soup. It just didn't seem to have any flavor. Maybe hot sausage or red pepper...I do like Italian wedding soup, so this was a disappointment for me. My husband ate a bowl out of obligation and my son at least tried it. Use a big pot if you do try it!
Excellent! Went back for seconds. I added more garlic than called for and sauteed the onion, garlic, and pepper a little, then cooked up the sausage, and then added the tomatoes, broth, etc. I also used a pound of fresh baby spinach that I chopped up instead of the frozen. Yum!
What a delicious soup! I added zucchini and carrots to mine, and left out the parsley. I also substituted fresh spinach for frozen. This is a keeper!
Unfortunately I did not have a chance to taste it fresh because I made it for weekday lunches and not dinner or a lunch at home. The soup smelled fantastic while cooking but I think the sausage was a little overpowering. Otherwise it tasted great. I cooked the pasta separately and added it just before I put the soup in the microwave.
I made this a couple of weeks ago but just noticed I haven't rated it yet - it was great and easy, perfect combination in my opinion! I followed the recipe exact, except I believe the sausage I used was marked wrong, because this was spicy - the sausages had to be hot - DH, DS & I are ok with spicy, but not step-son. But that has nothing to do with the recipe, and we will have this again! **Update** I made this again last night with regular diced tomatoes (no chilis) I believe that's what made it too hot before, and I had tomato juice to use up so I used that (maybe 3c) and about 5c chicken broth to make the 8c, that's the only change and this is really just so good!
What a great soup! Very easy and tasty. This is a keeper recipe. I would recommend using low sodium chicken broth and I will cut down on the orzo a bit the next time I make it, which will be soon!.
great soup on a cold winter night. wonderful flavor that hits the spot. wouldn't change a thing. will definately add it to my rotation of meals for the family.
UPDATE: I'VE REATTEMPTED THIS TWICE NOW. THE SECOND TRY WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE FIRST (I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M MISSING THAT OTHERS AREN'T). MY LAST ATTEMPT WAS PHENOMENOL!!! CHOCK IT UP TO MY CHANGING TASTE BUDS, I GUESS LOL. :) I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS TO SHARE. FIRST, DEFINITELY USE FROZEN SPINACH. IT'S ALREADY CHOPPED FOR YOU (MAKING PREP EASY PEASY) AND TASTES JUST ABOUT THE SAME AS FRESH. SECOND, I USUALLY USE A COMBO OF HOT / MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE BUT FIND THAT I LIKE THIS BEST WITH ALL SPICY SAUSAGE (BUT THAT'S JUST ME). FINALLY, COOK YOUR SAUSAGES, ALLOW THEM TO COOL AND THEN COARSELY CHOP THEM INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES. GROUND SAUSAGE ALSO WORKS WELL, BUT I LIKE THE TEXTURE OF THE CHOPPED SAUSAGE. IF YOU MAKE THESE CHANGES, YOU'LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED HOW GOOD THIS IS! This was so-so. I liked this, but didn't "love" it. Other than substituting a generous amount of fresh chopped spinach for frozen spinach (I didn't have time to thaw and didn't want to mess with the microwave route...), I made no significant changes. NOTE: This makes a TON!!! I obviously had leftovers, so my bf warmed some up the next day. THREE bowls later, we still had a LOT left over. Serving steaming bowlfuls with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a side of crusty Italian bread hit the spot. All in all, this was good, but nothing special. If for nothing else, I was at least able to use up my box of orzo and leftover broth from Thanksgiving. :-) Thanks for sharing, Jackie!
This soup is delicious! I used Italian style turkey sausage, and it was really good. I also omitted the spinach, because I didn't have any. I think it would be even better with the spinach! I used ring shaped pasta instead of orzo as well. This was really good; even my little brothers and sisters who dislike soup really enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing; I will make this again!
I didn't have any fresh basil, so I used pesto. I forgot tomatoes, so I used a can of Amy's tomato basil bisque. I used 1/2 hot Italian sausage and 1/2 sweet. I added a bag of cauliflower crumbles to add more veggies. This soup was FANTASTIC.
