Creamy Sicilian Sausage & Ditalini Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 0.5 cup carrots (diced from whole carrots, not baby carrots)
• 0.5 cup celery (diced)
• 0.5 cup red onion (diced)
• Kosher salt (to taste, layered throughout)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste, layered throughout)
• 2 tbsp fresh garlic (chopped)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 lb hot pork Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 14 oz cherry tomatoes (1 can; can also use diced or grape tomatoes)
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (squeezed dry and chopped)
• 0.5 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 32 oz low-sodium chicken stock (1 carton)
• 14 oz water (use the empty tomato can to measure)
• 2 cup dry ditalini pasta
• 2 cup baby spinach (chopped)
• shaved Parmesan (for serving)
• fresh parsley (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the carrots, celery, and red onion. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Cook slowly for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Do not rush this step as it is key to developing flavor.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 3–5 minutes over medium to medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly golden. Season again lightly with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Add the hot Italian sausage to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break it up and cook until fully browned and cooked through, mixing it well with the vegetables.

6. 6

   Add the canned cherry tomatoes to the pot. Use a handheld potato masher to gently mash the tomatoes until no large chunks remain.

7. 7

   Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, seasoning again lightly with salt and pepper.

8. 8

   Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan rind.

9. 9

   Fill the empty tomato can with water and add it to the pot. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Stir well and bring everything to a rolling boil.

10. 10

    Once boiling, season the soup generously with salt, similar to how you would season pasta water.

11. 11

    Add the ditalini pasta and cook according to package directions (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.

12. 12

    Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir in the chopped baby spinach until wilted and fully incorporated.

13. 13

    Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

14. 14

    Serve hot, topped with shaved Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For a milder version, swap the hot Italian sausage for sweet Italian sausage. Other small pasta shapes like tubetti, small shells, or orzo can be used if ditalini is unavailable.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• Italian
• sausage
• ditalini
• comfort food
• one-pot
• dinner