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Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup

Creamy Parmesan Italian sausage soup with a thick, velvety white broth made by simmering broth and cream, then stirring in freshly grated parmesan for a smooth melt. Tender ditalini-style pasta and wilted kale finish the soup with savory sausage crumbles in every spoonful.
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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: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 4 cup kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 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 Italian sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up until cooked through. Drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Build the creamy base
  1. Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat. Sauté onion for 4 minutes, then add garlic and flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Gradually add chicken broth and heavy cream while stirring to keep the mixture smooth. Stir in Italian seasoning and nutmeg.
  3. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat. Add ditalini or small pasta and cook 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Reduce heat to low, then stir in 1 cup parmesan until fully melted and the broth turns creamy. Add kale, sausage, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Cook for 4-5 minutes on low to medium-low heat until the kale wilts and sausage warms through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with the remaining parmesan.

Notes

For the smoothest parmesan melt, reduce heat before adding cheese and stir until the soup looks glossy (avoid boiling after the parmesan goes in). Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or cream if it thickens. Freezing isn’t recommended because cream-based soups can separate, but you can freeze the sausage separately if you want to prep ahead. If you want a lighter option, swap in half-and-half for some or all of the heavy cream and use the full amount of parmesan for flavor.