Hearty Italian Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Soup with Garlic Ciabatta

This hearty Italian soup is packed with savory chicken sausage, tender vegetables and curly cavatappi pasta. It’s a one-pot wonder that’s perfect for a cozy dinner and the best part? You’ll have leftovers that magically become a delicious pasta dish for lunch the next day. Serve it with crispy garlic-butter ciabatta for dipping and you’ve got a meal that’s both comforting and efficient.

The secret is in the cooking: you’ll prepare extra pasta and sausage, then set aside half for tomorrow’s lunch. The next day, simply reheat the reserved pasta with marinara sauce and Parmesan for a quick and satisfying meal. It’s like getting two meals in one!

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

2 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CarrotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

18 ounce Italian Chicken SausageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Cavatappi PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Tuscan Heat SpiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

14 ounce Marinara CupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Ciabatta BreadView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Italian Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and dice zucchini into ½-inch pieces. Halve, peel and finely dice onion. Trim, peel and dice carrot into ½-inch pieces.
2. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Transfer half to a medium bowl, leaving remaining half in pan. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
3. Add half the zucchini, half the onion, half the Tuscan Heat Spice, salt and pepper to pan with sausage. Cook, stirring, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add marinara sauce and reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in 3 cups cooked pasta (you’ll put the rest in the soup) and 1 TBSP butter. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
4. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in pot used to cook pasta over medium-high heat. Add carrot, ¾ tsp garlic powder (you’ll use the rest for garlic toast), salt and remaining zucchini, onion and Tuscan Heat Spice. Cook, stirring, until veggies are softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in reserved sausage, 2½ cups water (5 cups for 4 servings) and stock concentrates. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in remaining cooked pasta and half the Italian cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1½ TBSP butter until softened, about 10 seconds. Stir in remaining garlic powder and a pinch of salt and chili flakes (to taste). Halve ciabatta and toast in toaster oven until golden. Evenly spread with garlic butter. Divide soup between bowls. Top with remaining Italian cheese. Sprinkle with chili flakes if desired. Serve with garlic toast on the side.
6. Divide cavatappi domani between 2 reusable containers. Pack each with Parmesan. When ready to eat, microwave, stirring, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle pasta with Parmesan.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes, any short pasta like penne, fusilli or rotini works well in this soup.

How do I reheat the leftover pasta lunch?

Microwave the container for about 3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Absolutely! Substitute the chicken sausage with plant-based sausage or extra vegetables and use vegetable stock concentrate instead of chicken.