This one-pot, 30-minute sausage orzo soup recipe is brimming with flavor from Italian sausage, tomatoes, orzo, garlic, and a lineup of savory seasonings.
Why this recipe works
Sausage orzo soup checks all the boxes for a hearty, comforting soup. Italian sausage, tomatoes, tender orzo, garlic, onion, and plenty of seasonings bring tons of flavor to this broth-based soup. Serve with some homemade Italian bread and you’ll understand exactly why we love it so much!
Sausage tomato orzo soup is similar to Italian wedding soup except we use all pork meatballs and toss tomatoes into the mix. The orzo pasta is probably my favorite part. The soup as a whole is filling yet light and is honestly good year-round, not just in the wintertime.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
SAUSAGE – We removed the casing from Italian sausage links and rolled them into small bite-sized pieces. Mild or hot Italian sausage both work well, it’s up to you! You can just as easily use ground Italian sausage if that’s easier.
TOMATOES – You’ll need two 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes. I typically make mine with fire-roasted tomatoes for that extra kick of flavor and a touch of heat. Again, that’s a personal preference kind of thing. The tomatoes add a welcome touch of texture.
ORZO – You can use regular or whole wheat orzo here. We have successfully substituted an equal amount of pearl couscous for the orzo in this soup if you prefer to use that instead. Acini di pepe and even ditalini I imagine would be great as well!
SEASONINGS – Don’t skimp out on the seasonings, they play a huge role in the flavor profile of this soup. Italian seasoning, dried oregano, ground fennel, salt, and pepper do the trick perfectly. If you’re looking for a little bit of spice, try adding some red pepper flakes.
How to Make Sausage Orzo Soup
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- In a 3.5-quart soup pot over medium-high flame, heat olive oil until shimmering.
- 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.
- Add orzo and sauté to lightly brown (2-3 min).
- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to boil and continue boiling until pasta is cooked through (about 10 min). Add sausage back to pot about halfway through the boiling process. Serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can easily substitute the Italian sausage with chicken sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey.
You can always add some leafy greens to the soup such as spinach or kale. If you decide to add any greens, just toss them in near the end of the cooking cycle as they don’t take long to cook. It would also be great with a can of kidney beans or black beans tossed in.
Store the cooled leftover soup in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your sausage tomato orzo soup with hunks of crusty bread (or garlic bread) on the side. It’s also great with a leafy dinner salad. Optionally garnish with oyster crackers, croutons, or grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
More Soup Recipes
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Sausage 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 ItIngredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ pound Italian sausage links casings removed; rolled into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 30 ounces diced tomatoes two 15-oz cans
- 1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can easily substitute the Italian sausage with chicken sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey.
- You can always add some leafy greens to the soup such as spinach or kale. If you decide to add any greens, just toss them in near the end of the cooking cycle as they don’t take long to cook.
- Rolling the sausage into mini meatballs is fun, but you can shorten prep time by simply browning the sausage in chunks.
- You can use regular or whole wheat orzo here. We have successfully substituted an equal amount of pearl couscous for the orzo in this soup if you prefer to use that instead. Acini di pepe and even ditalini I imagine would be great as well!
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes add a nice kick of heat. If you want your dish to be a little spicier I would recommend using hot Italian sausage or add a few shakes of red pepper flakes.
Instructions
- In a 3.5-quart soup pot over medium-high flame, heat olive oil until shimmering (about 1-2 min).2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add sausage pieces and sauté until lightly browned; transfer cooked pieces to a plate and set aside.1/2 pound Italian sausage links
- To the heated, oiled pan, add onion, garlic, and celery. Sauté until fragrant and slightly tender, stirring as needed (3-4 min).1/2 cup red onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 stalks celery
- Add orzo and sauté to lightly brown (2-3 min).1 cup orzo pasta
- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper.6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 30 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, 1 Tablespoon dried Oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste
- Bring to boil and continue boiling until pasta is cooked through (about 10 min). Add sausage back to pot about halfway through the boiling process.
