🥣 Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup
A rich, cozy, restaurant-style soup packed with savory Italian sausage, tender ditalini pasta, and a creamy Parmesan broth. Perfect for cold nights or an easy family dinner.
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (drained, optional)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter version)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 1–2 cups fresh spinach or kale (optional)
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
- Brown the sausage
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage until browned and fully cooked. Break it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed. - Sauté aromatics
Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. - Add liquids & seasoning
Pour in chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes (if using), Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. - Cook the pasta
Add ditalini pasta and simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. - Make it creamy
Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. - Add greens (optional)
Stir in spinach or kale and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. - Taste & adjust
Add more salt, pepper, or Parmesan as needed. - Serve
Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and extra Parmesan. Serve warm with crusty bread.
💡 Tips
- For extra richness, add a tablespoon of butter before serving.
- Want it thicker? Let it simmer a few extra minutes or add a cornstarch slurry.
- For meal prep: Cook pasta separately and add when serving to prevent it from soaking up too much broth.
If you’d like, I can also give you a slow cooker or Instant Pot version 😊
