Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup
Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup is the perfect blend of hearty Italian flavors and creamy comfort. This rich soup features savory sausage, tender mushrooms, and fresh baby spinach, all simmered together in a Parmesan-infused broth. Whether you’re serving it for a cozy fall night or hosting a casual weekend dinner party, this soup is sure to satisfy.
Soups like this one remind me of easy, laid-back fall dinners. There’s something comforting about a big pot of creamy, cheesy goodness simmering on the stove as the days get shorter. We love experimenting with this recipe–sometimes adding fresh corn or swapping the sausage for rotisserie chicken.
What is creamy parmesan Italian sausage soup?
This hearty soup is a rich and creamy comfort food classic featuring savory Italian sausage, tender mushrooms, and aromatic onions and garlic in a luscious Parmesan-infused broth. The soup is finished with fresh baby spinach and an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
It’s the perfect balance of flavors – savory, creamy, cheesy, and fresh all in one bowl.
Why you’ll love this soup
- A one-pot meal that’s easy to make.
- Perfect for fall dinners or cozy nights with family and friends.
- Easy to customize with different meats, veggies, or even pasta.
- Add pasta to stretch the recipe to feed a crowd!
Ingredients needed
- Olive oil: A good-quality olive oil adds richness and helps sauté the sausage and vegetables perfectly.
- Italian sausage: Look for bulk Italian sausage or remove casings from links. It provides the savory, flavorful base for the soup.
- Onion: A large yellow or white onion adds depth and sweetness when sautéed.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds aromatic warmth and enhances the savory flavors.
- Mushrooms: Sliced mushrooms add earthy flavor and meaty texture to the soup.
- Chicken broth: A high-quality chicken broth forms the flavorful foundation of the soup.
- Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes add a touch of acidity and body to balance the richness.
- Italian seasoning: This blend of dried herbs adds classic Italian flavor without extra effort.
- Salt and pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance all the flavors and bring the dish together.
- Heavy whipping cream: Creates the luxurious, creamy texture that makes this soup so indulgent.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan adds nutty, salty flavor and helps thicken the broth.
- Baby spinach: Fresh spinach adds color, nutrients, and a tender texture that wilts perfectly into the hot soup.
How do you make this creamy sausage soup?
Brown the sausage:
- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat, adding in the Italian sausage.
- Crumble the sausage with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.
PRO TIP: Don’t rush the browning process – properly browned sausage adds deep, savory flavor to the entire soup.
Sauté the vegetables:
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Then, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes.
PRO TIP: Cook the mushrooms until they release their moisture and start to brown slightly for the best flavor.
Simmer and finish:
- Pour the chicken broth into the mixture, then add the diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy whipping cream and grated 1 ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Serve and enjoy!
PRO TIP: Keep the heat low when adding dairy to prevent the cream from curdling or separating.
Serving
You can serve this Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup with cheesy bread, a fresh green salad, and our Pear Tart with Puff Pastry (and ice cream).
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Choose the right sausage: Look for high-quality Italian sausage with good marbling for the best flavor. Hot or sweet Italian sausage work well.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan: Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly. Buy a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself for the creamiest texture.
- Make ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed to thin the soup.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months (without the spinach added).
- Lighten it up: Substitute half-and-half for heavy cream or use turkey sausage for a lighter version.
Variations:
- Type of pasta: You can add pasta like small shells or tortellini to stretch the recipe and feed more people.
- Cheese swaps: Swap out Parmesan for Pecorino Romano or your favorite cheese for a different flavor.
- Greens: Use baby kale or arugula instead of spinach.
- Meat alternatives: Substitute Italian sausage for rotisserie chicken or ground turkey for a lighter, leaner option.
- Veggies: Toss in fresh corn or other seasonal vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers.
For more comforting soup recipes, try my Orange Basil Tomato Soup, ABC Soup, and Turkey Lasagna Soup.
More Italian-inspired recipes you may want to try:
- Baked Tuscan Chicken
- Italian Sausage Bake
- Spaghetti Pasta Salad (with Italian Dressing)
- Italian Sliders
Get the Recipe:
Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cups baby spinach, stems removed
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat, adding the Italian sausage. Crumble the sausage with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy whipping cream and grated 1 ¼ cups Parmesan cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.
- Last step: Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Right before serving, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and serve!
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Choose the right sausage: Look for high-quality Italian sausage with good marbling for the best flavor. Hot or sweet Italian sausage work well.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan: Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly. Buy a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself for the creamiest texture.
- Make ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed to thin the soup.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months (without the spinach added).
- Lighten it up: Substitute half-and-half for heavy cream or use turkey sausage for a lighter version.
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
This soup is to die for!!!
I made this recipe today because I’m doing keto and this is pretty low-carb. It was absolutely delicious. My question is does this freeze well because even if I ate it for dinner three times I would not finish all of it.
I think you could freeze it (we usually eat it all first – ha).
My husband had two heaping bowls. This recipe was amazing and the soup was so flavorful. Instead of chicken stock I used vegetable stock, and I added a tiny bit of Tony Chachere’s seasoning. Thank you!
This soup is so easy to make an I add zucchini and squash to mine. Thanks
Don’t like pieces of tomato in soups. Can the diced tomato be replaced with something else? Maybe tomato paste?
Can the Italian seasoning be replaced with just oregano and thyme maybe?
Thank you! ?
I haven’t tried either of those replacements but if it works, let us know!
use crushed tomatoes instead of diced for smaller pieces.