Best Hearty Italian Soup Recipes

HEARTY ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• Stir water, tomatoes, beef broth, and Italian seasoning together in a large pot; bring to a boil. Add meatballs, Italian-blend vegetables, and pasta to the pot. Return broth to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the meatballs are heated through and the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage, onion, and garlic in the hot skillet until sausage is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Add broth, black beans, butter beans, diced tomatoes, basil, and oregano; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for at least 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

HEARTY ITALIAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the onions begin to soften, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, tie the parsley sprigs, lemon zest, and fennel tops together. Add the herb bundle, broth, 2 cups of water, and, if using, the cheese rind. Bring to a very gentle simmer and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones in large strips, and set aside.
• 2. Meanwhile, add the sliced fennel, carrots, and celery to the broth and season with salt, to taste. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are just tender, 5 minutes. Stir in the noodles and cook until just al dente, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken, baby spinach, and Parmesan until the chicken is heated through and the spinach is wilted. Discard the herb bundle and cheese rind. Stir in lemon juice, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve with additional Parmesan for passing.

HEARTY ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add potato and carrots; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add onion, celery, zucchini and jalapeno; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender., Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth or water if necessary.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Stir in carrots, celery, and red onion; cook until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in beans with their liquid.
• Add potatoes, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover, about 1 1/2 cups. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender and soup thickens, about 20 minutes.

HEARTY ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Place lentils in a pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
• Bring rice and 1 1/3 cup water to boil in a pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, beaten egg, garlic, 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, parsley, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Form ground beef mixture into 1 inch balls. Place meatballs in skillet and cook 5 minutes or until evenly brown.
• In a large pot, bring the tomato sauce and 4 cups water to a boil. Transfer the browned meatballs to the pot. Mix in cooked lentils and rice. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese to serve.

HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, onion and green pepper until sausage is browned; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, sugar, bouillon and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. , Stir in macaroni. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• 1. COOK sausage, onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan 10 min., stirring frequently.
• 2. ADD next four ingredients and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Stir in Pasta; cook 8 min. or until tender. Remove from heat.
• 3. STIR in spinach; cover. Let stand 5 min. Top with cheese. Serve with crackers.

HEARTY ITALIAN RATATOUILLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large pot, and saute onion.
• Remove casings from Italian sausage and cut up into 1 inch pieces, add to pan.
• Cook sausage until brown about 10 minutes, remove from pan and drain half the fat.
• Add the zucchini, squash, eggplant, red pepper, mushrooms and salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, and sausage to the pot, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium/low - low to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender and sausage is cooked through.
• Stir in fresh basil in last 5 minutes.
• You can reduce the fat and calories by using a turkey based sausage, or make this a vegetarian dish by using a soy/tofu sausage or even garbanzo beans.

HEARTY ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in large stock pot. Add onions, carrots and celery; cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add remaining ingredients; stir. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP

Steps:

• In Dutch oven, brown sausage, green pepper, and onion. Drain.
• Stir in remaining ingredients except macaroni and cheese. Cover. Simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in macaroni. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until macaroni is tender.
• Top individual servings with cheese.

HEARTY ITALIAN LASAGNA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
• Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
• To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.
• Source.
• Source: Adapted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski's magazine from Kowalski's Markets.

HEARTY ITALIAN CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot on high heat, Sauté the chicken, onions, and celery in olive oil until chicken if browned and onions are translucent, (if using the crock-pot, uses a skillet for this step).
• For Stove top: Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Once the soup comes to a medium boil reduce heat to a simmer.
• Soup should just gently bubble from here on out.
• After 30 minute do a taste test of the broth add additional spices to your taste.
• simmer for an additional hour then test vegetables for doneness.
• For Crock-Pot: Transfer ingredients from skillet and add remaining ingredients.
• Set crockpot on high for two hours then reduce to low.
• After 2 hours do a taste test of the broth add additional spices to your taste.
• Let simmer for an additional 4 hours.
• (Warning if you have a high powered crock-pot and the soup begins to boil to hard reduce the setting to warm if it has one, otherwise unplug your crock-pot for awhile).

HEARTY ITALIAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Remove 1 1/2 cup white kidney beans to medium bowl; mash beans until smooth with a potato masher or fork.
• 2. In 5 quart pot, heat olive oil, ham, celery, carrots, onion, zucchini, basil, and pepper until veggies are tender and begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
• 3. Stir in stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, chopped spinach, mashed white beans, and 2 cups water, use spoon to break up tomatoes; heat until boiling.
• 4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors.
• 5. Stir in remaining beans; heat through.
• 6. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook - sausage, onions and garlic in oil in saucepan 10 minutes, stirring frequently ADD - next 4 ingredients. Bring to boil. Stir in pasta, cook 8 min. or until tender. remove from heat. STIR IN - spinach and cover. Let stand 5 min., top with cheese and serve with crackers.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Cook sausage and onions in large skillet on medium heat 8 min. or until sausage is evenly browned, stirring frequently and adding garlic for the last minute.
• Add broth, water, beans and tomatoes; mix well. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add pasta; stir. Return to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Stir in kale; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until kale is slightly wilted. Serve topped with cheese.

HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP (BAREFOOT CONTESSA) RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Soak beans overnightr. Drain, boil in 8 c. of water. Lower heat, simmer 45 mins. Add 1 t. salt, simmer 15 mins or until tender. Ser aside to cool. In stockpot, heat oil, add pancetta & onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots, celery, garlic, 1T salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes w/j juice, cabbage, kale, & basil. Cook over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes. Drain beans, resere liquid. Puree half of beans with a little of liquid. Add to stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour bean cooking liquid/chicken stock (total 8 cups) into stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 20 min. Add bread and simmer 10 more min. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil. (8 servings)

HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, brown sausage, green pepper and onion; drain.
• Stir in remaining ingredients except macaroni and cheese.
• Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in macaroni; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender.
• In each bowl, shred 1 piece of string cheese and pour soup over the top; repeat for remaining servings.
• This makes about (6) 1-1/3 cup servings.

HEARTY ITALIAN SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Cook sausage in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes or until browned. Remove sausage from the Dutch oven, reserving drippings in the Dutch oven.
• 2. Saute onions in hot drippings for 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. If you used link sausage, slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Return sausage to the Dutch oven.
• 3. Stir chicken broth and the next 3 ingredients into the sausage mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes.
• 4. Stir in spinach and the next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese.