Hearty Italian Chicken Sausage and Gemelli Pasta Soup with Parmesan Toasts

This rustic Italian soup is everything you love about chicken noodle soup, but with an extra layer of flavor from sweet Italian chicken sausage and tender gemelli pasta. A fragrant broth infused with garlic, Italian herbs and a touch of chili flakes makes it truly comforting.

Loaded with carrots, tomatoes and spinach, this one-pot meal is as nourishing as it is delicious. Serve it with crispy ciabatta toasts slathered in garlic-Parmesan butter for a satisfying crunch. It’s the kind of bowl that feels like a warm hug on a chilly evening.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

3 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Italian Chicken SausageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Gemelli PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Ciabatta BreadView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 ounce SpinachView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry all produce. Trim, peel and dice the carrot into small pieces. Halve, peel and finely chop the onion. Dice the tomato.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian chicken sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot. Stir in the carrot, onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the diced tomato, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (½ teaspoon for 4 servings) and half the Italian seasoning (use the rest as you like) to the pot. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock concentrates and 3½ cups warm water (6 cups for 4 servings), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add half the gemelli pasta (all for 4 servings). Cover, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons butter (3 tablespoons for 4 servings) in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until just softened, about 10 seconds. Stir in 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (2 tablespoons for 4 servings), ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (use remaining garlic powder for 4 servings), a pinch of salt and a pinch of chili flakes. Halve the ciabatta bread and spread the cut sides with the garlic butter. Place cut sides up on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden and crispy, 4-5 minutes. Cut each half diagonally.
6. Stir the spinach and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (¼ cup for 4 servings) into the soup until the spinach has wilted. Season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with the Parmesan toasts on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of sausage?

Yes, you can substitute with sweet or spicy Italian pork sausage or even turkey sausage. Just adjust cooking time as needed.

How can I make this soup gluten-free?

Use gluten-free pasta and a gluten-free bread for the toasts. Check that your stock concentrate is gluten-free as well.

Can I prepare this soup ahead of time?

Yes, the soup can be made a day ahead. Store it in the refrigerator and reheat gently. The pasta will absorb some liquid, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Make the toasts fresh for the best texture.