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Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup

Creamy Parmesan Italian sausage soup with tender ditalini, wilted kale, and a silky parmesan cream broth. Brown the sausage, build a quick roux, simmer the pasta, then finish with melted parmesan for a thick, cozy texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage soup
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 4 cup kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup freshly grated parmesan, divided
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz ditalini or small pasta
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the sausage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large pot until cooked through, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. Keep the pot nearby so you can reuse it for the roux and broth without losing heat.
Build the creamy base
  1. Melt the butter in the same pot, then sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened and fragrant.
  3. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then stir in the Italian seasoning and nutmeg until smooth.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Bring the soup to a simmer, then add the ditalini and cook for 8–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1 cup of the parmesan until fully melted and the broth turns creamy.
Finish with kale and sausage
  1. Add the kale, sausage, and red pepper flakes and cook for 4–5 minutes until the kale wilts.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top each bowl with the remaining parmesan.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, keep the heat at low when melting in the parmesan so it doesn’t split. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (pasta may soften further). For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a similar flavor with less richness.