A delicious and simple to make Italian sausage and Pasta Soup with plenty of veggies (clear out your fridge!), fresh baby spinach, and mini farfalle pasta. This easy soup is a recipe the entire family will love!
Pair this pasta soup with a hearty salad! This Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad, Italian Salad, or Chickpea Salad would go perfectly with this soup.
The Best Pasta Soup
Pasta Soup, being on the lighter side, features a broth base brimming with an abundance of vegetables. It includes sausage and pasta, which contribute to its ‘staying power,’ ensuring you won’t feel hungry just thirty minutes post meal. Additionally, dipping a good piece of crusty bread into this soup enhances its satiating qualities.
Quick Tip
Italian sausage differs from breakfast sausage, so ensure to check the label carefully. Purchasing sausage in bulk is convenient—simply add it directly to the recipe. However, if only sausage links are available, removing the casings before browning takes just a minute.
Ingredients
- Italian Sausage: Adds a meaty and tasty flavor to the soup.
- Mirepoix (Carrots, Celery, Onion): Gives the soup a sweet, savory, and aromatic base.
- Garlic: Adds a strong and nice smell to the soup.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: Bring a smoky and slightly burnt taste to the soup.
- Reduced-Sodium Beef Broth/Stock: Makes the soup liquid and meaty.
- Seasonings: Make the soup taste more interesting with Italian spices.
- Miniature Farfalle Pasta: Adds some chewy bits to the soup and makes it filling.
- Fresh Spinach: Gives the soup some green color and a fresh taste.
- Parmesan Cheese: Sprinkled on top for a salty and nutty flavor.
Quick Tip
Use a hot cast-iron skillet and don’t over-stir or over-crumble the meat — you want it to get browned to develop layers of flavor. Transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off the grease.
How To Make Pasta Soup
- Cook Sausage: Brown Italian sausage in a pot, then set it aside.
- Sauté Veggies: In the same pot, cook diced carrots, celery, and onion until tender. Add garlic and stir.
- Add Tomatoes and Broth: Pour in fire-roasted diced tomatoes and reduced-sodium beef broth. Season with dried basil, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Boil and Add Pasta: Bring the soup to a boil, then add miniature farfalle pasta. Cook until pasta is tender.
- Stir in Sausage and Spinach: Put the cooked sausage back into the soup. Add fresh spinach and stir until it wilts.
- Season to Taste: Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve: Dish it up, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and enjoy with crusty bread!
Storage
Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Cool soup, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze soup without pasta; it’s best to cook pasta separately and add it later. Store for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Thaw soup in the refrigerator or microwave.
What To Serve Alongside Pasta Soup
- Enjoy a good Honey Whole Wheat Bread, homemade Dinner Rolls, or soup crackers/saltines.
- For additional veggies on the side try Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Add a salad on the side; this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad or Winter Fruit Salad would pair nicely.
Pasta Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage (spicy or mild sausage)
- 2 ¼ cups mirepoix: 3/4 cup diced carrots, 3/4 cup diced celery, 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans (15 oz. each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (I recommend Muir Glen or San Marzano)
- 2 cartons (32 oz. EACH) reduced-sodium beef broth or stock
- 1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- fine sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
- 3 cups miniature farfalle pasta (uncooked) (Note 1)
- 4 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (lightly packed when measured)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- SAUSAGE: Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Heat a large (6-quart) cast iron stockpot over medium high heat. Add a drizzle (1/2 tablespoon) of olive oil and once the oil is shimmering, add in the sausage. Let stand for 30 seconds and then cook, breaking into crumbles, until browned through (about 6-8 minutes). You don't need to stir constantly; allowing sausage to brown will add more flavor. Transfer to prepared plate and set aside.
- VEGGIES: Drain off all but 1 tablespoon sausage grease and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in the diced carrots, diced celery, and diced onion. Sauté, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in both cans of tomatoes, both cartons of beef stock/broth, and seasonings: dried basil, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, salt and pepper. (Add salt and pepper to taste; I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper -- this will vary depending on the actual beef stock/broth you use.) Stir.
- PASTA: Bring the soup to a boil. As soon as it's boiling, add in the uncooked pasta. Return to a boil and cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage and the spinach and stir briefly until spinach wilts (only a minute or two). Remove from heat, and taste to adjust salt/pepper seasoning.
- SERVE: serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be frozen and reheated?
Not with the pasta; it will bloat and absorb all the liquid as it thaws.
This was incredible. I used whole wheat pasta and next time I will try Turkey Sausage just to make it even healthier. This may be my new favorite soup. Thank you!
So happy to hear that, thanks for the comment Jody! 🙂
May 9th and I need a warm delicious soup ‘cause it’s in the 30s according to the wind chills! My house is full of the aroma of your soup and is making us all feel good! Can’t wait to set the table with crusty warm bread and Parmesan cheese, thank you and stay safe and stay strong
I am so glad you are enjoying this Pasta Soup! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
This looks amazing! I don’t have spinach here at home :0( Do you NEED the spinach?
Thanks so much Lauren! You can definitely omit the spinach and it’ll still be delicious! 🙂
Omg this is delicious!!!
YAYY!! So happy you enjoyed! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight and it is just as good as it looks. My husband loved it!
So happy this was a hit! 🙂
Stumbled across this while looking for a hearty dinner soup! It was amazing! Even my 3 & 5 year old boys loved it! Used Organic Beef Bone Broth and Mini Farfalle with Diced Fire Roasted Garlic Tomatoes . This will be a go-to soup recipe for us!! Thank you!
So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for the comment and review 🙂
This pasta soup with sausage looks so hearty and filling. Can’t wait to try it!
When do you put the sausage back in? I made this last night and just put it in when I put the bow tie pasta in so hopefully that was correct, lol. Even if it wasn’t this was a great dish. I would definitely make again.
So happy you enjoyed it Jennifer! And I updated the recipe, thank you for pointing that out! 🙂
This vegetable soup looks amazing. The ingredients are simple and great. I think I have everything in my fridge so I am heading to make it for tomorrow.
Hope you enjoy!
And your 5 star rating is based on what?