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Home » Soups » Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel

Published: Feb 21, 2019 · Modified: Oct 28, 2019 by Karly · This post may contain affiliate links

Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel

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A hearty weeknight dinner, this Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel fills any home with the spicy-sweet scents of a meal worth savoring. Mild Italian sausage mingles with leeks and fennel caramelized to sweet perfection, then slow-simmers in a tomato-laden broth before finishing with petite ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach. Topped with fresh grated Parmesan, this Italian sausage soup comes together in under an hour, perfect for any night of the week, and if you follow my meal prep tips below, you can easily freeze and save this soup to enjoy for months!

From Minneapolis food blogger A Simple Pantry, this Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel comes together in under an hour, a perfect weeknight dinner! Simmered in a tomato-laden broth and finished with ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach! Top with parmesan and enjoy! | asimplepantry.com

Soup’s up!

I know I’ve said it before, but I love soup. I could eat it every single day, and honestly, I should make soup more often.

It’s the perfect lunch, and great when I need a quick meal on a busy day since it keeps so well and makes amazing leftovers.

I’ve been trying to really stretch my skills when it comes to ground meats, as they are easier for me to digest at this point in my gastric bypass journey. The protein boost is solid, and you can’t deny the amazing flavor profiles you can create in a large Dutch oven. It’s easily my most used cookware.

From Minneapolis food blogger A Simple Pantry, this Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel comes together in under an hour, a perfect weeknight dinner! Simmered in a tomato-laden broth and finished with ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach! Top with parmesan and enjoy! | asimplepantry.comnearly overhead view of a pot of caramelized fennel and leek with aromatics from minnesota food blogger a simple pantry

What does fennel taste like?

If you’ve never tried fennel before, you are likely wondering what it tastes like. Most people associate fennel with anise or licorice, as it has a distinct aroma to it.

However, the anise flavor really only resides in the fronds, which we aren’t using at all in this Italian sausage soup.

The bulb is sliced thin and imparts a slightly sweet flavor. Caramelizing the fennel brings out the subtle sweetness even more, and paired with sliced and caramelized leeks, provides a unique tone to this dish.

overhead view of a bowl of italian sausage soup with spinach, pasta, and caramelized fennel from minnesota food blogger a simple pantry. a small bowl of garnishing salt is toward the top of the image and an arm holds a spoon inside the bowl of soup.

Mild Italian Sausage vs Sweet Italian Sausage

When it comes to the Italian sausage used in this soup, you have three choices:

  • Mild Italian sausage
  • Sweet Italian sausage
  • Spicy Italian sausage

You really want to go with the sweet variety. Can’t find sweet Italian sausage? No worries! Mild Italian sausage is the same thing! I tricked you there, didn’t I? Bwah ha ha.

It seems to be a regional difference on who calls it what, but they are the same. Just avoid spicy Italian sausage, as it uses different spice blends and doesn’t result in the best flavor profile.

Want to increase the heat index? Just add more red pepper flakes. I love me some slow burn sometimes.

side view of a plate of cooked sweet italian sausage for italian sausage soup from minnesota food blogger a simple pantry.slight angle view of a bowl of italian sausage soup with spinach, pasta, and caramelized fennel from minnesota food blogger a simple pantry. a spoon is visible sticking out the bowl, and garnishing salt is in the background

How to make Italian sausage soup

What I love most about this soup is that you can make it all in a single pot!

  • Cook the Italian sausage thoroughly, then remove from the pot, reserving the drippings
  • Caramelized the fennel and leeks
  • Add the aromatics, then the tomatoes and broth
  • Add the Italian sausage back to the pot, then simmer
  • Stir in the pasta and continue simmering, then add the spinach and wilt
  • Serve with parmesan

BAM! Dinner is served. It rarely gets easier than this!

side view of a pot of italian sausage soup with spinach, pasta, and caramelized fennel, with a wooden spoon sticking out.

Can you freeze Italian sausage soup?

The short answer is yes!

But, if you’re planning on freezing, there are some simple modifications you will want to make to ensure it’s truly freezer-friendly.

  • Pasta turns to mush if frozen, so don’t add the pasta to the main pot
  • Instead, cook pasta separately and add to the soup later, before serving
  • Seal pasta-less soup in freezer bags or containers that are air-tight, in small batches

You could also choose to cook the pasta in the reheated soup, to allow the pasta to absorb the flavors like it would if you weren’t making the soup for freezer prep. In which case I usually add a small amount of extra water (maybe ½ cup) to ensure the soup doesn’t turn into a stew.

I mean, unless of course, you prefer your soup to be more stew-like. I have no problem with that at all!

overhead view of a bowl of italian sausage soup with spinach, pasta, and caramelized fennel from minnesota food blogger a simple pantry.

Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel

Get ready to indulge in the savory-sweet flavors of this hearty Italian sausage soup, a one pot meal that’s perfect for both a weeknight and weekend lunch and dinner. With caramelized fennel and leeks, fragrant aromatics, and slow-simmered in a heady tomato-laden broth, this soup is perfect topped with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy with petite ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach wilted to perfection. Make this soup to enjoy tonight or follow the instructions for freezer meal prep to enjoy for months!

If you like this recipe, please give it a 5 star rating.

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Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel

A hearty weeknight dinner, this Italian Sausage Soup with Spinach, Pasta, and Caramelized Fennel fills any home with the spicy-sweet scents of a meal worth savoring. Mild Italian sausage mingles with leeks and fennel caramelized to sweet perfection, then slow-simmers in a tomato-laden broth before finishing with petite ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach. Topped with fresh grated Parmesan, this Italian sausage soup comes together in under an hour, perfect for any night of the week!
4.92 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12
Calories: 372kcal
Author: Karly Gomez

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1.5 lbs sweet italian sausage
  • 1.5 cups fennel bulb sliced thin
  • 1.5 cups leek sliced thin*
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • kosher salt to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste
  • 64 oz low sodium chicken stock
  • 28 oz petite diced tomatoes drained
  • 6 oz ditalini pasta uncooked
  • 6 oz baby spinach
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, followed by the Italian sausage. Cook until browned, breaking the meat up as it cooks, around 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving behind the juices in the pot.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add remaining olive oil, followed by the fennel and leek. Saute, stirring occasionally, until fennel is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, around 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking until fennel and leek are browned and caramelized, 3-4 minutes more.
  • Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper and saute until fragrant, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Add chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and the cooked sausage. Stir gently and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the ditalini pasta and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Stir in the spinach and let wilt for 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed, then ladle hot soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan. Enjoy hot.

Notes

*to prepare the leek, cut away the dark green leaves and bottom root, then cut in the half lengthwise. Slice ¼" half moons and add to a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt. After a couple minutes, remove leek from water with a slotted spoon and gently dry with paper towels.

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 719mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1815IU | Vitamin C: 14.5mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2.9mg
MADE THIS RECIPE?Click here to leave a comment + star rating! ★★★★★

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Imagery Shot With

photo-accessoriesCanon EOS 6D | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

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About Karly

From her childhood home in Southern Minnesota, Karly embraces the crazy of everyday life by creating delicious dishes her family and friends love, while experimenting with new flavors and techniques and photographing the results. Karly’s love for beautiful foods and joy for creating is infectious to all who meet her.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim Moncure says

    January 16, 2023 at 6:43 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing! Made it with gluten free pasta so it was doctor approved and husband approved! Love it!

    Reply
  2. KK says

    November 30, 2022 at 4:23 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic. I’ve made it dozens of times. But it comes from a meal delivery company called “Plated”. (Which is no longer in business for home delivery) . It would have been nice for you to credit them as the people behind this recipe.

    Reply
  3. diane lantz-rickard says

    October 31, 2021 at 2:15 pm

    5 stars
    Rave review!

    Reply
  4. Noelle says

    February 18, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    so this is confusing Beth, have you had fennel and leek before because you said they were your favorite things but then…?

    Reply
  5. Beth Pierce says

    February 22, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my heavens! Hubby and I just loved this! Thanks so much for the fabulous recipe!

    Reply
  6. Noelle says

    February 22, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    I have never tried fennel! Sounds so good, thank you for describing it, can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Not Noelle says

      February 18, 2021 at 4:54 pm

      yo you didn’t even try it Noelle wtf u puttin 5 stars for huh cmon

      Reply
  7. Beth says

    February 22, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    This has all my favorite things in it and I love all the details about the fennel and leek – things some of us might not be familiar with! Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
  8. Carrie says

    February 21, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    Going to give this a try as soups are a big hit around the house.

    Reply
  9. Dara Michalski says

    February 21, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    The ultimate comfort food! Fennel is such an underused veggie and is a brilliant addition to this soup.

    Reply
  10. April says

    February 21, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    5 stars
    The flavors in this were amazing! It was a huge hit with the family – we’ll definitely be making it again!

    Reply
    • April 2024 says

      February 18, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      nice job following through April, could teach Noelle a thing or two amirite

      Reply

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author karly gomez of a simple pantry with a background of red bell peppers
Hi, I'm Karly! Welcome to A Simple Pantry, where you’ll find inspiration for any meal and every occasion with tried-and-tested recipes, step-by-step tutorials, and occasional cooking videos that help you prepare easy gourmet dishes the whole family will love.
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