Italian sausage soup made with red wine, fresh sage, carrots and spinach. It’s a cold-weather warmer and hearty enough for dinner with some crusty bread on the side.
As it is every time, I sit down to write about soup and the same phrase finds its way onto the page: I love making soup. After eight years one might think I’d be tired of it because while there are many, many ways to make soup the process is generally the same – chop some veggies, add some liquid, and simmer until done.
But, it’s more than just the steps that take a soup, like this Italian sausage soup, from idea to reality – there’s some kind of therapeutic magic that happens through the whole process. From the rhythmic chopping to the heady scent from the aromatics as they sizzle in the pan, to the gentle stirring all lead up to what might be considered the grand finale – tucking into a warm and cozy bowl that warms you from the inside out.
Italian Sausage Soup
It starts with some Italian sausage. I like to remove the casings and cook it like you would ground beef.
Add some red onion, garlic, chopped fresh sage and oregano and once they’ve cooked a bit with the sausage add some red wine.
The red wine goes a long way to flavor the soup, but it also helps loosen all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan while it simmers. You don’t need much – just a quarter cup – so save the rest of it to serve with the soup.
At this point the carrots, spinach, tomato sauce, and chicken stock all go into the pot. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Right at the end, just before serving, I like to add a splash of apple cider vinegar. It adds a pop of brightness to the soup that balances out the richness.
And what is a bowl of soup without garnishes? A sad bowl of soup, I say, so I like to sprinkle on some chopped parsley and grated provolone cheese over each serving.
Happy soup-making,
More Warm & Cozy Soup Recipes
Italian Sausage Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Hearty Italian sausage soup made with a little red wine and chicken stock along with fresh sage, carrots, and spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 cup diced red onion (about 1/2 a large onion)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 3–4 large cloves)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup red wine (like a cabernet or pinot noir)
- 2 large carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
- 6 ounces frozen chopped spinach
- 8 ounce canned tomato sauce
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Garnishes
- 1/2 cup grated provolone cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the sausage and brown it using a spatula to break it up into bite-sized pieces. Once the sausage is browned add the onions, garlic, sage, oregano, and salt and stir. Let it all cook for about five minutes or so. Pour the wine into the pot and, using a spatula, scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Simmer the wine until it mostly evaporates, stirring frequently.
- Add the carrots, chopped spinach, tomato sauce and chicken stock and stir it all together. Raised the heat and bring the pot to a strong simmer. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup and discard. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Garnish each serving with the grated provolone and fresh parsley.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 489
- Fat: 31.5g
- Carbohydrates: 18.9g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Protein: 31.9g
Keywords: Italian sausage soup, red wine sausage soup
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