My husband LOVED this, ate the whole pot himself. Only minor changes- used rotini (cooked separately) instead of orzo, and fresh spinach instead of frozen. Nice to stumble across a winner!
This soup is now at the top of the list as one of my favorites. It's even better the next day! I followed the recipe exactly except instead of using 8 cups of chicken broth, I used 6 and I didn't need to ad orzo or rice at all. It was good all by itself!
This was the best recipe I have made in a long time...I added 2 cans of diced tomatoes with basil and oregano and garlic already, and used zucchini instead of spinach and bow tie little pasta, we enjoyed this for lunches as well. Thanks.
My husband and I loved this soup. Being Italian we will probably substitute shredded escarole for the spinach next time and use a little less pasta. The pasta thickened the soup a bit too much but tasted great. We did use mildly hot sausage and loved it.
Orzo and sausage in a veggie-rich soup! This combo is right up my alley. Loved it. Delicious!
Loved it! I did make a couple of small changes though. I put the garlic, onion and pepper in to saute along with the sausages. Also, I replaced half of the canned broth with liquid I had reserved from boiling chicken for another recipe. Anyway, we really loved it as a quick supper between a Pats game and the World Series.
I have made this soup several times for my family. It is a favorite. The flavors are exceptional, how can you go wrong with orzo, and the kids don't even realize there eating spinach!
My family loved it. I make it every 2 weeks, it's that good. My 11 year old says Yeah! when he sees what I'm making for dinner. He comes home from school begging for the left overs. My horribly picky eater will eat it with out complaint. I used hot italian sausage. and fresh spinach. loved it so much, I always make it like that. I gave this recipe to my sisters for christmas. Thanks for this recipe. Some recipes are the best gifts!
Great soup for a chilly fall evening. I did use fresh spinach, basil and oregano. Also added a cut-up zucchini. Will definitly make again...my family loved it!
Thought this was pretty good. I left out the spinach but instead added a bag of frozen squash, zucchini, red and green peppers. Also, added some roasted red pepper and eggplant spread and a splash of red wine. Used hot Italian sausage.
It was AMAZING! Enough to feed an army. Super easy to make. The only thing I changed was, not putting in as much spinich and had to add salt and pepper. Other than that, it was sooooo good! Oh and don't forget the crusty bread to dip in this wonderful soup. It only makes it that much better!
Outstanding soup. So flavorful. This is one of the best soups I have ever had. I made only a couple of very minor changes based on what I already had on hand. But nothing that changed the soup. I used a red bell pepper and I also threw in some shredded carrots to use them up. I made this soup yesterday to serve today. I added the pasta and spinach today. I served it with a splash of lemon juice and the Parmesan.
I've been making Tuscan Soup from this site for quite a long time - we love it. I decided to try this since one of the top pork reviewers just made it. The ingredients in both are quite similar so I guess the reason I gave Tuscan Soup a five (this one four) is because my family prefers the potatoes over pasta, the milk vs the tomatoes, fresh spinach vs. frozen - although you could interchange the ingredients in each recipe so easily. Thanks submitter.
Delicious and SIMPLE. I used Spicy Sausage (as opposed to sweet), and it was very spicy and delicious. Definitely will make it again - it's going in my favorite recipes book!
Made this for my family and they loved it, as did I. Now everyone wants the recipe. Didn't need to add any seasoning just cooked as told.
Great flavor! We served this at our church soup supper and got great reviews. Would recommend Barilla orzo. We used a rounder shaped orzo and many wondered what kind of "seed" was in the soup?
I loved this soup! My only changes were to use a bag of fresh spinach, added 2 chopped up zucchinis and left the bell pepper out (only because I forgot to buy one). So quick and so easy. Yum!
Saving! This was very easy and very flavorful. What a great tasting soup with a lot of nutrients. My kids and Hubby gobbled it up. The only thing I changed was I used Bulk Sausage and used 8 bouillon cubes with 8 c of water.
