Marry Me Soup with Italian Sausage
Total Time
50 mins
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(6)
Ingredients
6 to 8 servings
- 1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or spicy
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 ounces uncooked small pasta (I used small shells)
- 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, divided
- toppings: black pepper, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté the mixture, using a wooden spoon to occasionally stir the mixture and break up the sausage as it cooks, until the sausage is browned. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, for 1 more minute.
Step 2
Add the chicken stock, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Drain the rest of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, then roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the soup. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a simmer. Add the pasta and stir to combine. Continue to simmer, lowering the heat when needed so that the soup continues at a low simmer (not fully boiling) until the pasta is nearly al dente.
Step 3
Add the cream, spinach, half of the basil and stir gently until the spinach has wilted. Give the soup a taste and season with salt and pepper and/or extra cream, if desired.
Step 4
Serve immediately, garnished with your preferred toppings, and enjoy!
Step 5
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Chef's notes
Pasta options:
I used mini shells in the batch photographed here, which were so delightful. But feel free to use whatever small pasta shape you love best, such as ditalini, orzo or orrecchiete.
Use a different protein:
Use meatballs, shredded chicken, pancetta, a different ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, etc.) or a plant-based Italian sausage.
Add beans:
Add a can of white beans (rinsed and drained) or cooked lentils to the soup for extra protein and hearty texture.
