Soup season is here, but this Italian soup is so good we make it year-round. Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup is an easy, savory, recipe made with Italian sausage, tomatoes, plump orzo, onion, garlic, and lots of delicious seasonings.
Why this recipe works
Think of an Italian Wedding Soup with all-pork sausage meatballs. This savory, comfort soup is on the table in only 30 minutes. The seasonings, especially fennel, put the finishing touch on this Italian-inspired recipe. It’s a filling soup, yet hangs out on the light side because there’s no dairy added to the broth.
This soup is the ultimate comfort food. We love our tomato soup for lunch, but this orzo soup is worthy of dinner! It’s a broth-based, one pot, savory recipe that requires only a few basic cooking techniques. The sausage and tomatoes give it a sweet and savory flavor while the orzo delivers that pasta-shaped-like-rice goodness that everyone loves.
How to Make Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup
These step by step instructions are here to help you understand how to make this soup. Please scroll down to simply print out the full recipe!
- In a 3.5-quart soup pot on medium-high flame, heat olive oil until shimmering (about 1-2 min).
- Add sausage pieces and sauté until lightly browned; transfer cooked pieces to a plate and set aside.
- To the heated, oiled pan, add onion, garlic, and celery; sauté until fragrant and slightly tender, stirring as needed (3-4 min).
- Add orzo; sauté to lightly brown (2-3 min).
- Add chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes (with their juice), Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to boil; continue boiling until pasta is cooked through (about 10 min); add sausage back to pot about halfway through the boiling process.
- Serve warm.
Kitchen Tips
- You can add leafy greens to up the nutritional value. If you decide to add any greens, just toss them in near the end of the cooking cycle and they’ll cook to perfection.
- If you like a topping on your soup, add croutons, shaved parmesan cheese, or try kale chips for something different!
- We love fresh bread from the oven and this homemade Italian bread recipe is the perfect accompaniment.
- Rolling the sausage into mini meatballs is fun, but you can shorten prep time by simply browning the sausage in chunks.
If you want more quick soup recipes for busy weeknights, check out my 30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup. If you’re really pressed for time and need a 20-minute soup, check out my In-A-Hurry Kale Chickpea Soup. Both recipes are as easy as this Orzo soup.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- Sopa De Fideos is bursting with delicious classic flavors of Mexican Noodle Soup. A must try!
- Amanda’s Meatball Soup is easy to make and makes a delicious, hearty meal. Great for fall!
- This Sausage Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup is very tasty and is less than 200 calories per cup.
- Another delightful broth-based soup is this Chicken and Bean Soup. Easy to make and wonderful for lunch.
- Rustic Garlic Potato Soup is ideal for chilly days. It keeps well in the refrigerator and can also be frozen for future meals.
- Vegetable Rice Soup, this easy one-pot soup is great for filling up on those good-for-you veggies!
- If you need a quick idea, try my comforting and delicious egg drop soup.
- Load this Corn Chowder up with bacon or ham or serve it meatless.
- This easy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is a homestyle comforting meal perfect for a chilly day or for when you’re feeling under the weather.
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Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate It Text ItIngredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage links casings removed; rolled into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 30 oz diced tomatoes 2 15-oz cans
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
Things You'll Need
Instructions
- In a 3.5-quart soup pot on medium-high flame, heat olive oil until shimmering (about 1-2 min).
- Add sausage pieces and sauté until lightly browned; transfer cooked pieces to a plate and set aside.
- To the heated, oiled pan, add onion, garlic, and celery; sauté until fragrant and slightly tender, stirring as needed (3-4 min).
- Add orzo; sauté to lightly brown (2-3 min).
- Add chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes (with their juice), Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to boil; continue boiling until pasta is cooked through (about 10 min); add sausage back to pot about halfway through boiling process.
- Serve warm.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can add leafy greens to up the nutritional value. If you decide to add any greens, just toss them in near the end of the cooking cycle and they’ll cook to perfection.
- If you like a topping on your soup, add croutons, shaved parmesan cheese, or try kale chips for something different!
- We love fresh bread from the oven and this homemade Italian bread recipe is the perfect accompaniment.
- Rolling the sausage into mini meatballs is fun, but you can shorten prep time by simply browning the sausage in chunks.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on this blog on Sep 13, 2016.
Traci Antonovich
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Lucy says
Can I use crock pot
I love soups in crock
Pot
Selene says
What can I substitute for ground fennel?
Amanda Formaro says
Unless you have an allergy to fennel, I don’t recommend substituting. Fennel has a distinct flavor in this soup.
Erin says
I just made this and its very good! I cut the recipe in half and my only minor modifications were using all broth no water, a lil extra sausage (I bought bulk Italian sausage at the butcher counter) and threw I some baby spinach at the end. Tasty!!