Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Sausage Orzo Soup
A little sausage goes a long way toward making soup feel hearty and savory. Add spoonfuls of orzo and you've got a bowl worth lingering over. This one has enough creamy tomato broth to enjoy between bites, so don't fill your spoon with just the pasta.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 5
- Ingredients
- 17 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Soups · Soups & stews
A few quick notes
1. Brown the sausage well
Give the sausage a few minutes to pick up color before you move on. Those browned bits help carry the tomato paste, garlic and dried herbs into the broth.
2. Keep an eye on the orzo
Orzo cooks right in the soup, so it can go from pleasantly tender to soft if it simmers too long. Start checking once it gets close to al dente.
3. Add the creamy finish at the end
The spinach and cream only need stirring in after the orzo is cooked. The spinach wilts fast, and the cream keeps its smoothness when it isn't boiled along with the pasta.
Get to know the ingredients
Mild Italian sausage
Mild sausage keeps the heat gentle, which is why the red pepper flakes stay optional. If you use a spicier sausage, you may want to rethink those flakes.
Uncooked orzo
Use uncooked orzo here. It goes straight into the simmering broth and cooks in the pot, giving you little pasta in every spoonful.
Low sodium chicken broth
Low sodium broth leaves room for the sausage, tomatoes and added salt without making the pot too salty too soon. Let it come to a boil before the orzo goes in.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 5. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Sausage Orzo Soup
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Once the orzo is al dente, stir in the chopped spinach and cream, then serve the soup hot. That's the point where it turns silky and the greens soften into the bowl.
A little more help as you go
A little help before you start
Chop the carrots, celery and onion before the pot heats. The early steps move along quickly, and you'll want the vegetables ready to go in together.
If you're cooking ahead
For a make-ahead pot, leave out the pasta, spinach and cream until serving time. You can also cook the pasta separately and add it later.
A few questions you might have
Do I need to cook the orzo before adding it?
No. Add the orzo uncooked after the broth and tomatoes come to a boil. It simmers in the soup until al dente.
Can I skip the red pepper flakes?
Yes. They're optional, and the recipe uses mild Italian sausage, so leaving them out keeps the soup on the gentler side.
Why cook the tomato paste and seasonings before adding broth?
That short cook gives the tomato paste, garlic and dried herbs a chance to warm through with the browned sausage before the liquid goes in.
What happens if the soup sits with the orzo in it?
The pasta will soften as it sits. If that bothers you, cook it separately and add it just before serving.
When do I add the spinach?
Add the chopped spinach at the end with the cream, after the orzo has cooked. It just needs to be stirred into the hot soup.
Any more cooking tips?
Prep ahead : this recipe is great for making ahead and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days without the pasta. If making in advance, simply leave the pasta, spinach and cream out and add just before serving. You can cook the pasta at the same time in a pot of boiling water and refrigerate until ready to serve if desired. Ingredients and Substitutions : Italian sausage: you can use any kind of Italian sausage you like: mild or spicy, turkey, chicken or pork. Keep in mind you may want to adjust the red pepper flakes added if using spicy sausage. Dairy-free: you can make this recipe dairy-free by omitting the cream. It’s still delicious! Pasta: I love orzo in soup because it’s small enough that you get a little in every bite. Any small pasta will work here. Optional additions: feel free to bump up the veg by sauteeing mushrooms, zucchini, or others with the vegetables in step 2. Storage Store: Sausage Orzo Soup will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or tightly covered in plastic wrap in the fridge, although the pasta will become softer as it sits. If you prefer, you can cook the pasta separately and add it just before serving. Freeze: This soup can also be frozen. Again, if you are planning to freeze it I would leave the pasta out and add cooked pasta just before serving.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
