Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup (One-Pot Wonder!)

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 | Difficulty: Easy

Imagine a bowl of pure comfort: savory Italian sausage, tender ditalini pasta, fire-roasted tomatoes, and fresh spinach swimming in the creamiest Parmesan broth you’ve ever tasted. This creamy Parmesan Italian sausage soup transforms simple ingredients into restaurant-quality comfort food that comes together in just one pot in about 35 minutes. The combination of cream cheese, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmesan creates an ultra-rich, velvety base that coats every bite of pasta and sausage perfectly. Whether you’re feeding hungry family members on a busy weeknight, meal prepping for the week ahead, or serving guests on a chilly evening, this hearty soup delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity—you brown the sausage, simmer everything together, stir in the cheese and cream, and you’re done. No separate pasta boiling, no complicated steps, just straightforward deliciousness that even beginner cooks can master.

Why You’ll Love This Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup Recipe

This one-pot Italian sausage soup requires minimal cleanup since everything cooks in the same pot from start to finish. Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner fast without sacrificing flavor. The creamy, rich broth gets incredible depth from three types of dairy—cream cheese, heavy cream, and Parmesan—creating restaurant-quality results. Using Italian sausage means the meat is pre-seasoned, eliminating the need to add multiple spices. The small ditalini pasta is perfectly sized for soup, catching the creamy sauce in every spoonful. This recipe is completely adaptable—adjust spice levels, swap pasta shapes, add more vegetables, or make it in a slow cooker.

Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Ditalini Soup

Rich, creamy one-pot soup with Italian sausage, ditalini pasta, Parmesan, and spinach. Ready in 35 minutes for the ultimate comfort food dinner!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 480 kcal

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot (6-8 quart)
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Cheese grater
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Ladle

Ingredients

  

For the Soup Base

• 1 pound Italian sausage bulk or casings removed – mild, sweet, or hot based on preference
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
• 1 small yellow onion diced – about 1 cup
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic minced for robust flavor
• 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium recommended
• 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces – fire-roasted adds smoky depth

For the Creamy Parmesan Base

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream creates velvety texture
• 8 ounces cream cheese cubed and room temperature – one package
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese never use pre-shredded for best melting
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta small tube pasta – about 8 ounces

Seasonings and Finishing

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend of herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil enhances Italian flavors
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional – adjust for heat
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach or kale, roughly chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
• Add Italian sausage to pot with onions. Break sausage apart with wooden spoon into bite-sized crumbles as it cooks. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until sausage is browned and no pink remains. If sausage releases excessive fat, drain off excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
• Stir in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until garlic becomes fragrant. Don’t let garlic burn.
• Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine and scrape up any brown bits from bottom of pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to rolling boil.
• Once boiling, add uncooked ditalini pasta and stir well. Reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent pasta from sticking to bottom, until pasta is al dente.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir in fresh spinach and let it wilt into soup.
• Add room-temperature cream cheese cubes, freshly grated Parmesan, and heavy cream. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, pressing cream cheese against pot sides to help it melt smoothly. Continue stirring until all cheese is completely melted and soup is uniformly creamy. Do NOT let soup boil after adding dairy.
• Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

Cream Cheese Tip: Room temperature cream cheese melts without clumps. Bring to room temp 30 minutes before cooking.

Drain Grease: Remove excess sausage fat to avoid oily soup, but keep 1 tablespoon for flavor.

Fresh Parmesan: Grate yourself—pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.

Stir Often: Stir pasta frequently while cooking to prevent sticking.

Low Heat for Dairy: Add cream/cheese over low heat. Never boil after adding dairy or it curdles.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Pasta absorbs liquid, so add broth when reheating.

Slow Cooker: Add all ingredients including uncooked sausage to slow cooker. Cook low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours. Break up sausage before serving.

Pasta Swap: Use orzo, small shells, elbow macaroni, or tortellini.

Keyword Comfort Food, creamy sausage soup, ditalini soup, easy dinner soup, italian sausage soup, one pot soup, parmesan soup

What You Need for Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup

Essential Soup Base Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage – bulk or remove casings, use mild, sweet, or hot based on preference
• 1 tablespoon olive oil – for sautéing aromatics
• 1 small yellow onion – diced, provides sweet aromatic base
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic – minced for robust flavor
• 4 cups chicken broth – low-sodium allows salt control
• 1 can diced tomatoes – 14.5 ounces, fire-roasted adds smoky depth

For the Creamy Parmesan Base

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream – creates luxurious, velvety texture
• 8 ounces cream cheese – cubed and softened to room temperature
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese – never use pre-shredded for best melting
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta – small tube pasta perfect for soup