- Serve warm.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store the cooled leftover soup in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on this blog on Sep 13, 2016 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips. Original recipe contributed by Traci from The Kitchen Girl.
Amanda Davis
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Leslie Gleason says
This was so good! I used caned crushed tomatoes instead of diced and it was delicious!!! I definitely will be making this again.
Shelley S says
This recipe was delicious! I used hot Italian sausage, fire roasted tomatoes and added some kale at the end. Served it was some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano!
Pam says
This looks delicious and I will be making it for sure! I will cook my orzo half way then toss it into the pot.
Kathryn says
Hi… this looks amazing! My only concern is that I’m not a tomato eater. Is that something I can leave out? Will it affect the volume of the soup? Thanks.
Amanda Davis says
If it’s the chunks of tomatoes that bother you, you can run them through a blender or food processor. If it’s the flavor of tomatoes you don’t like, you can probably replace them with 3-4 cup of chicken, vegetable, or beef broth.
Kristie says
EASY, love it is all in one pot. My family RAVED about it. Very flavorful. Added spinach and carrots. WILL BE MAKING AGAIN.
Carole Hay says
This soup is so delicious! I added chopped kale for extra nutrition. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and I will be making this again!
Suzanne Silva says
This soup turned out great! I have made it a few times now and have only varied the greens and used home canned tomatoes.
Debi says
This was outstanding! I also used all chicken broth, 1 lb of bulk Italian pork sausage and added some spinach at the end. Four of us ate it all yesterday and I am making another pot today.
Bert says
I can’t find ground fennel, how much fennel seed should I use in replace of the ground?
Amanda Formaro says
I have had that problem too. I have a small herb grinder and throw enough seed in there to grind up and get to the measurement I need. You can also use a mortar and pestle, or if you don’t have that, grind them up by rolling a jar across them.
Jennifer Patronik says
I loved this soup. Just the right spice, orzo made it creamy. Its definitely one of my
top 5 soups. Thank you!!
Sara says
I modified the recipe for the instapot. Left everything in the recipe. It’s cooking now, so I’m looking forward to seeing the finished result. Thanks for the lovely recipe.
Nancy says
This soup is delicious, the only thing I did different I used no water. I used 3 cups homemade chicken stock and 3 cups of box chicken stock. Husband approved he is my best critia.
Karen D says
I just made this soup and it’s delicious! The only change I made was to make the orzo separately so it didn’t swell in the soup. This will be in the regular soup rotation here at my house.
Janet says
So good!!
Amy Rullo says
This is a family go to! I use chicken sausage that I get locally….we just love it! We have started traveling in our RV a lot so I am wondering……..can I freeze it?
Lindsay says
100% freezer friendly!
Sandi says
I have been making this soup for I believe 2 years or more. It is underrated in the comments and it deserves comments from people who have actually made the soup. The only change I made was to cook the hot sausage in the crock pot for a couple of hours because I love tender meats. I slice it and put it in at the last 5 minutes for so. The soup is not watery and tastes amazing. I love to cook so I can get very involved in difficult recipes. Then there are busy days when I’m just too tired to do anything and this is a very easy and delicious soup. We make it with crusty french bread and butter. Top it with some grated cheese and you can’t get a better fast food. Thank you Amanda for providing this recipe. If you haven’t made it, by all means try it.
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you so much Sandi!!
Courtney says
Overall I liked this soup! I did throw in a few bouillon cubes for a stronger flavor as well as a few handfuls of baby spinach at the end. As for those who said this soup is “watery”, I personally didn’t find that. It’s a brothy soup but I didn’t find it watery. Maybe the extra bouillon helped with that, not sure. I would make again!
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.
Amy L Black says
Fennel can be strong and it’s not to everyone’s liking. Do a little experimenting.
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!!