You can make this Tuscan Sausage Soup in an Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or stove top. So choose the method that suits you best!
This soup is so delicious! It will definitely be in my regular rotation. I served it with these Savoury Spinach and Feta Scones. Both the soup and the scones are substantial so it makes a very satisfying meal.
The recipe is also very versatile. The Italian sausage, oregano, spinach and parmesan are kind of core ingredients to give it its Italian flare but you can vary amounts and/or other ingredients to suit your taste.
I happen to absolutely love the recipe as its written but you can adjust for what you have on hand or your preferences. Here are some ideas for substitutes and/or additions.
Substitutions or Additions
- Choose if you want mild, medium or hot Italian sausage to suit your taste
- You can substitute ground chicken or turkey for the sausage
- Substitute kale for the spinach. Use only chopped leaves – no stems.
- Substitute diced or roasted tomatoes for the sun-dried tomatoes (reduce other liquid by approximate amount of juice from your tomatoes)
- Substitute vegetable or even beef broth for the chicken broth
- Substitute 10% or 18% cream for the evaporated milk. Do not use regular milk – it will separate
- Add or adjust crushed red pepper flakes or Tabasco for the amount of heat that suits your taste
Pressure cooker and stove top will take about in about 35 minutes once your ingredients are ready. Pressure cooker time assumes the time it takes to come to pressure. Or you can make it in your slow cooker and have it ready in 4 hours on High or 7-8 hours on Low.
If you have a mult-function pressure cooker or slow cooker, or are using a stove top Dutch oven you can make this in one pot. Otherwise you will need to sautee some ingredients in a skillet before transferring to your pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Wine Pairing for Tuscan Sausage Soup
This soup will have a tendency toward some spiciness depending on the type of sausage and peppers you use. Therefore avoid any highly tannic wine.
For a white A Soave, Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay would all be good choices.
On the red spectrum look for a Barbera, Grenache or Rhone blend.
Tuscan Sausage Soup
Equipment
- Pressure cooker optional
- Slow Cooker optional
- large pot optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage mild, medium or hot
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup sweet red pepper diced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 2 cups fresh spinach cleaned, destemmed and chopped
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk or cream
- 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan optional
- Tabasco for garnishing at serving time optional
Instructions
- If using a multi-function pressure cooker or slow cooker or a Dutch oven you will be able to do this in one pot. If not you will need a large skillet.
- Remove casing from sausage and brown over medium heat, crumbling evenly. About 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, sweet red pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook another 5 minutes. See Note 1 for Variations.
- Sprinkle oregano, salt and pepper over mixture and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring. See Note 2 for Variations.
- If you were sauteeing in a skillet, transfer the mixture to your pressure cooker or slow cooker.
- Stove Top– Add the broth and crushed red pepper, if using, to the mixture you sauteed in your Dutch oven. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the spinach and evaporated milk and return to a simmer. Simmer another 5 minutes or so until spinach is wilted.
- Pressure Cooker– Add the broth and crushed red pepper, if using, to the sauteed mixture. Set pressure to high and cook 5 minutes. Use quick release; return cooker to sautee mode; add the spinach and the milk and cook until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through. This make take 3-5 minutes further.
- Slow Cooker– Add the broth and crushed red pepper, if using, to the sauteed mixture. Cook on high 4 hours or low 7-8 hours. Add the spinach and evaporated milk during the last hour of cooking.
- All Methods– Serve immediately with grated parmesan for garnish and additional hot sauce if desired.
- Soup stores well in the fridge for 2-3 days. It may be even better the second day once flavours have permeated even more. Soup can be frozen for months and reheated as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Excellent soup!