Seasonings and Finishing Touches

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning – blend of oregano, basil, thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil – enhances Italian flavors
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes – optional, adjust for heat preference
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach – or kale, adds nutrition and color
• Salt and black pepper – to taste
• Fresh parsley – chopped for garnish

How to Make Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Browning the Sausage

1. Heat the pot (1 minute): Place large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and let heat until shimmering.
2. Add onions (2-3 minutes): Add diced onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and turn translucent.
3. Brown the sausage (6-8 minutes): Add Italian sausage to pot with onions. Break sausage apart with wooden spoon into bite-sized crumbles as it cooks. Continue cooking until sausage is browned and no pink remains. (Don’t skip breaking it into small pieces—this creates perfect texture.)
4. Drain excess grease (1 minute): If your sausage releases a lot of fat, carefully drain off excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
5. Add garlic and seasonings (1 minute): Stir in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook until garlic becomes fragrant. (Don’t let garlic burn or it becomes bitter.)

Step 2: Building the Soup Base

6. Add liquids (2 minutes): Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine everything and scrape up any flavorful brown bits from bottom of pot.
7. Bring to boil (3-5 minutes): Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to rolling boil, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Cooking the Pasta

8. Add ditalini (1 minute): Once boiling, add uncooked ditalini pasta and stir well to prevent sticking.
9. Simmer pasta (10 minutes): Reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer. Cook pasta, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to bottom, until al dente. (Pasta will continue softening as soup sits, so don’t overcook.)

Step 4: Creating the Creamy Magic

10. Reduce heat (30 seconds): Turn heat to low before adding dairy to prevent curdling.
11. Add spinach (1 minute): Stir in fresh spinach and let it wilt into soup.
12. Melt in cheeses (3-4 minutes): Add room-temperature cream cheese cubes, freshly grated Parmesan, and heavy cream. Stir constantly, pressing cream cheese against pot sides to help it melt smoothly. Continue stirring until all cheese is completely melted and soup is uniformly creamy. (Do NOT let soup boil after adding dairy or it may split.)
13. Final seasoning (1 minute): Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Step 5: Serving

14. Ladle and garnish (2 minutes): Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with extra Parmesan, fresh chopped parsley, and pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Expert Tips for the Best Italian Sausage Soup

Bring cream cheese to room temperature at least 30 minutes before cooking—cold cream cheese clumps instead of melting smoothly. Drain excess sausage grease to avoid oily soup, but leave about 1 tablespoon for flavor. Freshly grate Parmesan cheese yourself—pre-shredded contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Stir pasta frequently while it cooks to prevent sticking to pot bottom. Add dairy over low heat and never let soup boil once dairy is added or it will curdle. For thicker soup, use less broth or add more pasta. For thinner consistency, add extra chicken broth. The pasta will absorb liquid as leftovers sit, so have extra broth handy for reheating. Try our Sausage Tortellini Soup for another creamy sausage variation.

How to Store and Serve Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup

Store cooled soup in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb liquid as it sits, so add splash of chicken broth or cream when reheating. Reheat gently on stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Avoid microwaving on high power as dairy can separate. This hearty soup is complete meal on its own but pairs beautifully with crusty Italian bread, garlic bread, or warm baguette for dipping. Serve with simple green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to balance the richness. For special occasions, pour a glass of Italian red wine like Chianti. Garnish each bowl generously with fresh Parmesan and parsley for restaurant presentation.

Italian Sausage Soup Recipe Variations You’ll Love

Create slow cooker version by adding all ingredients including uncooked sausage to slow cooker, cooking on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours, then breaking up sausage before serving. Make spicier soup by using hot Italian sausage and doubling crushed red pepper flakes. Try different pasta shapes like orzo, small shells, elbow macaroni, or even cheese tortellini. Add extra vegetables like diced carrots, celery, bell peppers, or kale for more nutrition. Create lighter version by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reducing cream cheese to 4 ounces. Make potato version by swapping ditalini for diced Russet potatoes—cook until fork-tender. For more sausage recipes, try our Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta and Sausage and Rice Dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Sausage Soup

Final Thoughts on This Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup

This creamy Parmesan Italian sausage ditalini soup proves that restaurant-quality comfort food can be simple, quick, and made in just one pot. The combination of savory sausage, tender pasta, and ultra-creamy Parmesan broth creates layers of flavor that satisfy on the deepest level. With just 35 minutes from start to finish and minimal cleanup, it’s the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you need something special without the stress. The recipe is endlessly adaptable to your family’s preferences, dietary needs, and whatever ingredients you have on hand. Whether you’re cooking for picky kids, impressing dinner guests, or simply treating yourself to comfort food perfection, this soup delivers every time. Love this recipe? Save it to your Pinterest boards and follow us on Pinterest at for more amazing one-pot meals and comfort food recipes!