The rain has arrived and it finally feels like fall here in the PNW – a perfect night to make a big pot of soup!

This recipe can be made in an Instant Pot, but I made it on the stove top tonight. I find that soup with pasta does better outside of the Instant Pot.

The original recipe calls for 1/2 lb sausage, but I used the whole pound and added a couple chopped carrots in the first step. Kale or spinach would be a yummy addition, as well!

I put a bit of cheese on top and served it with some yummy crusty bread for dipping. I’ll definitely make this again.

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Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo

Italian Sausage Soup is a 30-minute soup recipe with Italian sausage and pantry staples. Made for Instant Pot or stove, this sausage soup is a breeze for beginners and satisfies the whole family! Serve it with croutons or French bread and they’ll go wild!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 1-cup servings

Calories 195kcal

Author Traci The Kitchen Girl

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 pound Italian Sausage (mild or spicy) or more as needed
• 1/2 medium Onion diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves Garlic minced
• 2 ribs Celery diced
• 1/2 cup Orzo Pasta (uncooked) or 1 cup larger pasta type
• 6 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 (15 ounce can) Diced Tomatoes keep juice
• 1/2 (6 ounce can) Tomato Paste or 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

Italian Sausage Soup Instant Pot Instructions

• Add OLIVE OIL to the Instant Pot and select “Sauté”.
• When the display reads “Hot”, add SAUSAGE, ONION, CELERY, and GARLIC. Saute until sausage is cooked through, stirring as needed. Drain excess grease, if needed.
• If any browned bits are stuck to the pot’s surface, deglaze it by adding a splash of broth and scraping the bottom to release this “flavor gold” into the other ingredients.
• Press “Cancel” to stop the saute cycle.
• To the pot, add ORZO PASTA, CHICKEN BROTH, DICED TOMATOES (with juice), TOMATO PASTE, ITALIAN SEASONING; SALT, and PEPPER. Stir to combine.
• Secure lid and turn the pressure release valve to “Sealing”. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 0 minutes on HIGH pressure (yep, you read that right. It’s “0” minutes if you don’t want overcooked orzo).Note: If using thicker pasta (macaroni, bow tie, penne, etc) set the cooker for 1 minute.
• At the end of the cook cycle, allow the pot to sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP because the pasta is still cooking.
• Carefully turn pressure valve to the “Venting” position to release the remaining steam.

Serving and Storage Instructions

• Serve Italian Sausage Soup warm garnished with croutons or sliced French bread.
• To store, allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 30 days in the freezer.

Notes

* Feel free to double the Italian sausage for this recipe, if desired. I find that ½ lb. is the perfect amount with tons of flavor in an 8 cup yield. If you double it, the recipe instructions remain the same.

Italian Sausage Soup (Stove Instructions)

Heat OLIVE OIL in a 4 quart soup pot on medium-high and saute the SAUSAGE, ONION, CELERY, and GARLIC until sausage is cooked through. Add ORZO, CHICKEN BROTH, DICED TOMATOES (with juice), TOMATO PASTE, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until orzo is cooked through (10-15 min).

Cooking tips

• You can plan on adding broth to the soup during reheat because the pasta will have absorbed a lot of it.
• If using stove method and substituting orzo with other pasta, add a little more cook time. Also, whole wheat orzo doesn’t require more time.

Other soups we love – Check out my Zuppa Toscana and Lasagna Soup if you love this Italian Sausage Soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg