Italian Sausage Pizza Soup (Printable)

Cozy, savory soup with Italian sausage, pizza sauce, and gooey mozzarella in a warming broth. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

05 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
06 - 1 2/3 cups pizza sauce
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Cheeses

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the pot. Sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the broth, pizza sauce, and diced tomatoes with their liquid. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
07 - Just before serving, stir in half the mozzarella cheese until completely melted and incorporated.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with remaining mozzarella cheese. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes exactly like pizza but warms you from the inside out on cold nights.
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is as easy as the recipe itself.
  • Kids who turn their noses up at soup will devour this without question.
  • You can toss in whatever pizza toppings you have lurking in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't add all the mozzarella at once or it can turn stringy and separate, stir in half at the end and use the rest as a topping.
  • If your sausage releases a lot of fat, drain most of it before adding the vegetables or the soup will taste greasy.
  • Low sodium broth is essential because the pizza sauce and sausage already bring plenty of salt to the party.
03 -
  • Use hot Italian sausage if you like a little kick, it adds so much character without needing extra spices.
  • Stir in a handful of fresh spinach at the very end for color and a boost of nutrition that wilts right into the soup.
  • If the soup tastes too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the tomatoes, it works like magic.
  • Top each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper for a restaurant quality finish.
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