Hearty Italian Sausage Pizza Soup (Printable Version)

Savory soup with Italian sausage, pizza sauce, and melted mozzarella in a hearty, comforting broth.

# What You'll 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 - 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 to the pot. 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 thoroughly.
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 the soup and adjust salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
07 - Just before serving, stir in half the mozzarella until melted and incorporated.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each with remaining mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers that first bite of pizza satisfaction without any dough rising time or oven preheating drama
  • The broth somehow captures the essence of pepperoni night while feeling like something your grandmother would have served
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had more time to become friends
02 -
  • I once forgot to drain the sausage fat before adding the vegetables and ended up with an oil slick on top that never fully incorporated, making the soup feel heavy and greasy
  • The soup thickens considerably as it sits because the cheese continues to melt into the broth, so you might need to add a splash more broth when reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Taste your pizza sauce before adding salt, because some brands are surprisingly salty and could push the whole soup into overseasoned territory
  • Grating your own mozzarella from a block creates the creamiest result, though pre shredded will absolutely work when you are short on time
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