Italian Sausage Pizza Soup (Printable version)

A warm, savory soup blending Italian sausage, tangy sauce, and melted mozzarella in a comforting broth.

# Needed ingredients:

→ 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 - 1 (14 oz) can 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 make it:

01 - In a large pot over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the broth, pizza sauce, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
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 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Just before serving, stir in half the mozzarella until melted.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each with remaining mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes exactly like your favorite pizza, but you can eat it with a spoon on the couch without feeling guilty.
  • Everything goes into one pot, so cleanup is almost nonexistent.
  • The melted mozzarella swirled into each bowl makes every bite ridiculously comforting.
02 -
  • Don't add all the mozzarella at once or it can get stringy and clump up, stirring half in first keeps it smooth.
  • If your sausage is really fatty, draining the grease after browning makes a huge difference in how the soup tastes.
  • Let the soup simmer the full 15 minutes so the flavors have time to meld and deepen.
03 -
  • Use a good quality pizza sauce because it's the backbone of the flavor, and a bland sauce will make the whole soup fall flat.
  • Let the garlic cook just until fragrant but not browned, or it'll turn bitter and overpower everything.
  • For an extra layer of flavor, add a parmesan rind to the pot while it simmers and fish it out before serving.
Go back