This was a great find! I did, however, store it right after I made it in the fridge, and the orzo soaked up all of the liquid. It became a delicious pasta dish the next few days,but it was still great! I used turkey sausage, which made it healthier, but still so yummy :) I will definitely make again, but next time I would put half the orzo in and reserve the other half and, also, cook with a parmesan rind to give the soup a good flavor. Make this soup-- totally worth it!
I added some carrots, celery, and cremini mushrooms, and alphabet pasta (with a little extra water) and served it with Parm. Reggiano and crusty bread. It was to die for and super easy! My kids loved it. This will be a definite keeper
Delicious, and very easy. I added a can of cannellini beans, omitted the parsley, and used mild Italian sausage sliced instead of removed from the casing. Those were the only minor changes I made, and the recipe was fantastic!
This was so good! The only thing I did differently was to use red pepper instead of green (it's what I had). Will definitely make this again!
I enjoyed this recipe although I changed it up. I used turkey sausage and brown rice instead of orzo pasta. I didn't have the bell pepper but would have left it out anyway. The spinach is a nice healthy add in. My husband and I really enjoyed as dinner and the left overs were great. Thanks for a great recipe!
I looked at several recipes for Italian sausage soup, but decided on this one. I'm glad I did! I only had regular sausage, but the family thought it was delicious anyway. I made a hot Italian sausage soup a few months ago that they thought was too hot, so this was good. I made a separate vegetarian version for myself. I did add some kelp and chia seeds because I add them to everything I can, but I'm sure they didn't change the taste at all. I used homemade chicken broth. I added tortellini(about 10 oz. to each pot) and fresh, chopped spinach and kale at the end. The broth was so savory and delicious that I could have eaten it all before I even served it (speaking of the non meat version, but I'm sure the meat one was great, too! Thank you!
very good, would be nice with half hot and half mild italian sausage I think and at least 1/2 of the pasta called for, very thick as written
OMG!!! This soup is nothing short of amazing!!! I have made it several times and every time it gets RAVE reviews!!! I've never added the spinach. SO simple, yet so flavorful!!
Great soup. I used hot turkey Italian sausage instead of the recommended sweet style pork sausage and added in some kale and cauliflower I had in the fridge. I didn't have dried basil so I substituted fresh and no parsley. I must have used more orzo than it called for because I had to add an additional 32 oz. of chicken stock to the soup. It came out delicious. Thanks for the great starter recipe, I will make this again.
I have made this 3 times now. Best soup, loads of flavor. I used hot italian sausage instead of sweet and diced tomatoes instead of whole. I also used fresh baby spinach instead of frozen. I did use 3 colors of bell peppers as I always chop them and freeze them so I always have them on hand. My favorite soup of all and hubbys too!!!
This is the best soup and so easy to make. I add a little hot sausage with the sweet sausage and it gives it a little more zip. Excellent flavor. Love it
Very healthy and filling, great for left overs. My husband loves spicy foods though so I added some hot sauce. One of those soups that becomes a family staple and made again and again over the years.
I used 3 turkey italian sausage links, added zucchini and carrots, and a squeeze of fresh lemon and a couple of grinds of black pepper at the end to punch it up. Great way to get kids to eat veggies! Would be good if cannelini beans were added for the last 10 min.
I made this last night and it got the family approval! I did tweak it but kept it true to the spirit of the dish. I did add celery and carrots as recommended. I used an orange bell pepper since that is what I had. I used fresh where I could - basil, garlic, spinach, etc. I cut the amount of orzo down to 2/3 cup but will do 1/2 cup next time as my leftovers aren't very 'soupy' anymore. I also used spicy italian sausage, as again, it is what I had. Very tasty!
I always get great compliments on this soup. I use a pound of bulk hot Italian sausage and a pound of bulk mild Italian sausage, a bag of fresh spinach and 3 quarts of chicken stock. If I don’t plan on serving it all at once, I use Penne pasta as it holds up better on reheating. All else the same.
I made this recipe exactly as written the day after Sandy came through our area, a cold rainy night! This soup was perfect for that and I would not change one thing about it! This will become a staple recipe for my family. We served with warm rolls. Yum!
