Hearty Italian Sausage & Rice Soup

 

Warm up your kitchen with this comforting, robust soup! Packed with savory Italian sausage, tender-crisp carrots, celery, onions, and rice in a flavorful broth, this dish comes together easily for a satisfying weeknight meal.

🧄 Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 3 stalks celery, sliced

• 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)

• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Brown the Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until thoroughly browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the savory drippings in the pot.

2. Sauté the Veggies: In the same pot, add the diced onion, sliced celery, and sliced carrots. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions become translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

3. Simmer the Soup: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the uncooked rice and return the cooked sausage to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.

4. Cook to Perfection: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the vegetables are fork-tender.

5. Season and Serve: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle hot into bowls, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy!